Going strong
The Malaysian kuchipudi sisters celebrate three decades of dance with Vandejagatguru.
THROUGHOUT their 30-year career in Indian classical dance, sisters Kasthoori and Thachayani Ramanaidu have never failed to delight audiences with their graceful synchronised movements.
After a four-year hiatus from the stage, the vivacious siblings are back with a special performance – Vande Jagat Guru – which celebrates their 30th anniversary as dancers.
“Instead of a comeback, we look at it as a four-year on-going project, preparing the choreography, songs, items and most importantly, training our students. It is equally meaningful for us as it coincides with our 30th year as Indian classical students and artistes,” said Kasthoori in an e-mail interview recently.
While the Puchong-based sisters may have carved a name for themselves as the “dancing” sisters, they are widely recognised as the “Malaysian kuchipudi sisters” due to their fervour for the Indian classical dance style that originated from India’s Andhra Pradesh region.
The sisters began their journey into the world of Indian classical dance by learning the popular dance form, bharatanatyam, under Srimathi Radha Gopal Shetty in 1982. After completing their arangetram (graduation), the siblings ventured into Odissi under Srimati Geetha Lam.
Kasthoori never thought of learning kuchipudi as dance classes were few and far between in the late 1980s.
“Our destiny with kuchipi was sealed when Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) founder Swami Shantanand Saraswati handpicked us and sent us to India on the prestigious Indian Council For Cultural Relationship scholarship in 1998. From then on, there was no turning back,” said Kasthoori, 37, a dancer and teacher at Temple Of Fine Arts in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.
Thachayani, 36, chipped in: “Bharatanatyam is defined by its stiff movements and straight lines and Odissi, its grace and non-rigid lines. Kuchipudi turned out to be the perfect balance between both these dance forms. From then on, kuchipudi stuck to our hearts and our souls.”
Kuchipudi is a form of dance which is performed to classical Carnatic music and shares many common elements with bharatanatyam. With an interesting history that dates back over 500 years, the traditional dance form features fast and intricate footwork. Its impressive aspect is in the graceful movements and the use of the dancer’s eyes to express moods and feelings.
Kasthoori explained there has been a growing interest in the dance form since TFA started holding classes.
“In India, kuchipudi is as established a dance form as bharatanatyam and Odissi. The biggest challenge is promoting it locally. Bharatanatyam has a very strong following here and Odissi has already been popularised by dancer Ramli Ibrahim. In Malaysia, kuchipudi lags behind in terms of popularity and dancers who can perform it well.
“Realising this, much work has been implemented by starting classes in TFA, with us as the pioneer teachers. The Telugu Association Of Malaysia has made efforts to promote, teach and stage kuchipudi on TV programmes. We are proud to reap the results, as the first batch of students will graduate soon. We have also observed a stronger attendance at kuchipudi shows,” said Kasthoori, adding that four batches of students are currently pursuing kuchipudi at TFA.
Vande Jagat Guru, presented by TFA, pays homage to Lord Krishna. The performance displays the sisters’ talents and skills as disciples of kuchipudi master Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam.
The programme will include two duets, two solos and two group dances. Through the extensive repertoire, dance lovers can enjoy different aspects of dance told through Lord Krishna’s mythology.
Highlights include poet Sri Jayadeva’s Radhika Krishna which will be performed by Kasthoori. Composer Annamacharya’s
Muddhugare Yashoda, which extols Krishna’s childhood beauty and valour, will be presented by Thachayani.
Brindavane Nilaye will feature the sisters’ students as Krishna and cowherd girls in a fun dance.
Swami Ra Ra, a duet by the sisters, is an impassioned plea for Lord Krishna to fulfil his devotee’s yearning.
Swami Ra Ra is about two dancers with different physiques but have great understanding and synchronisation. Being sisters, we are our own honest and constructive critics,” shared Thachayani, an accountant and part-time kuchipudi instructor at TFA.
Kasthoori hopes more Malaysians will have a better understanding of the dance form after attending their show.
“Kuchipudi is commonly mistaken for bharatanatyam because of its costumes and some dance positions. Thus, we would consider this performance a great success if, at the end of the day, the audience can recognise and are mesmerised by the unique beauty and grace of kuchipudi.”
n Vandejagatguru will be staged tomorrow (7pm) at Shantanand Auditorium, Temple Of Fine Arts, Jalan Berhala, Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur. For invitations, call 03-2274 3709. For more info, go to tfa.org.my.