Now Reading: Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner wants to revive Kuchipudi dance-drama in Karnataka
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Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner wants to revive Kuchipudi dance-drama in Karnataka
Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner wants to revive Kuchipudi dance-drama in Karnataka
Dr Veena Murthy Vijay, a Kuchipudi exponent, received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2024 from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on August 13. Her Bengaluru-based dance school, founded in 1976,…
Dr Veena Murthy Vijay, a Kuchipudi exponent, received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2024 from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on August 13. Her Bengaluru-based dance school, founded in 1976, is completing 50 years this year.
Murthy Vijay said she wants to take Kuchipudi deeper into Karnataka and revive its original dance-drama format, which she said has been overshadowed by solo performances. She also hopes more students will take up certificate and diploma courses that explore the theatrical aspects of Kuchipudi.
She emphasised that while experimentation is welcome, it should not ignore traditional pedagogy. The award, she said, is an opportunity to give back to the art that has shaped her life, and she urged youngsters to pursue dance rather than spend time on Instagram and Netflix.
Indian Opinion Analysis
Kuchipudi originated in Andhra Pradesh and has a strong dance-drama tradition rooted in the Bhagavata Mela. In Karnataka, the style has often been taught as a solo form. Murthy Vijay's focus on the original Yakshagana-style presentation could attract new students interested in theatre. Her school, one of the oldest in Bengaluru, has trained hundreds over five decades. The Sangeet Natak Akademi award is a government honour recognising lifetime contribution to performing arts. The next step will be whether her institute launches new certificate courses in dance-drama, which could revive a fading tradition in Karnataka.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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