The Academy
The Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, Inc. aims to transmit the art form of Kuchipudi to new generations of dancers and audiences in Atlanta and the Southeast U.S.
Kuchipudi was first introduced to the U.S. during Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam’s tours in North America during the 1980s and 1990s. Many of Guru Vempati’s disciples, including Sasikala Penumarthi, have taken up the responsibility to teach and promote this classical art form.
Activities of the Academy
Activities of the Academy include teaching all levels of Kuchipudi dance, based on the guiding principles formulated by Guru Vempati, producing dance-dramas, and promoting the knowledge of this classical art of India in the American community at large.
Rangapravesam Achievements
Since its inception, forty-five students of Sasikala have completed their preparatory dance program and performed their Rangapravesams.
Karishma Kalli, Vasundara Tummala, Preeti Pathela, Indira Sarma, Neelima Tummala, Lakshmi Tummala, Parina Shah, Amulya Nagarur, Reneeta Basu, Harshita Kamath, Akhila Takkallapalli, Ratika Gunturi, Siri Yellamraju, Keerthana Kesavarapu, Srujana Dasigi, Sridevi Dadithota, Anjali Subramanian, Kamini Manivannan, Pallavi Penumetcha, Anoosha Kumar, Puja Tripuraneni, Ramya Ramaraju, Manvitha Manyam, Lasya Penumarthi, Vijaya Jacob Subramaniam, Kavya Paladugu, Suma Yellamraju, Jayanthi L. Narain, Sravya Ambadipudi, Sudha Somayajula, Nitya Mahakala, Sindhu Tunki, Ananya Terala, Samasritha Akella, Satya Mohan, Samira Cingirikonda, Sahithi Puligundla, Pallavi Dokka, Tanvi Vedula, Sandhya Sharath, Shreyaanvi Sharath, Nikhila Vishnubhotla, Snigdha Nellutla, Sruthi Vangavolu, Sivanuja Gokarakonda.
Productions
Sasikala and her students have presented twenty dance dramas to the community including Chandalika, Rukmini Kalyanam, Krishna Parijatham, Srinivasa Kalyanam, Ksheera Sagara Mathanam, Bhama Kalapam, and Abhijnana Sakuntalam — choreographed by Guru Vempati.
Sasikala has also produced original works including Swapna Vijayam (Nutcracker), Andal Kalyanam, Pasidi Poornamma, Rathi Manmatha, Chinmaya Charitham, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam, Chenchitha Parinayam, Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari, and Ashtalakshmi Vaibhavam.
Leadership & Governance
The Academy functions as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization registered in the state of Georgia and is directed by a Board consisting of:
B.K. Mohan, Sasikala Penumarthi (Executive Director), Seshu Sarma, Sridhar Basavaraju, Madhuri Putcha, Sesha Lakkakula, Lakshmi Lakkakula, Ratika Gunturi, Harshita Mruthinti Kamath, Parina Aggarwal, Reneeta Basu, Kaberi Basu, Sasi Selvaraj, Anjaneya Sastry, Chitra Suresh, Joyce Flueckiger, Lakshmi Tummala, Jayanthi Narain, Anoosha Kumar, Ravi Penumarthi, and Sridevi Vayalapalli.
The Academy celebrated its 25th Anniversary in 2022 with several performances including a new production entitled Chenchitha Parinayam on June 25, 2022.