Ananya Parsa – the young schoolgirl from North Carolina – has had the good fortune of learning Kuchipudi dance alongside her education for over eight years under the tutelage of Guru Kubherini, a student of the legendary late Guru Dr. Sobha Naidu. She has come all the way to Hyderabad to fulfil her family’s dream – to perform her Rangapravesham at Ravindra Bharathi auditorium, on the very stage where her Guru and Grand Guru once performed.

Ananya’s years of rigorous training, numerous stage performances, and steadfast sadhana in the months leading up to this most important moment in her life as a classical dancer were evident from the very first moment she took the stage. She was accompanied by her Guru and R. Srikanth on Nattuvangam, award-winning Vemuganti Sridharacharya on Mridangam, Uma Venkateswarlu on Flute, and Kanakam Chander Rao on Violin, with Darbha Mrudu Ravali rendering her voice for the two-hour-long dance recital. The performance featured excerpts from the popular creations of Gurus Vempati Chinna Satyam and Dr. Sobha Naidu, along with choreographed solos by Guru Kubherini like Ganapathi Thalam and Durga Tarangam.

With the young dancer at the helm, exuding poise, restraint, and innate confidence, Ananya Parsa’s Rangapravesham was delightful to watch. From the carefully chosen items to the choreography that seamlessly filled the stage with graceful movements – the Guru’s expert guidance was visible throughout the evening.

Be it the raudram of Durga or the daintiness of Rukmini, the magnificence of Shiva – whether it was devotion, love, mischief, or joy – Ananya’s abhinaya struck the right chord with the audience. That impact, magnified by elaborate gestures and elevated by the flawless execution of complex jatis, made the two-hour recital an enthralling experience.

Ananya’s performance began with Sri Ganapathi Thalam, followed by Rukmini Pravesha Daruvu from Guru Vempati’s ballet Rukmini Kalyanam. Then came the very popular Ragamalika Koluvai Vunnade choreographed by Dr. Sobha Naidu, and Durga Tarangam – a piece that brought much recognition to Guru Kubherini. This was followed by yet another Ragamalika, Swagatham Krishna, created by Guru Sobha Naidu. The performance concluded on a high note with the energetic Thillana by Maharaja Sri Swathi Thirunal, also choreographed by Dr. Sobha Naidu – an item that never fails to showcase the full glory of Kuchipudi when performed by a capable dancer, as was the case with Ananya Parsa.

The performance beautifully showcased the dancer’s ability to portray a wide range of emotions. Ananya’s debut clearly demonstrated her capacity to balance Nritta, Nritya, and Natya with the ease of a seasoned performer. Kuchipudi guru and actor Sandhya Raju, evidently impressed, praised Ananya’s performance in detail and wished the promising young dancer a bright future. For Ananya Parsa, this is just the beginning. One hopes she continues to hone her skills and leads the way in keeping the flag of this beautiful dance form flying high.

Rajeshwari Kalyanam