Dances from the Indian Subcontinent 3- Kuchipudi
From a land as vibrant as India, you can always expect lots of color, bubbling life and buoyant animation. In the past when people did not have much to do in their spare time, singing and dancing was their sole refuge to kill time. Many such activities done in the so called spare times developed into major art forms and now constitute the major portion of the rich Indian cultural heritage. India is a country of villages, villages where fairytales and sweet mellow evenings are inseparable, from these beautiful yarns come out stories of legends and heroes and superheroes. These fables then turn into beautiful dances.
One such dance from the land of conch shell bangles and henna is Kuchipudi. This beautiful art form comes from the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The dance takes its name from a village in the Divi Talukka of Krishna district that borders the Bay of Bengal. This traditional dance has been developed to its present state by the ancient resident Brahmins of the place.
In the beginning of the performance, some stage rites are performed and after that each of the participants comes forward to introduce themselves. With their introduction they also set the mood and the theme of the drama. Like other Indian classical dances, Kuchipudi too incorporates mime, drama, music and singing in its complete self. Generally a song in the Carnatic music is used for the performance. The necessary accompaniments of the dance are mridangam (a classical South Indian percussion instrument), violin, flute and tambura. As for the dance accessories, the dancers use ornaments made of a light wood called Boorugu.
The fluid movements of the dance make it a sheer treat for the senses. The dance usually narrates a story, so it is a sort of dance drama. Great emphasis is laid on facial expressions and expressing of emotions through the body movements. The lucid movements accompanied by the heavenly music and vivid expressions all make for a great performance to watch.
Like most other Indian classical dances, Kuchipudi too makes use of beautiful elaborate dance apparels to enhance the beauty of the dance. Usually a typical South Indian sari is worn by the female dancers as the standard dance dress. The dancers use bright colors so as look bright and vibrant on the stage.
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