Kuchipudi( Andhra Classic)

Kuchipudi

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. 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 and vibrating leaps and turns, it is not cast in the mould 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 ( a small sleepy hamlet), just 65 kms. away from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh,South India, where it grew largely as a product of Bhakti (devotion) 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 a wealth of sculptures in the ancient temples, the Buddhist ruins Ajanta and Ellora caves, Amaravathi and Ramappa Temple would indicate.

The Kuchipudi is a dance-drama of Nritta, Nritya and Natya. The Nritta consists of teermanams and jatis, the Nritya of Sabdams, and the Natya of acting with mudras for the songs. Nritta encompasses steps and movements in the form of patterns of dance which, though ornate in themselves, have no meaning to convey.

Kuchipudi, combines speech, mime and pure dance. The Kuchipudi dancer is a multiple person on the stage and this multiplicity is achieved by the swift change of mime which depends more on the combination of the naturalism of the dramatic content and the symbolism of the poetic intensity of feeling of an episode. The consequence of this is the emphasis laid on the dynamics of movement and expressionism of feeling.