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| Nritya | K. Jayaram | A.S. Raman | Madras Academy | Titupati | Students Response | Staff | Vempati Chinna Satyam's Biography | Kuchipudi | |Itinerary | Sri Siddhendra Kalakshetra | | Dramas & Indidual Items | Dancers Biography |
| Nritya | K. Jayaram | A.S. Raman | Madras Academy | Titupati | Students Response | Staff | Vempati Chinna Satyam's Biography | Kuchipudi | |Itinerary | Sri Siddhendra Kalakshetra | | Dramas & Indidual Items | Dancers Biography |
Kuchipudi Dance needs no introduction. It exemplifies the Heart of Andhra Pradesh in its rich variety and flamboyance clutched in mellifluous language, Telugu. During the early part of middle-ages, when Veera Saiva Cult and Saivite Rulers held sway over the Telugu bhoomi, the seeds for an early form of virile and dynamic Kuchipudi Dance Dramas based on Shiva Leelas, Yaksha Ganas were sown. Later on when the Vaishnava Cult gained the upper hand with the rulers turning to Vaishnavism, the Operas known as Bhagavata Melas based on Vishnu Melas, came into vogue and the performers of Melas have become popularly known as Kuchipudi Bhagavathulu. Based on the fundamentals of Natya Sastra it preserves in it the pristine purity and the rich ancient heritage. The rich range and depth of Abhinaya (the art of expression) representing various Bhavas is the Kuchipudi in essence. The scintillating rhythm and its fluid style captivates all, the dancer and the connoisseur alike. Kuchipudi dance is true to life in 'Aharya'. That is why Artistes who had established their reputation in Bharata Natya realising the richness of Kuchipudi dance have been coming to Kuchipudi Art Academy to replenish their repertoire. The most significant feature of the Kuchipudi dance drama is its emphasis on Rasa. the emotional experience of the audience is led to the sublime through a series of stylized dramatic expressions.
BY K. JAYARAM
Dance is a poetic expression of life's variegated moods, and speaks through manifold rhythmic patterns, melodic gestures and subtle facial expressions, creating a new world of ecstasy and ethereal existence. Through the ages, dances have developed into a mature classical art form. they have a high place in the Indian society with religious sanctity in-as-much as the god of gods, Shiva, is known as Nataraja, symbolizing Cosmic Dance.
As a classical form of dance, drama and music Kuchipudi enjoys a unique place among the Indian classical dance idioms. It is racy and sprightly - indicating the quest for conquering of Space and Time. With all its vigorous leaps and turns, it is not cast in the mold of impressionism. It is ebullient, scintillating and yet has the capacity to be intensely lyrical. It is bold and sensuous in the movements of the eyes, its ethos not confined to the languorous world of pining lovers.
Kuchipudi derives its name from the village of Kuchelapuram, in Andhra Pradesh, where it grew largely as a product of Bhakti movement beginning in the seventh century A.D.. The tradition of classical dances in Andhra Pradesh goes back to more than a millennium and half as the wealth of sculptures in the ancient temples, the Buddhist ruins at Ajanta and Ellora caves, Amaravathi and ramappa Temple would indicate.
Like any other dance form, Kuchipudi, draws its sustenance from the principles enunciated in Bharata's Natya Sastra. The earlier themes of Kuchipudi were the legends about Shiva performed both by men and women. Men performed ritual dances in Shiva temples while women performed as Kelika (entertainment) at Kalyanamandapams of the temples where gods gave audience. The resurgent spirit of the later period brought about a revival of the Kuchipudi dance in Andhra Pradesh which gave rise to the inclusion of the more softer romantic elements of Vaishnavism. And the Kuchipudi artistes began enacting stories from Bhagavata Puranas. Because of this they were called Bhagavatulus. As decades rolled by, however, enthusiasm for dance waned and the art showed signs of dis integration. It then fell on a great mystic teacher, Siddhendra Yogi (1350 - 1450) to formulate a syllabus and discipline for Kuchipudi dance and to persuade male members of the Brahmin community to take pledge to learn, practice and dance this form.
