A dancer who created a lasting impression on the spectators was Janaki
Rangarajan. Her performance was noteworthy for its quality of
spontaneity, elegance and precision. Vijay Shanker, Afternoon Dispatch & Courier (Mumbai) - June 29, 2010
Standouts included the best Bharata Natyam performer I have ever seen, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan... Meagan Bruskewicz, The Hidden Language of the Soul - June 25, 2010
I checked out the D.C. dance scene in Dance: Yes We Can!, a showcase of local talent. Classical Indian dancer Janaki Rangarajan performed a riveting Bharatanatyam solo... Nancy Wozny, CultureMap - June 24, 2010
In the midst of audience applause, Janaki Rangarajan exhibited her great talent. Eenadu - May 27, 2010.
Within forty
five minutes, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan from Washington DC, encapsulated the
Bharatanatyam margam with such pace and vibrancy that the moments sped
away leaving the audience seeking more of the ecstasy of watching her dance. Janaki’s dance was like the pleasant running brook whose movements
meandered amidst the rocks of rhythm making the spectators sitting on its
bank, savor the flowing energy within placidity. To sum it up, Janaki’s
performance was a show stealer like that of her mentor and guru, Dr. Padma
Subrahmanyam.Mysore B. Nagaraj, Narthaki.com - February 12, 2010
[Janaki] has remarkably deep araimandi stances and is light on her feet. She chose the Swarajati in Useni, 'E mayalaadi,' as the main item that provided plenty of scope for both nritta and nritya and the choreography took in both aspects. The theermanams were brisk, with interesting arudis and there were 'nadai' variations in the charanam. Usha Ramdas, The Hindu - February 12, 2010
The two-day festival also featured four acclaimed
soloists — Sujata Mohapatra and Kavita Dwivedy (both Odissi dancers
from Bhubaneswar and New Delhi respectively), Bharatanatyam artiste
Janaki Rangarajan from Chennai (disciple of Padma Subramaniam) and
Kathak dancer Parwati Dutta, disciple of Birju Maharaj and director of
the Mahagami Gurukul in Aurangabad. The Hindu - January 1, 2010
The festival
further featured two more established soloists – Bharatnatyam dancer
Janaki Rangarajan from Chennai, disciple of legendary Padma Subramaniam
and Birju Maharaj’s Aurangabad-based disciple Parwati Dutta. While
Janaki preferred to stage her own choreographic work set to a Meera
bhajan in Hindi instead of the traditional Carnatic music used with
Bharatnatyam; Parwati, who is also a choreographer, presented her
Guru’s compositions. Shyamhari Chakra, The New Indian Express - December 25, 2009
The other soloist of the evening was US-based brilliant Bharatanatyam dancer Janaki Rangarajan. The Hindu - December 18, 2009.
Eminent danseuse Janaki Rangarajan
performing Bharat Natyam at Rabindra Mandap in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. Pragativadi - December 17, 2009.
A two-day Bharat Muni Mahotsav will kick-start at the Rabindra Mandap here from Wednesday. On the inaugural day, Odissi dancer Kavita Dwibedi, Bharatnatyam artist Janaki Rangarajan, Utkalvidyalaya and Kalinga Truyatrikam will perform there. The Pioneer - December 16, 2009.
The inaugural evening would feature solo recitals by New Delhi-based
noted Odissi dancer Kabita Dwibedy and US-based Bharatnatyam dancer
Janaki Rangarajan, disciple of Padma Subramaniam from Chennai, followed
by group presentations of Odissi by the troupes of Utkal Sangeet
Mahavidyalaya and the host organization Kalingayana Touryatrikam. The Hindu - December 9, 2009.
