Unique Kuchipudi spectacle to be staged in America

Hyderabad, April 01: KUCHIPUDI is now going global. In an unprecedented way, about 2,500 Kuchipudi dancers, gurus from across the world, are going to grace a three-day International Kuchipudi Dance Convention.

This was disclosed by Kuchibotla Anand of SiliconAndhra in a press meet organised at Ravindra Bharathi in the city that was attended by Department of Culture director Rallabandi Kavitha Prasad, Vempati Chinna Satyam’s son Vempati Venkat and Kuchipudi dancers and gurus Sobha Naidu, Alekhya, Usha Gayathri, Ramadevi, Kothapalli Padma, KV Satyanarayana and Jonnalagadda Anuradha.

SiliconAndhra, a US-based organisation promoting Telugu culture among Telugu-speaking people of the United States, is organising the event in association with Department of Culture, Government of Andhra Pradesh, and Potti Sriramulu Telugu University at Flint Center, Cupertino City, California from June 20 to June 22.

“Cupertino City Mayor Dolly Sandoval told us that she would grace the occasion in a traditional sari while many senators, congress members will participate in Kuchipudi Sobhayatra (parade) on the streets of the city which will be monitored by the US civilian police,” said Kuchibhotla Anand of SiliconAndhra.

Choreographed by Kuchipudi exponent Vempati Chinasatyam, the convention will have 500 Kuchipudi dancers dancing on stage simultaneously in a tribute to Kuchipudi Kalamathalli. This unique feat will be supervised by officials of the Guinness Book of World Records.

Jonnalagadda Anuradha from Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad, is coming up with a book Srujana Ranjani Natya Manjari detailing the history, greatness, critical issues and future of Kuchipudi.

Dancers and dance gurus spanning five generations, including Vempati Chinna Satyam and Yamini Krishnamurthy, will be seen together on a single platform on the occasion.

To be organised every two years, the next convention will be held in Hyderabad in 2010.

Explaining the importance of the convention, Kavitha Prasad said, “The convention aims at promoting the dance at the international level, giving global exposure to Kuchipudi gurus and providing inspiration to the local Americans learning the dance form.”

The convention will witness lecture demonstrations, panel discussions, historic exhibits and workshops.

Courtesy: Siasat