The Kuchipudi is a dance-drama of Nritta, Nritya and Natya. The Nritta consists of teermanams and jathis, the Nritya of Sabdams, and the Natya of acting with Mudras for the songs. Thus kuchipudi is a complete dance - dramas as conceived by Bharata Muni, in which conventional and realistic forms of acting are happily blended. This mixure of acting creates 'Rasa' for the spectator. It is the naturalistic stage of the drama that is refined and stylized to fit the requirements of dance. It is in its subtle intrusion of drama in an otherwise classical pattern of dance that Kuchipudi displays its uniqueness.
BY A. S. RAMAN
The purist is apt to reject the term Kuchipudi as a misnomer. He fancies, wrongly of course, that it is used out of context. It is. And yet it is not. He feels that Kuchipudi being the name of a small village becomes a misnomer when applied to the dance form popularly known by that name, but recognized by scholars only as a mere regional version of the classical school Bharata Natyam. The place referred to no doubt is a small village a mere cluster of houses near Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, as primitive or as progressive as the rest of rural India, with the significant difference that at Kuchipudi the Brahmins still command respect from the other castes though, by tradition and training, they pursue a very non-Brahmanical profession Dancing, which to them is more a form of worship than a mere medium of expression.
The term, Kuchipudi, if you ask me, is not a misnomer, because, by usage, it has begun to mean a school of dancing that is at once classical, creative and communicative with a distinctive feel and flavor. Kathak and Hindustani music have their gharanas (Lucknow, Jaipur, etc.). But Bharata Natyam and Karnatak music have none. At any rate none clearly identifiable; Tanjore, Pandanallur, Mysore, Melattur and Kuchipudi are perhaps the nearest parallels. Of these Kuchipudi has, possibly, the sharpest image, as it continues to be the home of a vigorous style of dancing which represents the concept of total theater at its best.
By now, Kuchipudi doubtless will have become an overworked cliché in the critic's stock of jargon. It is used for describing any sloppy, sexy and South Indian dance. It is almost a term of disparagement. The sort of intellectual resistance that the critic offers is indeed most unfortunate, because it damages the image of a great discipline and art-form. The popular notion that Kuchipudi is only a coarser version of Bharata Natyam is of course wrong. It is clearly the duty of informed critics and dedicated artistes to emphasize that Kuchipudi has an identity of its own. It is predominantly lasya and as in the case of Kathakali, which is primarily tandava, only men are allowed to perform it. Why not women ? "But why ?" counters Vedantam Satyam, one of the finest exponents of the Kuchipudi dance today. He continues: My elder daughter says: Naanna don't appear in a male role. 'Even Lord Vishnu had to assume the form of a woman in order to entice the demons. Couldn't he have sent down to the earth one of those apsaras ? He engaged their services only to entice poor rishis'. When man decides to impersonate woman, he can be, believe me, devastating".
However one can't be dogmatic these days about the propriety or otherwise of women performing the Kuchipudi dance. For a number of women trained by Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam and one or two others have distinguished themselves in this exacting genre of classical art form. The most outstanding ones are: Yamini Krishnamurti, Sobha Naidu, Shanta Rao, Chandrakala, Ritha Devi, Hemamalini and Swapnasundari, all trained by Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam.
Today, no Bharata Natya repertoire is complete without the inclusion of one or two Kuchipudi numbers. The two schools are only superficially similar. Kuchipudi is certainly close to Bharata Natyam. But in style and sensibility it has an accent of its own. The increasing popularity of this distinctively Andhra dance form is due mainly to its sensuous Satvikaabhinayam and succulent Vachikabhinayam. Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, the founder-director of the prestigious Kuchipudi Art Academy, Madras, is in my opinion, the most authoritative populariser of this exquisite art form.
