Academy of Kuchipudi Dance celebrates its 25th anniversary
The Academy of Kuchipudi Dance in Atlanta, founded by the veteran Kuchipudi guru Sasikala Penumarthi, in line with the ideals of her guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, has shaped many talented disciples and has kept the Kuchipudi art form alive by passing it on to the next generation.
[Left] Academy of Kuchipudi Dance celebrated its 25th anniversary.
On the occasion of the academy’s 25th anniversary, audiences in Atlanta were treated to a visual spectacle in the form of the Kuchipudi dance performance Chenchitha Parinayam. Written by the multifaceted genius Sri B.N. Murthy—or Sri BNIM, as he was mostly called—the event took place at the auditorium of the Gas South Theatre at Gwinnett Civic Center in Atlanta.
The proceeds from this program are going to the Vedic School in Agiripalli near Kuchipudi village for promoting the study of the Vedas and preserving the endangered knowledge of the sacred scripts.
[Right] A scene from Chenchitha Parinayam.
The show, which started at 4 pm on Saturday, June 25, 2022, was a grand affair. The dance, which was performed to a full house, was an immersive experience which enthralled the senses and elevated the consciousness.
Srimati Sasikala composed the dances to match the brilliance of Sri BNIM’s wonderful songs adapted from parts of Prahlada Charitha. Sri Dandibhotla Sastry composed the music which was very fitting for such a presentation. All the facets—the songs, the music, the dance, or the sheer poetry—of the presentation were outstanding.
The performance left the audience enthralled.
A host of skilled musicians were behind this performance: Sri Subra Viswanathan, Sri Bhargav Hariharan, and Srimati Subhashini’s magical voices; Sri Bhagavatula Sastry’s enchanting Nattuvangam; Srimati Ratnamanjusha’s melodic veena; Sri Suresh Kothandaraman’s pulsating mridangam; Sri Anjaneya Sastry’s captivating tabla; Sri Sai Suresh’s mesmerizing flute; and Sri Lakshmi Narayanan’s delicate violin. The rapport and the connection between the artists not only satiated the audience’s longing for music but also left them breathless in anticipation for more.
The event was hosted by Srimati Lakshmi Tummala. Prominent guru, Shri Samavedam Shanmukha Sharma, attended the event and offered his blessings at the outset.
Dr. B.K. Mohan and several elders were felicitated on the occasion of the 25th anniversary. Ravi Penumarthi and Sridhar Basavaraju acted as facilitators for this mega event. Bytegraph contributed to photography and videography. Sri Ravi Penumarthi was the stage director.
It was an evening to make memories and a night to remember.
—Original Tamil report by Phani Dokka, translated in English by Hari Pothukuchi.
[Top] he Academy put on a spellbinding performance.
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