Kuchipudi

Kuchipudi dance has originated from the village of Kuchelapuri or Kuchelapuram in the Krishna District of Andhra Pradesh and has a history of nearly two millennia. Since its origin, it has remained a continuous and living dance tradition of Andhra Pradesh. Like other classical dance forms of India, Kuchipudi’s background is also religious in nature.  In terms of technique, this dance form is exceptional as it combines graceful movements, fast rhythmic footwork, subtle facial expressions and narration. Thanrangam is another extraordinary feature of Kuchipudi where the dancer balances her feet on the edge of a brass plate and makes rhythmic movements, at times balancing a pot of water on her head. In fact Kuchipudi which is accompanied by Carnatic music is a combination of Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (histrionic expression) and Natya (dramatic representation).