KUCHIPUDI

INDIAN CLASSICAL

DANCE

Kuchipudi is a Classical Indian dance from Andhra Pradesh, India. It is also popular all over SouthIndia. Kuchipudi is the name of a village in the Divi Taluka of Krishna

district that borders the Bay of Bengal and also the surname of the resident Brahmins practicing this traditional dance form, it acquired the present name.

Bharata Muni who wrote the Natya Shastra about 3000 years ago had explained various aspects of this dance form. Later sometime in the 13th century, the impetus

to kuchipudi was given by Sidhendra Yogi. Siddhendra Yogi redefined the dance form. Siddhendra Yogi’s former name was Siddhappa who was an orphan Brahmin

Siddhendra Yogi

Siddhendra abstained from training women fearing that they might exaggerate the sentiments expressed and dispel it of its spiritual tone. Kuchipudi became an all male domain. The female roles were also impersonated by men.

The technique of Kuchipudi makes use of fast rhythmic footwork and sculpturesque body movements. Stylized mime, using hand gestures and

subtle facial expression, is combined with more realistic acting, occasionally including dialogues spoken by the dancers.

• Kuchipudi today is performed either as a solo or a group presentation, but historically it was performed as a dance drama, with several dancers taking different roles.

The themes are mostly derived form the scriptures and mythology, and the portrayal of certain characters is a central motif of this dance form.

Kuchipudi dance-dramas, each present a particular episode or a series of episodes. A solo recital, on the other hand, typically consists of such items as

the 'Sabdam', 'Bhama kalapam' which is the main item, 'Padams' and 'Tarangams'. In 'Bhama kalapam', the dancer has enormous scope for the

dramatisation of characters.

Bhama KalapamSabdam

The main character is Satyabhama, a beautiful but arrogant queen who goes through the process of discovering the path of true love and devotion. In the 'Tarangam', the dancer frequently perform a balancing feat, her feet poised

on the edge of a brass plate as she moves around.

Satyabhama

Tarangam

The whole dance follow the navrasas theory to show the

expressions and convey their moods.

These are: Shringara (love and beauty)

Hasya (joy or mirth)Bhibatsya (disgust)

Rowdra (anger and its forms)Shanta (serenity and peace)

Veera (heroism)Bhaya (fear)

Karuna (grief and compassion)Adbhuta (wonder and curiosity)

Some of dance which is practice today in kuchipudi are:

Purvaranga,Tandava Nritya kari Gajana a or Vinayaka Kautham

BhamakalapamSatya Bhama

Bhakta PhrahaldaUsha Parinayam

Sasirekha ParinayamRama NatakamGollakalapamGollabhamaTarangam

MUDRAS

• A symbolic hand gesture used in Hindu ceremonies and statuary, and in Indian dance.

Head GesturesEyesNeckHands

Head Gestures

Sama - level Udvaahita - raised up Adhomukha - down-cast face Aalolita - rolling Dhuta - shaken sidewayKampita - nodded

Paraavrtta - turned roundUtksipta - thrown up parivaahita - widely move

Eyes

Sama - Ievel

Aalokita -keen glance

Saaci -side long

Pralokita- wide glance

Nimilita -closed

Ullokita looking up

Anuvrtta-quickly up & down

Avalokita- looking down

Neck

Sundari - to & fro horizonally

Tirascinaa - upward movemenet on both sides

Parivartitaa - right to left like half moonPrakampitaa – backward and forward movement

Hands

Kuchipudi Makeup

The kuchipudi dance makeup should have a graceful

look and must be suitable for stage light.

Makeup must suit dancers with fair and dark skin colours.

The important characters have their makeup different from the others. The makeup used in is not so heavy. The list of items required for the makeup of this dance form are: Altha ,sindur , kumkum, bindi, black eye line eye shadow, facial power and foundation whose color should be lighter than the character's skin color.

Kuchipudi Makeup

Kuchipudi CostumeTypes of sarees

The kanchipuram silk saree –is handmade of dyed silk with zari works.

kanchipuram silk saree are expensive than other types of silkavailable in south India. Kanchipuram sarees are strongerthan Dharmavaram or Arani silk generally.

