Community Spotlight
Jayshree Bala Rajamani
Jayshree Bala Rajamani is one of the leading practitioners and teachers of the ancient Indian dance form of Bharathanatyam in Massachusetts, USA. She was initiated into this art by her mother and then came under the tutelage of eminent Guru, K.J. Govindarajan. She specialized in Abhinaya with Guru Jamuna Krishnan.
Continuing her Guru’s legacy, she founded Bharathakalai School of Dance in 1987.
Over the years she has received numerous awards and accolades for both performing and teaching. For the past 10 years she had been teaching Bharathanatyam to children at the Davisville Middle school in Kingston Rhode Island. In 2025 she was invited to a ceremony organized by the Rhode Island State House, felicitating the teacher who she has partnered with for “contributions to improve the understanding of AANHPI culture and history”.
In 2021 LexSeeHer organized by the Town of Lexington honored her by giving her a Visibility Banner for her service through dance, for the community. In 2019 she had a successful performance tour of India to rave reviews.
2012 marked the 25th Anniversary of her dance school and her imparting training to multiple students both in India and now in the greater Boston area. The Massachusetts House of Representatives honored her with a special citation on this occasion:
“We celebrate and honor your passion, your art, and your loving devotion. You have immeasurably enriched your students and your community.”
In addition to her ongoing teaching commitments, Jayshree also conducts Lec-Dems on Bharathanatyam at different schools, universities and museums. She has been collaborating with non-traditional musicians and dancers, showcasing not merely her own versatility as an artiste but also the versatility of the dance form – to much critical acclaim. A few collaborators include World Jazz Ensemble Natraj, Tap Dancer Ryan Casey, Colonial Dancers from Lexington etc.
In 2015 she created the “TriNethra: The Third Eye Festival of Dance”, aimed at celebrating and promoting dance and dancers in the Greater Boston Area and from around the globe. This is a truly selfless act wherein established and upcoming dancers are featured in an elegant and involved setting.
Jayshree has a Master’s degree in Mass Communications from the Mass Communication Research Center, New Delhi.
“Jayshree was resplendent, and her expressive eyes and exquisite footwork worked magic on the audience.” – The Hindu, Hyderabad India, Aug 24, 2014
“Combination of Bharathanatyam – an Indian classical dance form, acclaimed jazz music and different world music tradition is not very often taken together on one stage. It was very carefully handled by a stunning effort of talented artists like Jayshree & all members of Natraj band in bringing out the essence of multicultural collaboration.” – Lokvani, e-Newsletter, October 10, 2010
Mouli Pal
Mouli Pal has been a resident of Wilmington, MA since 2002 and over the decades created an enriching life focusing on Odissi dance. A captivating performer, dedicated teacher, choreographer and cultural ambassador, she has been intensively trained under the personal tutelage of the legendary Maestro Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra.
Mouli is a former Finance professional with a MS in Finance from Suffolk University and experience working in the Invesment Management in Boston. She, however, decided to immerse entirely in the world of performing arts and founded Upasana Odissi a Non-Profit for the promotion and preservation of Odissi. Upasana provides affordable lessons at four locations around Massachusetts and also offers scholarships to young deserving collegebound dancers.
Mouli frequently visits India to continue to learn and grow her repertoire and also conducts research on the history of dance at ancient temples of India. She is guided by eminent artists Smt. Nandini Ghoshal and Shib Narayan Banerjee in Kolkata.
Mouli is regularly featured by prestigious presenters across the United States, India and Austria. Her past performances include solo concerts at the prestigious Hopkins Center for Arts at Dartmouth College, Provincetown dance Festival, Munroe Center, Yuwa Bharati California, and Trinetra Boston.
In Spring 2024 Mouli was invited to a weeklong residency by the Arts Council of Tamworth in New Hampshire where she created a dance production for the students of K.A. Brett Elementary school and presented evening concerts for the community. She was also presented by the Hopkinton center for the arts for an evening length solo concert and featured by the Massachusetts AAPI Commission and the Southeast Asian Coalition of Central Massachusetts during the season. In summer of 2024 Mouli was invited by BlipCollective to perform at and lead a dance retreat in Ladendorf Austria.
She has received multiple awards and grants from the New England Foundation for Arts and Mass Cultural Council. In 2019 she was awarded the “Padmawati Rasthriya Award” by National Cultural Mission in Odisha. She promotes the dance as a “Way of life, for a balanced and mindful lifestyle” and mentors budding Odissi dancers of diverse age groups.
Moumita Banerjee
Moumita Banerjee is the Founder and Artistic Director of Tarana School of Kathak LLC (TSK). Born and raised in India, she moved to the United States in 2008. Moumita is deeply passionate about dance and finds joy and freedom in expressing herself creatively through music and movement. She is committed to promoting and teaching Kathak and is dedicated to ensuring that the tradition and values of this classical dance form are carried forward to future generations.
Since 2015, Moumita and her students have been actively collaborating and performing in programs organized by the India Association of Greater Boston (IAGB). She is also a strong advocate for women’s rights—championing equity and justice—and expresses these themes through her dance. She empowers girls and women to embrace their inner strength, Nari Shakti, through the circular movements, delicate footwork, and subtle expressions that define Kathak.
Moumita holds a Master of Performing Arts (MPA) degree in Kathak (Lucknow Gharana) from Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University, Lucknow. During her MPA, she distinguished herself in various aspects of Kathak, including stage performance, technical proficiency, and aesthetics. She also earned a Bachelor of Music (B.Mus.) degree from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), one of the largest and most prestigious universities in India and Asia, where she was awarded a Gold Medal for securing the first position in the university.
In addition, she completed the Prabhakar degree (equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in Kathak) and a Senior Diploma in Kathak with distinction from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad. Moumita has trained under legendary gurus such as Prof. Kumkum Dhar, Prof. Bina Singh, and Prof. Ranjana Srivastava, and has also received workshop training from Pandit Birju Maharaj, the leading exponent of the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak, and Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee.
With over 15 years of performance experience, Moumita has choreographed and performed across India and the United States—including Florida, Texas, and Massachusetts—at various organizations and festivals. She also has extensive teaching experience in both India and the U.S.
To preserve the rich cultural heritage of Kathak and promote the traditional dance form, Moumita established the Tarana School of Kathak. She also works with children with special needs, supporting their development through Kathak. In June 2025, Moumita and her school made history by presenting the first Kathak Rangmanch Pravesh of one of her students in North America.
She is always delighted to share her passion for classical Indian dance with children and adults who cherish the art of Kathak as much as she does.