Kandula Kuchipudi Natyalayam (Hyderabad) presented the Kuchipudi Rangapravesham of young and talented dancer Rithika Kambaladinne in Mumbai early this month. The performance was noteworthy for the vivacious quality and the technical command over the dance style.

Rithika is bright student of Potti Sree Ramulu Telugu University and is the daughter of Raghuram Chadra Rao and Sailaija and the disciple of Guru G Ravi of Kandula Kuchipudi Natyalam. Rithika has already for some prestigious festival along with her mentor and has won accolades and awards like Best Dancer Award, Bala Kala Ratna and Nritya Kowmudi etc. Rithika is a devoted performer and quite good in her academic pursuits too.

Rithika commenced her performance with the beautiful composition in praise of Lord Ganesha “Gajavadana Beduwe” and proceeded on to present the cosmic dancer, Lord Nataraja in Shiva Stuti. After extolling the beauty and glory of the goddess Kanchadhalakshmi, Rithika went on to establish the “Vatsalya bhav” establishing the interrelationship between mother Yasoda and little child Krishna in Krishna Ni Begane Baro. Performing the Pravesha Daru in Bhama Kalapam portraying the proud Satyabham, after the Javali, Rithika concluded her bright performance with Neela Megha Sareer with Tarangam, dancing intricate rhythmic patterns on the rim of the brass plate with precision. Rihtika received fine orchestral support with Guru G Ravi on the nattuvangam with the fine orchestra.

DANCE FOR A NOBEL CAUSE

Pooja Pant Dance Company organised a special tribute programme for Dr Abhijeet Pant by distributing the Abhiratna Awards to selected artists and the performance by Pooja Pant Dance Company. Veteran Kathak danseuse Guru Uma Dogra and disciples and brilliant male Kathak dancer Dheerendra Tiwari.

The performance commenced with beautiful exposition of Nisha Ka Ant in the Kathak style, led by Pooja Pant and her talented team of dancers, followed by “Ab Aaye Mere Shyam” incorporating the playful relation with Lord Krishna and the gopis. The brief performance was noteworthy for its vivacious quality, command over technique and rhythmic precision.

Guru Uma Dogra and her disciples Karthika Unnikrishnan and Diksha Rawat presented a brilliant performance with “Rasanubhuti” incorporating “Baso Mere Nianan May Nandlal” in which Uma interpreted little Krishna and the “vatsalya” of mother Yasoda with subtle quality and intensity of the bonding relationship. Uma also portrayed the Thumri “Dagar Vich Kaise Chalu” with poetic and lyrical charm. Karthika and Diksha concluded the performance with tatkaar with precision and fine jugalbandi with tabla by Satyaprakash Mishra, melodious vocal by Manoj Desai, sarangi by Sandeep Mishra and sitar by Alka Gujar. On the whole it was a fine tribute.

By Guru Vijay Shankar