The presentation on Kuchipudi dance highlights its origins in Andhra Pradesh and its rich history over 500 years, significantly shaped by the contributions of Siddhendra Yogi, who is considered the father of this art form. Key aspects of Kuchipudi include its unique combination of nritta (pure dance), nritya (expressional dance), and natya (drama), along with the significance of expressions through body language, dialogue, and costumes. The dance is deeply rooted in spirituality and aims to convey divine ecstasy and connect the audience with thematic elements from Hindu scriptures and mythology.

1. Presentation on kuchipudi dance
Presented By
Sai Ram Konduri

2. Kuchipudi
The Dance of Andhra Pradesh

3. Origin And History Of Kuchipudi Dance

4. The Father Of Kuchipudi
Sidhendra Yogi

5. Kuchipudi, which has 500 years of recorded history, owes its greatness to masters
who shaped it over the years. Siddhendra Yogi, a doyen of Kuchipudi, lauded as Adi Guru
by Kuchipudi dancers, gave life and blood to this dance form in its budding stages. He is
the author of ‘Bhama Kalapam’, the jewel of Kuchipudi and he is the one who brought a
distinctive style to Kuchipudi.
Life of Siddhendra Yogi and his origins has never
been clearly established. But there is an agreed consensus that he lived in the 13th and 14th
centuries. There are many stories about the life of Siddhendra Yogi, but the popular version is
that of Kuchipudi Bhagavatulu.
The dance styles in the state are based on the
standard treatises, Abhinaya Darpana and
Bharatarnava of Nandikeshwara, which is sub-divided
into Nattuva Mala and Natya Mala. Nattuva Mala is of
two types — the Puja dance performed on the
Balipitha in the temple and the Kalika dance performed
in a Kalyana Mandapam

6. The three unique and essential ingredients of Kuchipudi dance are: Nritta (pure
dance), Nritya (expressional dance) and Natya (drama). Of the seven major dance forms
of India, Kuchipudi is the only form which gives equal importance to the four aspects of
expression: Body, Speech, Costume/Make-up and expression
(Angikabhinya,vachikabhinaya, Aharyabhinaya & Sattwikabhinaya). With themes
deriving from Hindu scriptures and mythology, Kuchipudi consists of fast, rhythmic
footwork, dynamic expression, graceful body movements and hand gestures. The
performer is trained not just to dance, but also to deliver the dialogue with intense facial
expressions, and by singing the text as well.
The dance was originally performed only by men of high caste, as a form
of bhakti (worship). This devotion is a key motivating force for the choreographer and the
performer, the aim being to inspire the audiences deeply through the storytelling. A
spiritual understanding is very much required to interpret the characters in the dance
appropriately. In its pure form the main purpose of the dance is to inculcate divine ecstasy,
invoking immortal bliss and bringing one closer to the path of salvation.
Specialty Of Kuchipudi

7. Abhinayam – Soul Of Kuchipudi Dance
Expression of the limbs (Āṅgika Abhinaya)
This is the movement of the anga or limbs, which include facial
expression. In different schools of Abhinaya expressions range from
the grotesque to the understated, from the crude to the
refined. Āngika abhinaya occurs as Padartha abhinaya (where an
artist delineates each word with gesture and expression),
or Vakyartha abhinaya (where a dancer acts out an entire stanza or
sentence)
Expression of speech (Vāchika Abhinaya)
Speech is used in drama and also in music when the
singer expresses the emotion through his or her singing.
In the Kuchipudi and Melattur styles of Indian classical
dance the dancers often mouth the words of the songs
(padartha abhinaya).

8. Costume and scene (Āhārya Abhinaya)
Another means of representation of the play
is indeed the costumes and physical decorations of the actors and the
theatre. In dramas, and dance dramas, costume and making are
distinguished by the sex, race, sect or class or the social position of the
characters, giving the production of the presentation some semblance of
reality. The decorations of the stage theatre including lights and accessories are
related to the scene of the depiction in which enhances the rasa between the
audience and artists also comes under this category
True expression (Sāttvika Abhinaya)
Sāttvika Abhinaya is the mental message, emotion or
image communicated with the audience through the performer's own
inner emotions. The dancer or actor has to use experience, something
authentic, to capture the audience and to elicit an empathetic response.

9. A principal division is that between natyadharmi
abhinaya and lokadharmi abhinaya.
The former is poetic and stylistic in nature, following a codified
manner of presenting emotion and expression which pertains to
the conventions of the stage, which appear to have greater
'artistry‘ by virtue of taking something from natural life and
rendering it in a suitably stylised way.
Lokadharmi abhinaya is the opposite: realistic and un-stylised,
involving very natural expression and movement, as occurs in
daily life. Often this is the more difficult as the possibilities for
interpretation of an emotion or a line of poetry are endless.
Lokadharmi and Natyadharmi Abhinaya

10. Instruments Used in Kuchipudi
• Mridangam
• Manjira
• Saraswati Vina (South Indian Vina)
• Violin
• Kanjira
• Surpeti
• Venu
• Tanpura

11. Thank
You