was born in Belém in the Brazilian state of Para. Jânia's
childhood was set in the studio of her mother, Sr. Helfany
Peçanha. As a certified dancer and teacher at the ballet
school of the Municipal Theatre in Rio de Janeiro, she got
the 1stPrize in classical, modern and Spanish dancing.
In 1978, she got the diploma of the London Royal Academy of
Dancing - elementary, intermediate and advanced levels -
with honors. She furthered her training with renowned
teachers in Brazil and the United States.
At the age of nineteen, she was hired as a soloist at the
Ballet of the Municipal Theatre in Rio where she interpreted
a rich repertoire: Odette, Odile in "Swan Lake", Myrtha and
Giselle /2nd act, Kitri and Mercedes/ "Don Quixote",
"Casse-Noisette", "the Sleeping Beauty", etc… She also
danced in Moscow, Cuba, the USA, and was invited to take
part in numerous festivals, the 8th Festival in Havana in
particular.
Along with her career as a soloist, Jânia worked with her
mother to establish the Fulminense Ballet Foundation, which
runs a dancing company, and the Fulminense Festival of
Niteroi (Rio de Janeiro). Three times she was prized for her
choreographic achievements with the troupe, and the city of
Niteroi made her a member of the Cultural and artistic Town
Council.
In 1986, she was hired as a soloist at the Béjart Ballet in
Lausanne where she could develop her full artistic nature.
She took part in the most fabulous creations of Maurice
Béjart: "Afternoon of a faun", "51 Cantata", "Light",
"Sonata for three", "Malraux", "1789 and us", "The Ring",
"Heliogabale", "Bolero", "the Rite of spring", …
She has an enthusiastic interest in all the dancing styles
and disciplines connected to the stage. In 1991, she opened
a new space for the students and professional dancers from
the four corners of the world to share their common passion.
With L'Avant-Scène - school & Co, Jânia intends to encourage
the artistic involvement of the young, whom she confronts to
the experience of the stage in conjunction with professional
dancers.
As a ballet master, she is currently invited to teach in the
following companies: "Pina Bausch Tanztheater Wuppertal"
(Germany), "Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe (Germany),
"Chemnitz Ballet" (Germany), "Mark Sieczkarek Company"
(Germany), "Landestheater Salzburg Ballet" (Austria), "SEAD
Experimental Danse" (Austria), "Nomades Cie" (Switzerland),
"Linga Cie" (Switzerland). "Gulbenkien Ballet"(Portugal),
"Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro" (Brazil), "Teatro
Municipal de Niteroi" (Brazil), "Fulminense Ballet
Foundation"(Brazil) and "Bahia Ballet" (Brazil). Further to
her activities as a teacher, artistic director and
choreographer, Jânia presides over the Accordanse
organization, whose aim it is to foster artistic exchanges,
mostly with Brazil. Her presence is being felt on a number
of positions, but, first and foremost, she is an achieved
artist and a highly skilled professor.