How precisely is the Kuchipudi dance different from Bharata Natyam ? As has been already mentioned earlier, the Kuchipudi style in its purest form, is identified totally with male dancers. They not only dance but sing and even speak, in fact the vachikabhinayam is as important as the angikabhinayam. In the Kuchipudi style, there is no pure dance unconnected with a story. In Bharata Natyam, there is provision for such abstractions. The Kuchipudi dance is primarily a narrative art form. In Bharata Natyam, the emphasis is on nritta (footwork), which is firm, precise and sharply defined, while in the Kuchipudi style, the emphasis being on abhinaya and natya, the nritta element is only one of the constituents of the total theatre of the yakshagana genre to which the Kuchipudi technique basically belongs. Also, I feel Kuchipudi style is older by at least three centuries than Bharata Natyam as we are familiar with it today, its revival in its present form dating from only the Tanjore Court under the Maratha rulers of the 19th century. Because of its affinity with the Yakshagana style, the Kuchipudi technique has in it some basic elements of folk art (Desi); its primeval vigour, its unsophisticated directness and its exquisitely earthy sensuousness clearly are the result of the impact of folk forms on it. Broadly, Bharata Natyam, as we know it today, had its origin in the Court while the Kuchipudi style had its in the street.
As the Kuchipudi dance dramas represent a happy synthesis of the folk and classical idioms, the postures are less rigid, and there is greater emotion behind the action. Naturally the gesture and the movements have a characteristic freedom and fluidity. While a Bharata Natya recital conforms to a set pattern, similar to that of a concert of Karnatak music. a performance in the Kuchipudi technique has an element of surprise, because the tone and tenor vary with the theme which as a rule, has a narrative function. Incidentally it is only in the repertoire of the Kuchipudi dance dramas, that the Satyabhama motif symbolizing the assertive Adwaita concept of the Jeevatma identifying itself with the Paramathma reccurs so frequently. All the Kuchipudi dance dramas and sabdams have an undercurrent of profound mysticism, because their original purpose was to propagate the Bhakti cult among the illiterate masses. The Bharata Natya compositions, being associated mainly with the elite, are comparatively sophisticated.
MADRAS being the cultural capital of South India was the natural choice, when Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, in 1963, decided to identify a suitable location for his proposed center of art and culture with the focus on revival and reinterpretation of that great Andhra heritage, Kuchipudi dance, distinguished for its sublime sensuousness and exquisite lyricism. By then this great Natyacharya had already established himself as a highly perceptive and authoritative exponent of this unique form, thanks to the intensive training he had received from such stalwarts as Tadepally Perayya Sastry and Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastry, revered for their profound erudition and uncompromising purity and creativity. Acharya Chinna Satyam, inspired by a vision and turned on by the drive to realize it somehow, was determined to dedicate his life to the cause of Kuchipudi dance which had till then remained not only neglected but virtually rejected because of its rustic overtones. Thus was born the Kuchipudi Art Academy in 1963 with just ten or twelve students.
Dr. Chinna Satyam established this institution with eight main objectives:
(1) To give maximum exposure to this great dance form in India and abroad.
(2) To impart training to students strictly in conformity with the spirit and ethos of classicism but in consonance with contemporary taste and sensibility.
(3) To attract as many students as possible cutting across language, sex, region, background, etc. through such inducements as the waiving of fees, offer of facilities for residence and, if required, even financial assistance.
(4) To promote the study of and research in the Kuchipudi Art through a well equipped and competently serviced library of manuscripts and the latest publications not only on Kuchipudi but related disciplines also.
(5) To enlarge and enrich the Kuchipudi repertoire by commissioning distinguished scholars to write new dance dramas bringing out the delicate nuances of bhava and rasa inherent in the Kuchipudi style.
(6) To provide a forum for the interaction of scholars and artistes engaged in the serious task of understanding and presenting the classical Indian dance tradition in all its depth and diversity.
(7) To strengthen and sustain worldwide interest in the Kuchipudi through the medium of a well-structured series of specially composed and choreographed dance dramas with the emphasis on a blend of the old and the new - the spirit of the old and the style of the new.
