ONLINE: Bhavana Reddy’s third virtual, global Kuchipudi showcase as a teacher

Bhavana Reddy

Kuchipudi dancer Bhavana Reddy organized a physical and virtual event featuring her students at the International Center for Kuchipudi Dance late last year. The in-person event was recorded on 26 November 2023 and it was streamed on Zoom later, on 16 December 2023. The International Center for Kuchipudi Dance (ICKD) is an institution that operates virtually, where disciples from across the world, including the UK, USA, Dubai, Singapore and Europe, learn from Bhavana online in regular live classes.

Bhavana is the daughter and disciple of the illustrious Kuchipudi gurus Drs. Raja-Radha and Kaushalya Reddy. The ICKD runs online classes for students worldwide and bhavana imbues her teaching with the principles and philosophical methods that she has imbibed from her parents. She herself is a very accomplished dancer whom I have watched with great pleasure over the years. A few years back, when she shifted to the US, she started the virtual institute after being a faculty member and director of  her parents’ dance institute. Bhavana says she enjoys teaching her disciples and like each year, she had a virtual performance for her disciples in 2023 as well.

The older students showed grace and good flow in their moves, a testament to how hard their guru is working on them. The younger ones and the tiny tots were a pleasure to watch, not because their dance was immature but because they were making every effort to complete the moves and also keep time with each other. The online performances too had good coordination and were well-rehearsed.

The in-person event took place in California, supported by University of SiliconAndhra, Bay Area Telugu Association and Virijallu Radio. Chief guest Dr. Srikar K Reddy, Consulate General of India to SF, special guests Anand Kuchibhotla, Ramesh Konda, Vijaya Aasuri, Celine Shein Das, Santa Dasu Kondapalli and Suresh Kondapalli were present.

The virtual concert was a display of the physical concert along with all the students who could not join in person simultaneously, and was viewed by a global audience. The virtual concert was inaugurated by chief guests HE Taranjit Singh Sandhu, ambassador of India to the US, guest of honour Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairman Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Leo Spreksel, Advisory Board, Ministry of Culture, Netherlands.

The virtual programme began with a Ganapati Vandana, a propitiation to Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God, to remove all obstacles for the success of the show. It featured Dhriti Mudigonda, Illinois; and Sowmya Ramisetti, California.

The next piece was the Mandooka Sabdam. This is a story from the Mahabhegavatam about the king of elephants, Gajendra, who, while wandering in the forest, goes to drink water from a lake. The depiction of Gajendra’s salvation is dedicated to Lord Rama. This featured Swecha Pitta, Texas; Shrika Talapragada, Philadelphia; Aanya Lakka, Texas; Mahiti Kandakuri, Dubai; Akira Janu, Telangana, India; and Naina Singh, Luxembourg.

Next were select shlokas as per Kuchipudi Sampradeyam and Prathamika Adavulu (the first and foremost steps of Kuchipudi). This featured Ananya Garimela, California; Pooja Mamidi, California; Anusha Padmini, Texas; Akhila Munganda, Texas; Kranthi Cherukuru, Virginia; Ashwini Badgujar, California; Rani Basava, Virginia; and Bramhini Sagili, Andhra Pradesh, India.

The Pushpanjali is a tapestry of tune beats and melodious notes which are given visual form in this item of pure dance (nritta). There are no words to convey any meaning in this item but attractive movements of the eyes, eyebrows, neck and footwork patterns. The pushpanjali featured Roshini Velamuri, Oregon; and Manasa Budamagunta, California.

The last piece, the Dasavatharam, is about the ten incarnations or avataras of Lord Vishnu, depicted graphically. The song is interspersed with jathis or time measure. The avataras depicted here were Matsya (fish), Koorma (tortoise), Varaha (boar), Narsimha (man-lion), Vamana (dwarf), Parasurama (the axe-wielder), Rama (the bow-man), Balarama (the plough-man), the Buddha (the enlightened one) and Kalki (the ultimate destroyer, yet to manifest). This featured Sowmya Ramisetti, California; and Dhriti Mudigonda, Illinois.