The Chennai-based Kuchipudi Art Academy has opened its branch at Padma Bhushan Vempati China Satyam’s house here with the objective of producing professional Kuchipudi trainers.
Krishna University Vice-Chancellor V. Venkaiah inaugurated the branch in the presence of village elders. “The focus of the Academy unit will be on offering quality training in Yakshaganam and Kalapam formats of Kuchipudi dance, apart from solo and dance drama training,” said Kuchipudi Art Academy Secretary Vempati Venkat. “The motto of the branch is ‘bringing back the glorious past of the dance village and the beauty of Yakshaganam’,” he added.
Venkat, son of Kuchipudi legend Vempati China Satyam, said there was shortage of professional Yakshaganam trainers, and hence, the format needed immediate attention to keep alive its beauty. He added that plans were afoot to conduct at least four different classical dance festivals a year at Kuchipudi.
Speaking on the occasion, Telugu Association of North America (TANA) president Nannapaneni Mohan said the association would take steps to send foreign nationals to Kuchipudi for research work.
Courses
“Krishna University will introduce three new courses in Kuchipudi dance in the academic year 2015-16. An exercise to finalise the syllabus is likely to be over soon,” Mr. Venkaiah said. The university also plans to introduce an online course on the dance form based on suggestions made by the Academy senate members.
Students perform
Students of Kuchipudi Art Academy, including nine-year-old Vempati Laxmi Kameswari, grand-daughter of Vempati China Satyam, performed on the occasion.