In this two-day cultural event, renowned artistes like Kabita Dwibedi, Dr. Janaki Rangarajan, Parvati Dutta and Birju Maharaj will perform. The Statesman - December 8, 2009
Janaki is a Bharata Natyam dancer of the highest calibre; her movements
are very clear and crisp, she is very rhythmically precise, and her
performance was filled with great subtleties. Shawn Mativetsky, Tabla Montreal - October 25, 2009
The program opens with a captivating Bharatanatyam (South Indian Classical Dance) performer. Janaki Rangarajan is totally fierce! She is able to move parts of her face in rhythm with the music in ways I had no idea it was even possible. She is a great way to begin the afternoon. I am completely enthralled. Yay! ... Next was more solo work from the first performer which is cool and different. She is fun and great to watch!Dante Puleio, iDANZ.net - August 20, 2009
Some of my favorite New York experiences have been of open-air dance
that has kept passers-by from passing by. I remember this same effect
at Chase Plaza last year, when the 27th annual Downtown Dance Festival
gave a daily series of performances there. It was so good to encounter
it again on Tuesday — at the 28th annual festival — that I was sorry I
had been unable to catch Monday’s performance, which included
Bharatanatyam dancing by Janaki Rangarajan. Alastair Macaulay, NEW YORK TIMES - August 19, 2009
The Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, now in its 77th year, is one of the
longest-running institutions of the American dance world. Always
eclectic in taste, it has grown in scope. The highlights of its August season, in Becket, Mass., include some
one-off events ... on Aug. 19, in the open-air
Marcia & Seymour Simon Performance Space, Janaki Rangarajan
performs the Indian dance form Bharatanatyam. Alastair Macaulay, NEW YORK TIMES - August 7, 2009
'Thevaram' by
Janaki Rangarajan gave us a rare insight to the devotional hymns, their
beauty, meaning, structure and the musical scales - Panns, as they were
called - which have their equivalent to ragas of Indian classical music.
This performance was a demonstration of how ancient hymns can be expressed
through the medium of Bharatanatyam.Lata Ganesh, Narthaki.com - May 7, 2009
A programme on Bharathanatyam was held at Subbiah Vidyalayam Girls
Higher Secondary School in Tuticorin on Friday. The show presented by
Janaki Rangarajan impressed the audience. Janaki, a multi-faceted
personality, had the honour of receiving the prestigious
Vasanthalakshmi Narasimhachari Award of the Narada Gana Sabha from
the renowned dancer, Vyjayanthimala Bali and was selected as a graded
artist for Doordarshan. Janaki is also an empanelled artiste of the
Indian Council for Cultural Relations. D. Ganesan, president of the school,
coordinated the programme. Lakshmi Praba Vikraman, trustee member,
honoured the artiste with a shawl. Vanaja Rajagopalan, trustee member,
appreciated her performance. Pappusundari, Headmistress and S.
Selvaraj, advisor to Annamal College of Education for Women, were
present. THE HINDU - February 17, 2009
Backed by a repertoire of her own choreography, Janaki’s
Bharatanatyam recital reflected the dancer’s brisk and confident
manner. Her nritta is impressive in its precision and timing and her
straight posture and agility give the adavus a well-finished definition...Janaki delineated the navaragamalika varnam (‘Swamiyai
Azhaithodi Vaa,’ Adi, K.N.Dhandayuthapani Pillai) with smooth
confidence. One could see how much she enjoyed the experience of
dancing and performing. Rupa Srikanth, THE HINDU - January 30, 2009
On Thursday Dr. Janaki Rangarajan’s solo “Ranganjali,” also in Bharatanatyam style, an invocatory exercise in praise of Lord Shiva that combined pure dance (Nrtta) and expressive mime (Abhinaya), was another spellbinder, with multiple body parts, from eyes to feet, all actively engaged, playing separate parts in building to a crescendo. Stillness — a sudden, seemingly unprepared but sustained balance — is a central ingredient. Here, as in all the best forms of Indian dance, we feel many layers of being: past and present, action and stasis, self-sufficiency and outward communication, pride and humility. Alastair Macaulay, NEW YORK TIMES - August 24, 2008
