What is Kuchipudi ?

Kuchipudi originated from a village in Andhra Pradesh called Kuchelapuri or Kuchelapuram in the 3rd century B.C. This dance style like many other classical dance forms was presented at temples and was performed by the Brahmin men known as Bhagavathalu. These programs were offerings to the deities and they never allowed women in their group. Kuchipudi uses fast rhythmic footwork, beautiful poses, stylized expressions including dialogues spoken by the dancers. This is a distinctive feature of Kuchipudi. Siddhendra Yogi, a great Telugu poet, championed the cause of redefining this dance form and giving it, it’s present day shape. The most popular Kuchipudi dance is the Tarangam, in which a dancer keeps a pot filled with water on her head and balances her feet on the rim of a brass plate. Though Kuchipudi started as a dance drama form, in the present day it has transformed more into a solo dance form, and majority of the performers being women.

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