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Kuchipudi Dance

Kuchipudi, The Classical Dance Form

The famous dance form of Kuchipudi originated in the Kuchipudi village located in Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh. It is a dance drama tradition originally performed by men only. It is yet another precious pearl in the majestic crown of India's rich culture. The Kuchipudu dance form is famous for its grace, elegance and charm. Kuchipudi was nurtured, protected and refined by the great artists, who are responsible for its present form.

Legends Related To Kuchipudi

There are many legends related to this dance form, which are somehow related to its growth. According to one of the legends related to this dance form, in the 13th century there was a young man named Siddhappa whose marriage was arranged to a beautiful girl. But the fate was not on his, while crossing the river to attend his wedding, his boat overturned and he was about to drown. At that very time, he prayed to God to save his life and pledged that he will dedicate his life to the service of God. His prayer was answered and he survived. Since then, he was called Siddhendra Yogi, a great Telugu poet of the 17th century who composed the dance-drama "Bhama Kalapam". His poems praised Lord Krishna on which dancers performed.

This dance was preformed by male dancers only, he believed that the inclusion of females might result in the decadence of this art. The first Kuchipudi dance - drama was also written by Siddhendra Yogi. Thus, it is said that today's Kuchipudi dance style has originated from this dance drama tradition, also known as Bhagavata Mela Natakam .

Another legend says that Kuchipudi is a result of the religious tolerance that existed in India, in the 13th century. It is said that a group of Kuchipudi dancers performed in the court of a Nawab in Andhra Pradesh. The Nawab was so impressed with the dance drama that he gifted the Kuchipudi village to these dancers and asked them to continue the tradition of performing. Since then, all the male members of the Kuchipudi village have been practicing this art. The themes of this dance drama are based on the legends from Indian mythology.

Music In Kuchipudi

The Kuchipudi dance form is performed on the classical Carnatic music. The instruments used for Kuchipudi recital includes the Mridangam, Flute and Violin. The lyrics are sung by a vocalist and the organization of the music and recital of the rhythmic patterns are done by the "Nattuvanar".

Dance Expressions

Kuchipudi is a perfect amalgamation of "Nritta", "Nritya" and "Natya". The Nritta consists of a song; the Nritya or "Sabdams" includes the interpretation of the song through dance and Natya combines both into a complete dance drama having a storyline and characters.

Swift Foot Movements

The Kuchipudi dance form uses a lot of fast rhythmic foot movements. Apart from this, the graceful sculpture like body movements are the highlights of this dance form. The dance also consists of mime, hand gestures and subtle facial expression. Some times it is also combined with more graphical acting and dialogues spoken by the dancers. Keeping in mind these unique techniques, Kuchipudi is among the important Indian classical dance styles.

The "Tarangam", is another unique feature of Kuchipudi. In this, a dancer dances on the edge of a brass plate, matching to the rhythm of music. Sometimes, dancers also balance a pot of water on the head.

The Presentation of The dance

Just like other dance forms of India, Kuchipudi is also associated with religion. Earlier, this dance form was only performed at temples and that too only for annual festivals of certain temples in Andhra. Kuchipudi dance drama combines the dancing and speaking of the performers. Originally, this dance form was performed only by men belonging to the Brahmin community, popularly known as "Bhagavathulu" of Kuchipudi.

In its original form Kuchipudi was a dance drama and not a solo dance. This graceful dance drama was performed by the men and boys who were trained rigorously in 'Abhinaya' or acting, music, dancing and singing, in the open air on a stage.

The presentation begins with some stage rites, which are performed in full view of the audience. After this, the "Sootradhar" or the narrator along with supporting musicians appear on-stage to give a musical performance on the drums and cymbals. Each principal character introduces himself or herself on the stage with a 'Daru', a brief composition of dance and song specially designed for each character. This helps the characters to introduce themselves and to present their skills in the art. There are nearly 80 'Darus' or dance sequences in Kuchipudi.

The Evolution of Kuchipudi

Today, Kuchipudi has evolved into a solo dance form. Now, women dancers also participate in the dance performances. The solo dance performances are highly expressive with fast rhythms, swinging knee movements and circular movement of the arms. Inspite of regular modifications, Kuchipudi still retains its dramatic origins.