A quick note to congratulate Janaki on her
wonderful performance in the IAAC Dance Festival in New York. As was
expected, she did an amazing job and received thunderous applause after
her solo performances. I was lucky enough to catch her performance at
the Ailey Theater and it was great to see her take command of the
stage. She easily channeled the majestic beauty of the Gods in
Ranganjali without letting it seem like haughtiness. And as always, I
am always reminded that Bharata Natyam is more then angles and rhythms
when I watch Janaki integrate curves, softness and stillness in the
middle of the angles and rhythms so effortlessly. She used her strong
footwork masterfully, it had breath in it, expectant pauses, and strong
accents--all this without letting it sound like a machine gun (often it
seems that dancers feel that pounding out every single beat is all you
have to do). Her focus was honed like a laser and unwavering. It was
gratifying and moving to watch her showcase the richness of Bharata
Natyam. Please join me in congratulating her on a wonderful
performance. We are so lucky to have her here in the area with us. Daniel Phoenix-Singh, Dakshina (via e-mail) - August 22, 2008
The dances that Alexandria, Va.-based artist Janaki Rangarajan will
perform in praise of the Hindu deities, for example, reflect a subtle
reinterpretation of Bharata Natyam based on her own fresh study of
temple sculptures. Robert Johnson, The Star-Ledger - August 14, 2008
Janaki Rangarajan's "Ranganjali" is a karana-based composition in the style of her guru Padma Subramaniam. Rajika Puri, exploredance.com - August 11, 2008
When Dr. Janaki Rangarajan from the USA, a sishya of Dr. Padma
Subrahmanyam takes the stage, the setting is magical. Vicent D'Souza, kutcheribuzz.com - March 8, 2008
Ms. Janaki Rangarajan, a bharatanatyam dancer and
disciple of Ms. Padma Subramaniam gave an astounding performance to the
joy of everyone and left the audience awe-struck. Selvin Kumar, Dinamalar - July 28, 2007
A dancer in the DC area whom I really admire, for her dedication and
passion is Janaki Rangarajan. kaivalyam.blogspot.com - April 18, 2007
Janaki Rangarajan,
a senior disciple of Padma Subrahmanyam presented a Bharatanrityam recital
for Numgambakkam Cultural Academy on Jan 2. A Balamuralikrishna composition
in ragamalika and talamalika for Pushpanjali, Thirupugazh verses for alarippu,
a composition of Venkatrama Sastri in ragam Husseini for varnam, “Krishna
nee begane…” in raag Yamankalyan, a Jayadeva ashtapadi in raag Basant Bahar,
and a thillana composed by the Tanjore Quartette were the items she presented
for the evening’s recital. She was accompanied by Jayashree Ramanathan
on nattuvangam, G Srikanth on vocal, SSR Krishnan on mridangam and S Vijayaraghavan
on violin. On previous visits, Janaki has performed items choreographed
by her guru, but this time she performed items that she has choreographed
herself. Lalitha Venkat, Narthaki.com - January 26, 2007
Janaki Rangarajan presented the third and the twelfth
ashtapadis in Bharatanrityam style, depicting the spring season and
longing of Radha. Asha Vattikuti, Narthaki.com - June 24, 2006
I was so entranced by the non-stop 30-minute performance. Michael Perez, dcflamenco.com - April 4, 2006
Ms. Rangarajan explained the importance of the hands, arms and facial expression to the meaning of the dance and then gave the audience a thoroughly enjoyable demonstration. Robert Murphy, csosa.gov - May 19, 2005
Sunday's concert opened with Indian dancer Janaki Rangarajan
performing a classical dance form from southern India called Bharata
Nrityam. The poem Rangarajan told through dance blended subtle facial
expressions with delicate neck, wrist, finger and hand movements to
express deep emotions. David Horn, Herald Times - September 24, 2001
Janaki's sense of footwork while exploiting the theermanams and Korvais of the varnam stood out in bold. Adavus were perfect and the rhythm was impeccable. News Today - 1998
Also, please click on the following links for additional recent
press about Dr. Janaki Rangarajan -
