"Jayanthi Raman is the rare dancer whose body can contain multiple intricate rhythms simultaneously -- juxtaposing a slowly descending, ornately curved arm against a quick percussive burst of footwork, for instance, her feet accenting the sharp trill of an accompanying tabla. Raman has long distinguished herself as an eloquent soloist in her interpretations of the ancient Indian classical dance form Bharatha Natyam, deploying the style's hundreds of codified gestures for hands, feet and face with an easy expressiveness."  Review, Catherine Thomas, The Oregonian.

Raman received travel support grant from the Oregon Arts Commission (2009) to study advanced choreographic techniques under renowned Gurus in Chennai, India in summer of 2010.

Raman is the only artist in her genre in the Northwest who has received local, regional, state and national awards for performing, teaching and choreography; and is the first artist of her genre to receive many of these awards. Raman has been awarded individual artists grant from the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC), Portland consistently for her annual ballet productions in recognition of her performing and choreographic abilities. She is the only Northwest artist to be featured in the DANCE magazine in a full page article.

Raman has also received grants to support her research work on Indian literature and dance in past years from RACC, Portland. She is now one of the featured artists representing the arts in Portland on the RACC website and the Cultural Coalition of Washington County website.

Raman is recipient of awards for performing and teaching Bharatha Natyam and has the rare distinction of receiving the ‘Master Artist’ grant for teaching not only from the State of Oregon but also from the State of Washington. She was the first and ONLY artist of her genre to receive the Master Artist Award for teaching from the Oregon History Center & Folklife Program in 1996. She is the first artist of her genre to receive the Master Artist Award for teaching students and dancers of  WA state, from Washington State Arts Commission in 2003, 2005 & 2009.

Her most recent honor has been receiving the production and touring grant support from the National Dance Project, the first artist in her genre to receive this honor. She had the most successful 26 city tour of the US in 2004 with 'dream team' of musicians and dancers from India receiving rave reviews through out the nation. Raman’s ballets have toured locally, regionally and nationally. Her tenth dance ballet- Gajamukha, toured the US in the largest tour supported by the NDP to date. The ballet received full house audiences in most cities and appreciative responses. In the Northwest, Raman’s Gajamukha was presented by RASIKA in Portland and at Corvallis.

The Portland show was co-promoted by PICA, featured in the PICA TBA Festival 2004. In Spokane, the Mayor declared the week as ‘India Week’ to celebrate and promote diversity and honor the presentation of the ballet at Spokane MET Theater.

At Seattle, Raman was the first East Indian artist to be featured in the UW World series. Rialto performing art center at Atlanta collaborated with the Atlanta Gandhi Foundation to present the show, which received critical acclaim and coverage in national East Indian newspapers and the Atlanta Journal. Washington Performing Art Society (WPAS) at Washington DC featured Sitar Maestro Pandit Ravishankar and Raman’s ballet as the featured events of their season. World Music Institute presented Raman’s ballet at the prestigious Symphony Space in New York.

Flynn performing art center at Vermont presented her ballet as featured event with admirable audiences. Her ballet raised over $10,000 for Hindu Temple in NE Florida on this tour. Dayton Daily claimed her ballet to be the ‘best show of the season’! From coast to coast, Raman’s ballet was applauded and admired for its classical yet innovative appeal.

Interview by Febina Mathew on Nartaki... read full interview

Gandhi Foundation & Rialto Atlanta present a plaque to Dr Jayanthi Raman, members of GFUSA and Rialto Center director Leslie Gordon look on.  Read article.. Teaching apprentice Subashini Santhanam from Seattle. Raman was recipient of the Master Artist award from Washington State Arts Commission for teaching dance to Seattle based dancer/teacher
Raman featured in the RACC website logo
Raman is the first artist in her genre to receive the NDP award
Jayanthi Raman with Rose Ann Cleveland, WPAS Jayanthi Raman with husband Raman and WPAS staff
Governor of Oregon - Receiving Master Artist Award
With renowned dancer/scholar Padma Subramaniam, India With Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Music Academy, India