Kuchipudi Dance

Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Kuchipudi Dance


Kuchipudi Dance History 

Kuchipudi is a classical dance form, exclusive to the South-East Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. Kuchipudi is Indian classical art form which requires perfect balance of grace and potency, advancement and sensuality, besides balance and wildness. During its heydays, the classical dance form of Kuchipudi was conducted and displayed as dance dramas. The purpose during this time was to instruct divine trance which appeals unforgettable bliss and brings an individual nearer to the path of redemption. Kuchipudi is purely classical in nature and employs Lasya, Thandava and Abinaya with the purpose of interpretation of Slokas. The classical Indian art also includes Samyutha, Asamyutha Hasthas, Karana, Chari, Angahara, Mandala, Nrutha Hasthas etc. It is unique dance form in the sense that it makes intricate use of four Abhinayas namely Angika, Vachika, Aaharya and Satvica respectively.

Kuchipudi Dance

Uma Muralikrishna, a Kuchipudi dancer performing at IIM Bangalore (Image credit: Vasanthakumarep / Wikipedia)
The use of Vachikabhinayam is a distinct feature in the Kuchipudi and the dancer not only dances on the traditional background music but also acts with gestures as well as words. It would not take less than 10 yearsfor an ordinary styled dancer for mastering this dance and take it to the levels where he/she can easily express Bhava (emotions) through eyes and rhythm using smart movement of foot work.

Nattuva Mela and Natya Mela are two popular schools of dance in India. Nattuva Mela gradually transformed into Bharathanatyam (or the performing solo items) and Natya Mela ultimately transformed into Kuchipudi dance initiated as the dance drama style. Natya mela is usually performed by both men and women dancers in conjunction. Their collection comprises dance dramas through input of themes, which may or may not be religious, but ultimately has the purpose of entertaining the audience. It is this form of dance that is known as the forerunner of the present day Kuchipudi dance.

 Kuchipudi dancers perform the classical dance form Kuchipudi which has the origination in the village of Kuchipudi, lying in Southern India. For quite some time, Kuchipudi was only enacted by dancers in the temples and that too on certain religious and other auspicious festivals. Originally, all the Kuchipudi dancers were makes from the Brahmin families, and such families were known as Bhagavathalu of Kuchipudi.



Legend Associated with Kuchipudi

The dance form derives its name from the native village of Kuchelapuram, which is small village of 65 kms from Vijaywada. Kuchipudi classical dance is famous for its nimble movements and its resilient narrative as well as dramatic characterization.

Nearby legends imply and as the story streams, there was once vagrant in Srikakulam who was raised by the town individuals. According to the nearby custom winning around then in Srikakulam, the vagrant was hitched at adolescence by the villagers. Later to acquire the information of Vedic reviews, he went to Udipi and began living as Sidhendra Yogi. 

In the wake of finishing his Vedic reviews, Sidhendra came back to town, where the town senior citizens guided him to move to his significant other's home and take the family duties. He started to move to his better half's local town and on voyage went over the stream. Subsequent to swimming the waterway to certain point, he found that it was hard to swim any further. He started going to god to give him the quality to cross the waterway. God gave him the quality and he swam over the waterway and achieved the banks. 

After achieving the stream bank, Sidhendra said thanks to god and chose to end up yogi and give his life to religious issues. He settled in the town of Kuchelapuram and got to be distinctly required in educating the Brahmin young men on reverential move dramatizations which were later introduced as offerings to God as Natya Shastra. 

The pioneer gathering of Brahmain Bhagavathulu of Kuchipudi came up in the year 1502 AD and these Kuchipudi artists offered their oblation to divinities. Ladies were never permitted to take an interest in the gatherings. 

Siddhendra Yogi is considered as the pioneer of Kuchipudi artists. Surely understood Kuchipudi artists like Vedantam Lakshmi NarayanaSastry, Chinta Krishnamurthy and Tadepalli Perayya, broadened the skylines of the traditional move. There were changes in the Kuchipudi and as the consequence of these changes, ladies were permitted to take an interest and start the moves. The famous Kuchipudi artists of India incorporate Raja and Radha Reddy, Bhavana Reddy, Yamini Reddy, and Kaushalya Reddy 

Kuchipudi as Dramatic Form 

Kuchipudi got to be distinctly prominent as the emotional move shape. It was thought to be the venerated traditional move frame and there are additionally examples in history wherein the Brahmins who honed this work of art and dominance in it, were conceded arrives around the Kuchipudi. 

Throughout the years, the sensational exemplary move frame has moved out of towns and stage exhibitions are instituted by a few presumed Kuchipudi artists.

Related Post


  1. Kathak Dance
  2. Manipuri Dance
  3. Odissi Dance
  4. Kathakali Dance
  5. Bharatanatyam Dance 
  6. Mohniattyam Dance
  7. Sattriya Dance

No comments:

Post a Comment