Jayashree Jangam, born in the family of musicians started learning Kathak Dance at the age of seven. Her father, Shri B. Swami, a well-known musician in the Gandharv Natak Company and her brother Shri. Bharatkumar, a tabla player, played an important role in making her a successful artiste.

Initially, Jayashree learnt Kathak from late Shri Balasaheb Gokhale, Pune. In 1968, she started learning the Lucknow tradition of Kathak in 'Kalachhaya' (a foremost institute of Kathak in Maharashtra). Jayashree studied the Lucknow tradition for 12 years under the able guidance of Smt. Prabhatai Marathe and Shri Munnalal Shukla ( both, Gandabandh Disciples of Pandit Birju Maharaj jee ). These three Gurus made her a combination of good performer, sincere teacher and creative chorographer.

After the successful completion of a Degree Course at Kalachhaya, she was awarded with the National Scholarship in the field of Kathak by the Department of Culture, India, New-Delhi, where she refined the subtle nuances of Kathak under the able guidance of Shri Munnalal jee Shukla. During this period, she also worked in the Ballet unit of Kathak Kendra under the invaluable guidance of the Kathak Maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj jee. She has learnt vocal and tabla for three years at Kathak Kendra, New Delhi.

Jayashree was awarded “Vijaya Bhalerao Kathak Purskar” by Ganvardhan Santha in April 2016 and also Late Guru Pandit Rohini Bhate Purskar by Pune Mahanagar Palika on 10th October 2016.

While working as a Principal of Kalachhaya for seven long years (June 1980 to 1987), Jayashree proved herself as an ideal Guru with her remarkable creativity, sincerity and devotion. She has been an encouraging teacher, creative choreographer and excellent coordinator student’s performances.

Jayashree was selected as a lecturer for Kathak Dance in the Faculty of Performing Arts, M.S. University, Baroda in 1980. She also taught in the Anand Vidya Vihar School (C.S.E.B.), Baroda.

After teaching there for a decade, Jayashree returned to her native place, Pune, in 1990 and since then is engaged in teaching students in her own dance school ‘Nrityakunjan’, where Diploma, Degree and Crash courses are followed along with choreographic training in Kathak for the past twelve years. She has been conducting workshops regularly at ‘Kalanand’ Dance Institute, Nasik for the past five years where she works on her new ideas in choreography.

Jayashree worked as a visiting dance faculty in Orchid School for 3 years, Pune.
Jayashree worked as a visiting dance faculty in The FLAME to teach the students of Master degree in Kathak.

Jayashree had her her concerts in several big cities in India including, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Jaipur, Baroda, Dharwad and many more. Her performances are being appreciated for her mastery over ‘Layakari’ speed and exposition of ‘Bhava’ in her dance. The very fact that Ustad Zakir Hussain, the tabla maestro had accompanied her on tabla, speaks volumes of her ability.

As a choreographer she holds several compositions to her credit. These include ‘Chaturang’, ‘Taltridal’, ‘Mayoor’, ‘Earth and Heaven’ and several others. Earth and Heaven was highly appreciated by the audience. She challenges herself to choreograph abstract ideas. ‘Earth and Heaven is the best example of it. While being in Kalachhaya, she has also taught many American and European students and was popular among them.

She was invited for a solo recital at Chhandam School of Kathak Dance run by Shri Chitresh Das jee. She was honoured to perform in the lecture demonstration conduction by her Guru Shri Munnalal Shukla Jee during the Kathak Festival 2007, organized by Kathak Kendra, New Delhi at Pune University.

Jayashree‘s solo performance was outstanding in the Golden Jubilee celebration of Kalachhaya (the foremost institute of Kathak) in 2014, Pune.

Jayashree was honoured to pay tribute by presenting Thumari-Abhinay in front of Pt. Birju Maharaj in the program of Kalka-Bindadeen Maharaj Dyodhee at Lucknow, organized by Kalashram in Feb. 2017.