(8) To offer advice, assistance and whatever inputs were required for the spread of knowledge and understanding about Kuchipudi at institutions in different parts of the country.
Other aims and objectives are:
(1) To build a library containing a collection of reference books on traditional Indian dance forms.
(2) To arrange performances by promising Kuchipudi dancers and encourage their talents.
(3) To arrange lectures, demonstrations, seminars and conferences on lines conducive to the promotion of Kuchipudi dance.
(4) To build a generation of sincere and devoted artistes with a broader outlook.
Today the Academy has about 150 students on the roll. It could have had many more but for Dr. Satyam's exacting standards of excellence for eligibility. The Academy has a unit at Visakhapatnam. The Hyderabad Kuchipudi Art Academy owes its birth to Dr. Satyam's initiative, enterprise and dedication. In fact whenever any one wants to start a center for the promotion of Kuchipudi Art, his services are readily available. Thus he is more a missionary than a professional in his passion for this great dance tradition and technique. Today he has a large repertoire of 12 dance dramas, two of them being bilingual - in Telugu and Tamil (Padmavathi Srinivasam and Krishna Parijatham). The latest is Ramayanam which has already been presented a number of times in different part of the country. It is amazing how he manages to operate with such authority and drive on so many levels simultaneously on creative level, on organizational level, on academic level, on public relations level, on promotional level and so on. The Kuchipudi art Academy is known today not only in India but abroad too, wholly because of his personal dedication to it. Of course he readily acknowledges his deep debt of gratitude to innumerable lovers of art and culture who have helped him in his task in ever so many ways. He is particularly indebted to the late Dr. M.G. Ramachandran whose initial munificence in the form of a virtual gift of the site has made the Academy's new premises possible. the late chief minister of Tamil Nadu followed up this magnificent gesture of good will later by his own personal cash contribution which was substantial. Dr. Satyam's affluent students, admirers, associates and all those who are aware of his great contribution to the present exalted status of Kuchipudi have over the years stood by him solidly with their help and assistance in so many ways.
The Kuchipudi Art Academy now enters a new era on an optimistic note in the hope that the good will and cooperation of its numerous well-wishers will continue to guide it successfully throughout the years ahead.
T.T. Devasthanams magnanimous gestures
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams in all its magnanimity came forward and granted a sum of one lakh of Rupees to the Academy. The Devasthanams also sponsored and gave financial assistance for the production of dance ballet "PADMAVATHI SRINIVASAM" in Telugu which is the story of legendary Lord Venkateswara. It also extended similar assistance to make the Tamil version, named "PADMAVATHI THIRUMANAM". which also become equally popularized.
In pursuance of the "Financial assistance to Cultural organization in the country", necessary action will be taken through the Tamil Nadu Government to acquire a site and construct a building for the Academy's purpose, with the financial assistance from the Government of India in the long run.
In this existing situation some of the talented students, who attained international fame through this art, came forward generously to give performances in support of the Academy. In this respect Smt. Hema Malini, Smt A. Bala, Kum Seetha, Smt. Kalyani have rendered commendable service to this Academy.
Co-operation from Musicians & Administrative Staff
Sri P. Sangeetha Rao has been with the Academy for the last eighteen years, directing music to our ballets, solo items and teaching vocal to the students every evening. Sri M.S. Rao (Voilin), Sri Nagarajan (Flute) and Sri S.R. Govindarajan (Mridangam). Costumes Ayyalu, S. Natarajan, Sri B.L. Narsimhan (Ghatam) and Smt. C. Durgadevi (Vocal) are contributing to the success of the Academy. The administration of the Academy is under the efficient control of Sri T.A. Gurumurthy (Retd. Municipal Commissioner, Gazetted) for the last twenty years.
