Janani Murali

🪔 About

Janani Murali is an accomplished Indian Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, researcher, and arts writer. Born into an artistic family, she began her training at a young age and made her professional debut in 1998. She trained in the Pandanallur style of Bharatanatyam under her mother and Guru Smt. Padma Murali. Over the years, Janani Murali has engaged with Bharatanatyam in various capacities, including as a solo and ensemble performer, educator, and researcher, developing an approach that emphasizes a holistic understanding of the performing arts. She is an A-grade artist of Doordarshan and an empanelled artist of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). Janani Murali currently serves as the Associate Director of the Padmalaya Dance Foundation, continuing her mother's vision of promoting holistic dance education, performance, and academic engagement. Her artistic work frequently draws inspiration from Indian storytelling traditions, mythology, and social narratives. She has created numerous choreographic productions, such as 'Savitri', 'When Kabir Met Quartet', 'Under the Banyan Tree', and 'Song and Story', which have been presented internationally. She has also developed full-length dance-theatre productions like 'Kalpavruksha', 'A Goddess's Dream', and 'A Man and His Shadow', exploring connections between Indic philosophical ideas and contemporary social themes. Her experimental initiative, UNBOXED, further extends her practice into interdisciplinary performance and creative research. Janani Murali is also an Executive Member of the International Dance Alliance, Bangalore Chapter. Awards & Honours: Kalayogi Prashasti, Prateeksha Award, Narthana Shironmani, Padmavathi Puraskar, Nalanda Nrithya Nipuna.