Any mention of Andhra’s most famous classical dance form, Kuchipudi, is incomplete without the celebrated maestro, Vempati Chinna Satyam.
Vempati gaaru was instrumental in not only popularising the dance style internationally, but universalising it as well. Famous students of his include actresses such as Vyjayanthimala, Hema Malini & Rekha, politicians such as Jayalalithaa and Daggubati, Purandeshwari, and renowned dancers in their own right such as Shobha Naidu and Yamini Krishnamurti. Thus, the regeneration of classical dance in Andhra, and Andhra’s style nationally and internationally is due, in no small measure, to him.
Background
Poetically born in the village of Kuchipudi itself to Vempati Chalammaiah and Varalakshamma, Sri Chinna Satyam (1929-2012) came from a family honored for producing nine generations of professional dancers. He initially studied under the legendary Vedantam Lakshminarayana Sastri, and would later employ many of the innovative ideas he learned under the famous master. Indeed, it was Vedantam gaaru who first opened up the tradition to women—a policy that his most famous sishya would apply to its fullest.
When he was 18, Vempati, Satyam moved to Chennai to rigorously train in Kuchipudi. While he received cinema offers, as his elder brother was a recognised dance director there already, he chose to establish the Kuchipudi Dance Academy instead. Vempati Pedda Satyam (Chinna gaaru’s elder brother) is credited with shaping his approach to Abhinaya.
Kuchipudi itself stems from the dance-drama tradition of the Telugus, and previously melded long-spoken dialogue with dance repertoires. Though formal and sophisticated Indic classical dance (Dakshinatya) had various dance forms in Andhra dating back to the Satavahana era, loss of patronage and the disorder of the medieval period led to its decline. The artform known as Kuchipudi was born in the eponymous village about 700 years ago as a traditional art form.
However, it was Vempati gaaru who truly aligned it with the principles of the Natya Sastra—Bharata Muni‘s ancient classical work on Dance and Song.
Accomplishments
- He received the Guinness World Book of Records title for most number of dance recitals (3000)
- Composed 180 solo dances and scripted 17 dramas in many languages
- His dance-drama works include Padmavati Srinivasa Kalyanam, Vipranarayana Cheritam, Menaka Viswamitra, and Sakuntalam
- He created a formal syllabus for Kuchipudi and strictly aligned it with Natya Sastra principles
He traveled around the world to perform and popularise his beloved dance in countries such as the US, UK, France, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Russia and even nations of the Gulf.
He toured 50 cities in the United States alone, with various Mayors honoring him and even celebrating official Kuchipudi recognition days
Choreographed the Perini dance for NTR in the famous cinematic work “Nartanasala” and many other dances, still performed today by his students and artistic descendants
He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1991 for his contributions to Indian dance, and received the Kalidas Samelan from Madhya Pradesh
His Kuchipudi Dance Academy has graduated over 8,000 students, many whom are now instructors in their own right, and continue to perform his choreographed dances as seen below:
Legacy
The greatest and most famous exponent of Andhra’s authentic dance form, Kuchipudi, Vempati Chinna Satyam was a virtual artistic legend in his own time.
Vempati gaaru made an outstanding contribution in dance instruction by insisting that related subjects such as music and Sanskrit (for proper study of Bharata muni’s Natya Sastra) should be taught along side dance. It is for this reason, he is often considered the elevator of Kuchipudi to classical status.
Most laudable of all, the legendary Vempati Chinna Satyam is celebrated for enthusiastically opening up formal instruction of Kuchipudi to girls (a policy inherited from his guru), thereby making the previously male-dominated dance what it is today. His pioneering efforts paved the way for such danseuses as Soba Naidu and Rama Reddy to enrich and universalise this Andhra cultural tradition and high art.
Indeed, his tireless commitment to spreading Kuchipudi has made an impact internationally as well, and Andhras around the world owe a great debt to the man who revitalised their native classical dance for all the world to appreciate.
English Documentary
References:
- http://www.kuchipudi.com/academy/
- http://www.narthaki.com/info/profiles/profl141.html
- timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/hyderabad/Dance-guru-Chinna-Satyam-passes-away/articleshow/15261890.cms
- www.telegraphindia.com/1021111/asp/jamshedpur/story_1373162.asp
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ri0PME43Og4
