JCC Bender Theater, Rockville, MD — November 14, 2025
The Kuchipudi dance tradition, across global communities, carries within it centuries of philosophical thought, ritual memory, and cultural values. Its choreographic structures embody not only technique, but a worldview—one that holds tradition and innovation in constant dialogue. Kalanidhi’s Resonance: Celebrating Kuchipudi’s Choreographic Voices, situates itself squarely within this lineage, paying homage to both emerging and established choreographers in the Kuchipudi tradition. The program offers the community a rare opportunity to see dancers from different schools present select choreographies that resonate with them or debut their own creations—some for the very first time—across solos, duets, and group works, honoring inherited frameworks while exploring how personal interpretation continues to shape contemporary Kuchipudi practice.
The program commenced with Vīṇā Pustaka Pāṇi, choreographed and presented by Srilekha Jayanthi and Chitra Kalyandurg, paying obeisance to Bala Tripura Sundari, the presiding goddess of Kuchipudi village. It was a sincere attempt by the two dancers, whose technical and emotive strengths were evident. In future iterations, they would do well to engage more intentionally with space—using proximity, separation, and counterpoint to create the kind of dialogue and interplay that elevates a two-person choreography.
Swāgatham Krishna, presented by Pranamya Suri is the choreography of the legendary Dr. Shobha Naidu, followed next. Pranamya, a well-established dancer in India and in the diaspora performed with grace and precision; her expressive face and attention to detail revealed the depth of a committed artist. Certain rhythmic passages like the Muṣhṭikasura–Cāṇūra segment—felt rushed, leaving the phrases incomplete. Slowing down the speed would allow the audience to fully relish her otherwise nuanced and expressive rendition.
Yamini Kalluri, credited with the concept, choreography, and presentation of the Desh Tillana, is immensely talented; her footwork is light, and she brings a multicultural sensibility to movement. The choreography blended Kuchipudi with Odissi-inflected movements, Tamil lyrics, to a North Indian raga with ease. Particularly striking was the teermanam—the closing rhythmic phrase—which was executed with subtle emphasis and carefully modulated movement, ending with a quiet expression of longing that showcased her eye for detail. The Desh Tillana was placed as the third piece rather than the traditional finale, a curious programming choice that hinted at a new choreographic direction. That expectation, however, did not fully materialize.
The Ardhanāreeshwara Stotram is, as the program note rightly describes, a “harmony of opposites—masculine and feminine.” Choreographed by Pragnya Thamire and performed by Sriyuktha Ganipineni, Anjana Kuttamath, Mytreyi Nair, Pragnya Thamire, and Deviga Valiyil, the piece radiated energy, power, and joy. The dancers used the stage space in interesting ways, creating patterns, dynamics, and shifting dimensions that enlivened the choreography. Particularly striking was the way the choreography began in direct conversation with the music, signaling dynamism within stillness and eventually circling back to that very place.
Anupama Kailash is that rare artist whose scholarship and intellect are evident in her selection of lyrics and her approach to them. Her virtuosity lies in how effortlessly she communicates through the smallest gestures—a flick of the hand, a fleeting glance. In Subhadra Vilāpam, performed as seated abhinaya, she draws from Sanskrit and Telugu verses to portray the lament and grief of Subhadra holding the lifeless body of her son Abhimanyu.
Anupama’s face becomes a canvas of shifting emotion as grief turns into controlled anger at Krishna for allowing such an unfair tragedy. Hearing his consolatory words and then softening, however slightly, at his promise, she offers a deeply moving portrayal. One only wishes she had extended the performance to establish the sthāyibhāva more fully, allowing the audience to enter and savor the emotional landscape.
Koluvai Unnaḍe Devadēvudu is a beloved composition, popularized by many in the Kuchipudi tradition as well as in film. Vaishnavi Uppalapati and Sadhana Thilak made an honest, heartfelt attempt to bring this piece, choreographed by Dr. Shobha Naidu, to its musical grandeur. With future iterations, greater emotional depth and a more expansive use of space as a duo would help the choreography rise to the full potential of the composition.
The final choreography, The Circle Is Unbroken, by Daniel Phoenix Singh, offered a sensitive and thoughtful close to the evening. Drawing from the naturally occurring shapes of spheres and circles in the universe, the choreography, anchored in Ilaiyaraaja’s characteristically evocative instrumental textures, evoked the strength of communities moving together in continuity and connection. Daniel dedicated this piece to “liberation struggles everywhere”, reminding us, gently yet powerfully, of our own strengths as individuals and as communities as we move in harmony. The dancers: Sriyuktha Ganipineni, Akshara Girish, Samhitha Gurram, Anjana Kuttamath, Mytreyi Nair, Ritika Reddy, Pragnya Thamire, and Deviga Valiyil—brought Daniel’s musically guided vision to life with grace, their movement phrases marked by precision and confidence.
Each piece in Resonance reveals how choreography becomes a bridge—between past and future, between artists and community. This is a valuable affirmation of the role artists play in sustaining and renewing cultural ecosystems.