Sandhya Raju / Modern Kuchipudi / Performance Poetry / Maya Angelou's Phenomenal Woman

This piece is dedicated to my Mother Nirmala Raja on her birthday Feb 2nd for being a phenomenal woman !

Creative Director and Kuchipudi Danseuse Sandhya Raju attempts to use the language of Kuchipudi Dance , (an ancient South Indian Classical dance style) to express the voices and thoughts relevant to modern world.

American civil right's activist and poet Maya Angelou's 'Phenomenal Woman' was the poem of choice for this beautiful experimental piece of art.
This production gives the audience a time travellers warp like experience. Imagine Taking ancient Indian dance language created in the first Century and using that to express powerful english words written by an American Civil rights activist of the 20th century !

Sandhya feels the true power and potential of the ancient form of Kuchipudi is unleashed when it is welcomed as a relevant medium to express modern even futuristic thoughts prose and poetry. breaking barriers of Language.
After all to Dance is to tell a story ! To Dance is to stir revolution ! To Dance is to create change ! to Dance is to be understood !

Sandhya worked extensively with dear friends Manognya Balraj and Aayana Dance Company to come up with a unique choreography to justify her vision. She was ably aided by dear friend and Art Director Manisha Satvolu to subtly enhance Taramati Baradari. An ancient Hyderabadi Monument where Hindu queens used to dance Kuchipudi for the Muslim rulers in the 16th century.
Sandhya's screenplay and frames was also supported by talented and wonderful Director of photography Vamsi Patchipulusu. The talented genius Anil Srinivasan has provided gentle and mood enhancing music.

All the dancers in the video - Creative Director Sandhya Raju Choreographer Manognya Balraj , beautiful peacock Pallavi Manjunath, Adorable gentle Vishal, boisterous handsome Manish, Ravishing tigress Raksha, Sincere Gangadhar, sweet Lakshmi and classy Venella are extraordinary human beings and brilliant artists in their own right. It is only love,respect and positivity that brought all these artists together to create this little unique gem of a piece.

this piece was shot across Taramathi in a single call sheet from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM thanks to everyones teamwork and extensive preplanning.

Do let us know your thoughts, reactions, emotions evoked when watching this unique Kuchipudi Performance in the comments section below.

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