t h e
a c a d e m y
The art of
Kuchipudi dance has captured the attention of our Indian
community in America with an intensity that is unparalleled during Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam's tours in North America during the eighties and the nineties. This is indeed the reason for this
passionate interest in this art across the communities that have witnessed his performances. Many of Guru Vempati's
disciples residing in this country have taken up this interest
as a responsibility to teach and promote this art.
Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, Inc. is formed to advance the
process of bringing the Kuchipudi art into the homes and
communities of Atlanta and its neighboring cities. Its agenda
includes teaching 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. The Academy works closely with
the Guru's students across the Globe and always remembers the teachings of the Late Guru Vempati for all major productions.
Since the inception of the Academy, thirty students of Sasikala, - 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 Triupraneni, 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 - have completed their preparatory dance program and
performed Rangapravesam. Sasikala and her students presented to the community several performances of the dance
dramas Chandalika, Rukmini Kalyanam, Krishna Parijatham, Srinivasa Kalyanam, Ksheera Sagara Mathanam that were choreographed by Guru Vempati. Sasikala also produced her own works, Swapna Vijayam (Nutcracker), Andal Kalyanam, Pasidi Poornamma, Rathi Manmatha, Chinmaya Charitham, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam.
The academy functions as 501-C3 non-profit organization
registered in the state of Georgia and is directed by a Board
consisting of the following members: B.K.Mohan, Ravi Penumarthi,
Sasikala Penumarthi (Executive Director), Sridevi Vayalapalli, and
Seshu Sarma. The Academy will be celebrating its 25th Anniversary
in 2022 with several performances including a new Production on June 25th, 2022.
Swapna Vijayam, Andal Kalyanam, Pasidi Poornamma, Chinmaya Charitham DVD's are available, Sri Rama Pattabhishekam DVD will be available soon- The cost of DVD is $25 (Plus $3
for Postage and handling charges, if need to be mailed). Send an
e-mail to sasikala@bellsouth.net for more information.