Dharamavaram silk saree- in many other places also, silk

sarees are produced , they are Dharamavaram, Arni, Salem and Tribhvanam.Even though these sarees are good in quality , kanchipuram is best.

Semi silk saree — costumes are also made of semi silk

sarees which is cheaper than the other two types. This saree is mainly used for group performance where cost factor matters. Many costumes are stitched at a time in group performance.

DRESS USED

Blouse (upper part)Pyjama (lower part)Small fan (waist)Pallu (drape over bosom)

Examples for kuchipudi costume

Kuchipudi JewelleryThe dancers adorn themselves with temple jewellery, which isthe style of ornaments worn by the deities in south Indiantemples.

Some ornaments are made from silver with a plating of goldand some worn by the artists are made up of alight weightwood, called Boorugu.

Jewelleries adorn the head, ear, neck, hands, fingers, and thewaist of the female dancers. It includes

RAKUDI (head ornament),CHAN DRA VAN KI (arm ornament) andADDA BHASA and KASINA SARA (neck ornaments).

Even the long plait of dancer's hair is decorated withornaments and beautiful white flowers.

The male dancers are lightly ornamented

Thus we can say that the kuchipudi dance form is known for its grace and beauty which would be incomplete without its dressing style,costumes,makeup and its jewellery

JEWELLRY USED:

Jumka (earring with upward extension)Oddiyanam (waist band)Nathni (nose ring)Long Mala (long necklace)Short Mala (choker)zvaanki (armbands)Chudiya (colored bangles to match your dress)Ghungroo (musical anklet with metallic bells)Mattal (forehead)Chandra (moon shaped hair ornament)Surya (sun shaped hair ornament)1 Red stick—on Bindi ( a decorative mark worn in the middle of the forehead)

Examples Kuchipudi jewellery

MUSIC IN KUCHIPUDI

A raga (musical mode) with its unique and individual pattern is the soul

of Indian music. Each raga has a special structure of fixed notes. It is the way in which a musician

It is the way in which a musician utilises this structural form that makes

for the full expression of the different melodic types. Ancient authors

gave the essential characteristics of ragas as the utilisation of special

notes while avoiding some notes and rendering others with

embellishments or graces

Interestingly ragas were meant, according to their emotional appeal,

to be sung only at certain times a day. They were also associated

with visual images.

The play began with the orchestral music which included Mridangam , Kanjira, Tanpura and a pair of Manjira, followed by an invocation to a deity and

appearance of Ganesha.

Mridangam Manjira

Kanjira

Tanpura

Rituals Before Kuchipudi

Before the dance drama of Kuchipudi, there are certain rituals that are performed in front of the audience. After the rituals, the Soothradhara or the conductor, with the supporting musicians, comes on stage, gives a play of rhythm on the drums and cymbals and announces the title of the dance drama.

After this, two people enter, holding a curtain, behind which is a dancer in the mask of Ganpati (the elephant headed god). The dancer dances for some time, to worship Ganpati, so that the dance drama goes on without hitches.

Daru: it is a small composition of dance and song specially for each

character to help the artist reveal his or her identity and also to show the performer's skill in the art.

Kalaps: it has a few characters with theme revolving around a single

incident or a character

There are nearly 80 darus or dance sequences in a traditional Kuchipudi dance drama.

Daru

Introduction of Characters

The Performance

After the initial rituals as well the introduction of the characters is complete, it is the time to finally begin the performance of Kuchipudi. Through the show, the dance is accompanied by song, typically Carnatic music.

Conclusion

Today Kuchipudi is considerably a different style of dance form than it originally used to be. In most of the cases it is now a solo performance done by female dancers. The Sutradharahas become a phenomenon of the past and the Vachika abhinaya, that is, expressional numbers are sung by the danseuses herself instead by the vocalists in the background on the stage as was the traditional practice.

The element of devotion to gods has also been done away with and it has become purely a secular affair with predominance of 'sringar' or erotic flavour. Besides the drama component has also been totally reduced.

Elements not indigenous to the dance drama such as sculpture like stances and freezes based on perfect iconographic forms motifs and shapes have also been incorporated into Kuchipudi dance recitals to make it more competitive with other dance forms.

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