Rukmini Kalyanam: A Review

by Shruthi Subramanyam

What is Indian dance? Some might say it is bhangra and others break out a few Bollywood moves. Both of these answers would be correct. However classical dance is an integral part of Indian dance as well though you don’t see much of it at Emory.

On March 16^th I saw a Kuchipudi performance titled Rukmini Kalyanam at the Rialto Theater. Performed by the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance of Atlanta, GA and produced and directed by Sasikala Penumarthi, it was an astounding demonstration of story told through dance.

Kuchipudi is one of eight Indian classical dance forms. It originates in the state of Andhra Pradesh and is best known as a means of storytelling. A Kuchipudi performance features two distinct types of dance – one based primarily on rhythm that illustrates the dancer’s rhythmic mastery, and another that is focused on facial expression.

Kuchipudi is still being taught today in India and has also gotten more popular in the United States via the South Asian Diaspora. Two important individuals in the creation of Kuchipdui are Siddhendra Yogi and Vempati Chinna Satyam. Siddhendra Yogi essentially created the dance form in 1400 AD in Andhra Pradesh and Vempati Chinna Satyam is continuing his work today in the twentieth century. Sasikala Penumarthi is one of Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam’s most renowned pupils, having performed in hundreds of performances around the world. Sasikala Penumarthi currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia and has established the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance. She is currently a faculty member in Emory’s Dance Department as a Teaching Specialist in Kuchipudi Dance. She also teaches as part of the Asian Studies and Religion Departments.

Rukmini Kalyanam depics Rukmini’s wedding. It is taken from one of Hinduism’s most sacred scriptures, the Bhagavatham. The dance drama tells the story of love between Rukmini, a royal princess of the Vidarbha kingdom, and Lord Krishna, an avatar of Lord Vishnu and part of the “Holy Trinity” of Hinduism.  Sasikala dances along with many of her students, all of different levels and ages.

Prior to attending the performance I expected an Indian function similar to those at home – family and friends of the performers scrambling frantically behind stage before the show begins while the audience files slowly and noisily into the auditorium; an organized chaos of sorts. The audience is primarily of Indian-American families and friends of the performers’ family and the general Indian community of the town.

However what I experienced at this performance was different. There were the inevitable Indian families; aunties, and uncles in their saris and kurtas speaking various languages. However I was pleasantly surprised to see the general Atlanta community and student populations well represented. I was impressed to by the fact that the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance had partnered up with Georgia State University.

I enjoyed my evening at the Rialto. It was a great way to partake in my culture and meet other individuals who enjoy doing the same. Although I am not a true rasika in the art of Kuchipudi dance, I was able to draw upon my rudimentary knowledge of the dance form and relate to the techniques the dancers used.