Yamini Kalluri & the Kritya Music Ensemble

As cultural traditions take root in diaspora communities, new connections between generations and cultures are both necessary and revitalizing. Right after the pandemic, acclaimed young dancer Yamini Kalluri, a master of the Kuchipudi dance of her Telugu forbearers, began a collaboration with some of the finest Carnatic musicians in the country, adding a new depth to her captivating movements. Their performance at the National Folk Festival Kickoff braids together these two strands of South Indian tradition into a spellbinding presentation of their shared heritage.

Kuchipudi dance is named for the village where it originated in the state of Andhra Pradesh. One of India’s nine classical dance forms, Kuchipudi emerged out of the ancient tradition of Hindu dance-dramas called yakshagaana. For three centuries an ensemble form featuring male dancers, modern Kuchipudi crystalized nearly a century ago with the introduction of a solo dance tradition and the training of female dancers. Among Kuchipudi’s signature elements is its emphasis on dexterity and vigor, exemplified by a final act danced upon the rim of a brass plate.

At just 26, Yamini Kalluri has already established herself as a brilliant Kuchipudi performer, choreographer, and teacher. Born in the United States, Kalluri grew up in Hyderabad, India, where she began studying Kuchipudi dance at age seven. The form, known for its heightened used of abhinaya (expression), was a perfect outlet for Yamini. She was only 12 when her guru, the famed Padmasri Dr. Sobha Naidu, honored her talent by elevating her to the role of teacher. Yamini Kalluri has performed across India, England, and North America, and now lives and teaches in New York City.

As a dance form devoted to graceful and theatrical storytelling, Kuchipudi depends upon the skillful interplay between dancer and singer. Vocalist Krupaa Lakshmi deftly renders these traditional epic dramas with a nuance and emotional clarity immediately accessible to modern audiences.

Carnatic percussion and melody instruments are the other essential complements to Kuchipudi dance. The mridangam, played by Harsha Mandayam Bharathi, is the defining instrument of Carnatic music. This double-headed, barrel-shaped drum undergirds the music’s complex rhythmic structure. Vivek Ramanan joins Bharathi with his masterful skill of the nattuvangam, a traditional Indian percussive instrument that helps the dancers keep time. Completing the ensemble is the skillful playing of violinist Laya Raghav. Carnatic musicians play the instrument in a unique seated position, producing a melodic expressiveness that carries the abhinaya of the dancer and singer from stage to audience.