Tamilnadu - Fine arts - Bharatanatyam - Types of Bharatnatyam - Kuchipudi Style
Kuchipudi Style
Yamini Reddy performing at Sangeet Natak Academi Delhi
The movements in Kuchipudi are quicksilver and scintillating, rounded and fleet-footed. Performed to classical Carnatic music, it shares many common elements with Bharatanatyam. In its solo exposition Kuchipudi numbers include 'jatiswaram' and 'tillana' whereas in nritya it has several lyrical compositions reflecting the desire of a devotee to merge with God - symbolically the union of the soul with the super soul.
Beyond the stylistic differences of Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam steps, there are certain types of dances that are unique to Kuchipudi. Specifically there is the Tarangam of Kuchipudi which is unique in that the dancer must dance upon a brass plate, placing the feet upon the raised edges. The dancer moves the plate with much balance as the indiviudal is traditionally dancing on the plate with two diyas small oil-burning candles in his or her hands while balancing a kundi small vessel containing water on their head. At the end of the dance, typically, the dancer extinguishes the candles and washes his or her hands with the water from the vessel.
There are also subtle differences in the costumes of both types of dances. Generally, Bharatanatyam dresses have three fans of differing heights that form the illusion of the spreading pleats of a sari. However, in Kuchipudi there is typically only one fan which tends to be longer than the longest of the three fans present on Bharatanatyam dresses.
The 20th Karana is very often used in Kuchipudi dance. Apart from six padabhedas, i dancers also use some adugulu or adavus traditional to this school: Chaukam Kuchipud, Katteranatu, Kuppi Adugu, Ontaduvu,Jaraduvu, Pakkanatu
The Sangeet Natak Akademi currently confers classical status on eight Indian dance forms:
1. Bharatanatyam - SouthIndian Classical Dance
2. Odissi - Orissa Classical dance
3. Kuchipudi - Telugu Classical dance
4. Manipuri - Manipur Classical Dance
5. Mohiniyattam - Kerala Classical Dance
6. Sattriya - Asamese Classical Dance
7. Kathakali - Kerala Classical Dance
8. Kathak - North Indian Classical DancePre