Long Cherished Ambition
It is a long cherished ambition of our Guru, Founder - Director of Kuchipudi Art Academy Dr. Sri. Vempati Chinna Satyam to make it a "SHANTHINIKETHAN" of South india a self- supporting institution with all facilities. We all pray to the almighty to make this wish materialized as expeditiously as possible.
Propagation of the Art
Many disciples who learnt Kuchipudi dance under the guidance of Guru Dr. Sri Vempati Chinna Satyam started propagating the art in India and in foreign countries as well. Sri Kamdev started a school in Munich, West Germany and in London, England. In America, Smt Ritha Devi and Smt Ratnapapa have been instructing Kuchipudi dance in New York and Texas resectively. Smt Sasikala Penumarthi in Atlanta, Smt Kamala Reddy in Pittsburgh and Ms Subha Maruvada are recent additions to the ranks of Kuchipudi instructors. In Ceylon, classes are conducted by Kum. Ranga Vivekananda. Rani Sunanda and Malaysia Ayyappan are conducting classes in Malaysia and Singapore.
BIOGRAPHY OF DR. VEMPATI CHINNA SATYAM
Born on October 26th, 1929 at Kuchipudi village in Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam imbibed and inherited the classical dance, that surrounded him in the atmosphere in that village. He started learning the Kuchipudi dance style at the age of six. He learned the techniques of Choreography from Sri Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastry, the Grace of Movements from Sri Tadepally Perrayya Sastry and the Beauty of Expressions from Sri Vempati Satyam (his older brother).
Under the tutelage of the great trinity of Gurus, Dr. Satyam mastered the art of dance.
His urge to make a mark in history made him walk a distance of 500 kilometers to Madras where he founded the Kuchipudi Art Academy on February 6th, 1963. His indomitable courage and communication, sincerity and devotion, dedication and discipline were the main qualities that popularized the Kuchipudi dance form, after an initial struggle in life.
More than a thousand students till today were taught by him the intricacies and nuances of Kuchipudi dance. Some of them have spread the message of this classical art in various parts of the world while establishing institutions which are being run successfully. He also has established a second school in Vizag called Kuchipudi Kalakshetra in 1985.
During the last 28 years, hundreds of brilliant artists were trained by the Guru, who won international fame and started Dance Institutions not only in India but also in U.S.A.,U.K.,France, Malaysia and other countries.
Soon Dr. Chinna Satyam rose to the sky of international fame with honors conferred on him from various corners, such as: "Sangeet Peeth of Bombay", "Asthana Natyacharya of Tirumala Titupati Devasthanam", "Kalaprapoorna" from Andhra University, "Natya Kalasaagara of Waltair", "Raja Lakshmi Award of Madras", "Natya Kala Bhushana of Guntur", "Bharatha Kalaprapoorna of Hyderabad", "National Award from Central Sangeet Naatak Akademi, New Delhi", D. Litt. from Sri Venkateswara University, "Asthana Natyacharya of Pittsburg". Andhra University honoured him with a Doctorate. These are a few Awards and Titles presented to him.
His cherished ambition as a Kuchipudi Dance exponent of International repute is to systematize this dance form hitherto practiced by many in their own individual ways and to make the Kuchipudi Art Academy, Madras, a National Institute - an abode of fine arts with special significance to Kuchipudi Dance of Indian culture. Dr. Chinna Satyam did yeomen service in the field of dance in general and to the Kuchipudi style of Dance in particular by choreographing several new dance ballets. Some of them are :- Sri Krishna Parijatham, Ksheerasagara Madhanam, Kumara Sambhavam, Menaka Viswamitra, Vipranarayana Charitam, Kalyana Sakunthalam, Chandalika, Padmavathi Sreenivasa Kalyanam, Padmavathi Thirumanam (Tamil), Rukmini Kalyanam, Hara Vilasam and most recently Ramayanam (Siva Dhanurbhangam).
Dr. Chinna Satyam is a Guru of the traditional gurukula style, who endeavours to see in every one of his disciples a vision of this ancient art in all its purity and grandeur.
