Guru Dr. Smt Kanchana Janardhanan, is the senior most disciple of Bharathanatyam legend Guru Shri P.K. Jaishankar of Coimbatore from whom she imbibed the Vazhuvoor style of Bharathnatyam in all its grandeur. She learnt the Carnatic Music from the Doyen Guru Shri Chellam Iyyengar and later continued her music lessons under the tutelage of Guru Mudikondan Shri Ramamurthy. Her passion for teaching the divine art of Bharathanatyam resulted in the inception of Mayura School of Classical Dances in the year 1984.
Her in depth knowledge of dance and Music clubbed with incessant hardwork, dedication and perseverance soon made her the most sought-after Guru in Pammal and Raja Annamalaipuram areas in Chennai. Her students won prizes in competitions at all levels. Many of her disciples today are regular performers at the Chennai’s famed margazhi mahotsavam (December Dance and Music festivals ) hosted by the most prestigious Sabhas as Chennayil Thiruvaiyaru, Colors Margazhi, Kathick Fine Arts, and so on. Mayuras are permanent performers at Various grand Dance festivals of great temples in India as Chidambaram Natanjali, Tirupati Nada Neeranjanam, Srirangam, Kumbakonam temple festival and many more. She has the credit of propagating the bhakti or the divine aspect of this ancient art.
Her production of unique dance dramas as ‘Thiruppugazh Ramayanam’, ‘Thirukkutralak Kuravanjai’, ‘Ganesha Charitram’, ‘Navarasa Nayaki’, ‘Om Namah Shivaya’, ‘Janaki Navarasam’, ‘Meenakshi Kalyanam’, ‘Saravana bhava’, ‘Andal Kalyanam’ and so on speak volumes of her choreographic Genius. Many of her productions are frequently telecasted on premier television channels. The release of audio CD ‘Bharathanatya Margam’ ( compositions of Shri P.R. Venkata Subramanian) from Mayura School is yet another feather on her cap.
It will not be an exaggeration to say that many of her disciples are running their own dance institutions in a fully confident manner in various parts of the globe. It is because of her untiring effort in perfecting the theoretical and practical nuances of this dance form. Theory, practicals and Nattuvangam classes are also held here to the benefit of many short term and long term aspirants. Today the 35 year Mayura School has marked its grand presence with the Main School at Raja Annamalai Puram and branches at Pammal, Porur and Selaiyur in Chennai as a school for excellence in Bharatanatyam.
Guru Smt Kanchana Janardhanan has been honoured with many titles by various renowned organizations for her dedicated services. ‘Natanakala Shironmani’, ‘Natyakala Shironmani’, ‘Bhakthi Marga Natyacharya Sundaram’, ‘Prathama Bharatha Acharya’, ‘Nrutyaacharya Rathna’ are just to name a few. We are indeed proud to say that this 35 year old Mayura school has its branches also in Coimbatore, Canada, Ireland which are run very confidently by the Senior Mayuras.
As Paramaguru at Jathiswaraalaya, Akka is always a guiding force to all Jathiswaraalayans blessings students with her advanced choreography.
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