Odissi Janhabi Behera, International Odissi Danseuse.

Janhabi Behera began her formal training in Odissi dance in 1991 under the guidance of Guru Shri Yudhistir Nayak and Guru Ramesh ch. Jena of the renowned Orissa Dance Academy and later under Guru Padma Shri Gangadhar Pradhan and Smt. Aruna Mohanty.

Janhabi Behera, as a dancer, devoted all her life to practise and perform one of the most ancient classical dance forms of India called Odissi. Initiated into dance from her very childhood she learnt the dance from Guru Ramesh Chandra Jena and Guru Yudhisthir Nayak. With age and time she groomed into a finely balanced and a deeply expressive Odissi dancer. Janhabi, known for her skilful expression and gracious moves curved a niche for herself as a soloist and also as a group member of highly acclaimed Odissi repertoire of Orissa Dance Academy, Bhubaneswar. Nurtured under the strict vigilance of Guru Smt Aruna Mohanty and guided by legendary Guru late Gangadhar Pradhan, she graduated as a dancer to showcase best of her creativity around the globe. Janhabi has performed in several countries across the globe and her presence is majestically established in every national and international festival. Lyrical movements of her body, superb expressional lines on her face and an absorbing persona as a dancer, make her a dancer with difference. She is undoubtedly one of the finest Odissi dancers ODA has ever produced.

Highlighted Performances

• Konark Festival, Konark Festival
• “Odissi Sandhya” organized by Orissa Dance Academy at New Delhi 1998.
• All India Telecom Competition – Trichur (1995), Meerut (1998), Jaipur (1999), Ahmedabad (2000).
• National Festival of Dance Drama, Baroda 1998.
• “Swarnastav” organized by Central Sangeet Natak Academy at Delhi- 2001.
• Festival Organised by Sangeet Natak Academy. (Tanjavour, Mannora and Kumbhakonam)
• Performed Solo Dance and several dance drama and groups choreography at Doordarshan Kendra, Bhubaneswar.
• 20th Spring Friendship Art Festival, Pyongyang, North Korea by ICCR 2002.
• Mamallapuram Festival Organised by Deptt. of Tourism, Tamilnadu, Dec. 2004.
• Performed Solo Dance at Kobe, Kyoto & O Saka (Japan) 2004.
• Ghungur Festival Organised by Deptt. of Tourism, (Solo) M.P. Jan 2006.
• Bharatiyam EZCC 2006.
• Oriya wing & India social Club- Muscat – 2006.
• Duet performance at Indore organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi-2006.
• Kalanidhi Festival at Toronto (CANADA) Monterial, Atova, 2006.
• Performed Solo in Manchestar & Bolton. U.K., 2007.
• Performed Solo in Stirring Odissi Festival in Malaysia, 2008.
• ICCR Tour in Countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Lao’s (Group), 2008.
• Solo performance in Geeta Govinda Festival in Delhi, 2008.
• Working for six months as a guest facility in Centre for World Music Sandiego, and performed solo in Sandiego, L.A., Nebraska USA, 2008-2009.
• Incredible Programme in Beijing & Sanghai by Deptt. of Tourism. “Charishnu”.
• ICCR Tour in Chaina & Honkong (Group), 2010.
• “Charisnu” Programme in Mauritius, 2010.
• Performed trio with Bhartnatyam, Kathak Dancer in Bhubaneswar for Music Circle.
• Duet Performance in Mukteswar Festival 2010.
• Workshop in Bengaluru, 2011.
• International Festival (Solo) 2011.
• Solo performance in Geeta Govinda Festival in Delhi, 2011.
• Udaya Raga a Solo Festival, 2012.
• Workshop Demonstration Programme (Solo) conducted by Spic Macay, Bilaspur, 2013.
• Performed at the Rajgini Mahotsav, 2013.
• Sirpur Mahotsav, 2014.
• Khajuraho Festival, 2014.
• Workship demonstration programme (Solo) by Spic Macay in Kota, Chittodgard, Jodhpur, 2014.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi 2014.
• Performed Solo in Rajyostav, Sukma, Chhatisgard.
• Performed Solo in International festival, Bhubneswar 2014
• Workshop Demonstration Programme (Solo) conducted by Spic Macay in Delhi, Saharanpur, Patna and Tripura 2015
• Performed solo in Gunijankhana, Jaipur, 2016.
• Workshop demonstration programme in Panjab (Spicmacay) 2016.
• Solo Performance in PankajCharan Das award festival, 2016.
• Solo tour with musicians by ICCR to Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, 2017.
• Performed in Nakshatra Dance festival, NCPA( Mumbai) 2017.
• Solo performance in Weekly cultural Programme, ( Pundichery), organized by department of culture & Dept. of tourism 2017.
• Performed in Mudra Festival (AHALIA CAMPUS) 2017.
• Group performance in Nishagandhi Festival, 2017.
• Duet performance in Gauri Festival, 2017.
• Workshop & workshop Demonstration by Spicmacay, Kerala, 2017.
• Workshop demonstrations in Chandigarh & Saharanpur by Spicmacay 2017.
• Solo performance at OSUK Manchester in 2018.
• Performed solo at SOAS, University of London in 2018.
• Solo performance at Nehru Centre London in 2018.
• Performed solo in ICCR Horizon Series at Goa, Bangaluru in 2018.
• Spicmacay Leg Dem at Hyderabad, 2018.
• Performed solo at Mukteswar Dance Festival, Bhubaneswar in 2019.

Awards and Achievments

• UstadBismillah Khan Yuba PuraskarBySangeetNatakAkademy, 2018.
• An Award of National Scholarship by Department of Culture Govt. of India, 1998-2000.
• Awarded Gold Medal in All Orissa Dance Competition organized by Rengeela Dance Group, Bhubaneswar.
• Awarded 1st Prize in Odissi Dance at All India Telecom Cultural Meets 1995 to 2001.
• Passed Nritya Visharad in Odissi Dance Under Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh.
• Received 'SRINAGAR MANI' Awarded by Kal Ke Kalakar, Sur Srinagar Samsad.

If you would like to study or learn Odissi from her please contact Janhabi Behera @ [email protected]

If you would like to contact Janhabi, you can reach her at her email address below. If you need information about her, please download her Press Kit.

Janhabi Behera
Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
[email protected]

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Courtesy Mardala Media. © 2013 Janhabi Behera.