KUCHIPUDI ART ACADEMY ITINERARY
First Year Courses
1) Steps 2) First Half Jathis 3) Second Half Jathis 4) Pooja (Brahmanjali)
5) Jathiswaram (Ditta) 6) Jathiswaram (Vasantha) 7) Pooja (Jayamu Jayamu)
8) Daruvu (Koluvaithiva) 9) Ramayana Sabdam 10) Krishna Sabdam
Second Year Courses
1) Mandooka Sabdam 2) Brindavana Nilaye 3) Narayaneeyam 4) Thillana (Hindolam)
5) Vinayaka Kowthwam 6) Bhama Pravesa Daruvu,Madana
7)Keerthana (Jagadananda karaka) 8) Sivashtakam 9) Keerthana (Palukuthenela thalli)
10) Tharangam (Marakatha) 11) Keerthana (Kanjadalayathakshi) 12) Thillana (Sankarabharanam)
Third Year Courses
1) Keerthana (Gajavadana) 2) Keerthana (Muddugare) 3) Javali (Parulannamata)
4) Sivastuti 5) Dasavatharam 6) Tharangam (Neelamegha) 7) Lekha and Sakunalu
8) Thillana (Hamsadhwani) 9) Ananda Thandavam 10) Natesa Kowthwam
11) Javali (Vani Pondu) 12) Keerthana (Kulukaga)
Fourth Year Courses
1) Keerthana (Vedalari) 2) Ashtapadi (Sanchara) 3) Ashtapadi (Radhika)
4) Padavarnam (Emaguva bodhinchera) 5) Usha Pravesa Daruvu
6) Padam (Evvade Vaadu) 7) Javali (Mariyada) 8) Ashtapadi (Dasavathram)
9) Tharangam (Govardhana) 10) Marulu Konnadira
11) Keerthana (Krishna nee) 12) Keerthana (En palli)
SRI SIDDHENDRA KALASHETRA KUCHIPUDI
In the year 1961 Sri Siddhendra Kalashetram was established at Kuchipudi, to revive and re-establish the style of dance known as Kuchipudi. Sri Banda Kanakalingeswara Rao was its Founder- Secretary fron 1961-68.
The main objective of the Kalashetram is to develop an international institute for Kuchipudi Dance with a residential college. During the last 25 years, funds have been liberally donated by various organizations like the T.T.D., The Nizam Trust Board, The Central Sangeet Natak Academy, and the State Nritya Akademi of Andhra Pradesh, apart from financial assistance given by the Central and State Governments. The Andhra Pradesh Government has sanctioned a recurring grant in 1982, for the maintenance and development of the Kalashetram.
New Ballets have been choreographed and performed by the Kalashetram and the latest among these is "Ksheerasagara Madhanam", choreographed by the veteran Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam.
In 1982 Dr. Vempati has taken over as the Director of Studies of this prestigious institution and since then the institution is growing from strength to strength. It is under his guidance that revision and refresher courses have been conducted for Kuchipudi Dance masters once in 1982 and again in 1985. Among the eminent personalities responsible for the present stature of this institution are Sri Chinta Krishnamurthy, Sri Vedantham Raghavayya, Sri Vempati Chinna Satyam, Padmasri Vendantham Satyanaranyana Sarma, Sri Gottipati Brahmayya, Sri Narra Venkataratnam, Sri Gaddamanugu Seetharamanjaneyulu, Sri Ayyanki Thandavakrishna, Sri Pasumarthi Subramanya Sastry. In course of time it is hoped that this institution will undergo metamorphosis into a very famous research center on all aspects of Dance and Music that is Indian.
| Nritya | K. Jayaram | A.S. Raman | Madras Academy | Titupati | Students Response | Staff | | Vempati Chinna Satyam's Biography | Kuchipudi | |Itinerary | Sri Siddhendra Kalakshetra | | Dramas & Indidual Items | Dancers Biography |
This [age was last automatically updated on Saturday, June 07, 2003 05:55:36 PM
