Since 90 years in Visakhapatnam, the four generations of his family members have been dedicating themselves to this Indian Classical Field and in the year 1982, at his native place Visakhapatnam, Guru P. V. Bharani Shenkar founded the institution named Sri Ambikeshwara Kuchipudi Dance and Music Academy and it was registered in 1992 under the Public Charitable Trust. This Academy gives training in the academic system, so that its students can appear for Government’s Certificate, Diploma and University’s Post-Graduation Entrance Examinations in Dance. We are proud to say that our students have achieved success in the above said courses. With perseverance he brought Institution at top position and is the only Institution in Vizag city to consist the valuable library for his trained disciples.


 
 
 

Right from the fundamentals to a stage artiste, we take care of every individual to mould them, as full-fledged artistes:




   Click here to view Academy & working stills


Training Particulars:

                With 50 years of dedicated experience in the field of Classical Dance, teaching thousands of students from all over the world, Guru Bharani Shenkar categorised the Foundation Course into ‘Three Levels’ of ‘Fundamental Foundation’ and another Course for “Expression Foundation”. It is guaranteed for any student to gain high levels of efficient ‘stamina’ with perfect ‘sculpturesique’ mastery on the basics of Kuchipudi Dance by mastering these ‘Three Levels of Fundamental Foundation’ and ‘Expression Foundation’. Once mastered, one can develop an ease in their body to perform this tough art form. Thereafter, a student is said to be ‘eligible’ to learn the SOLO REPERTOIRE IN KUCHIPUDI STYLE.

                Some institutions may promise to train a fresher in The Kuchipudi Fundamental Course in a lesser period of time. This is advertised and practiced at many places to lure ignorants into speedy completion of the course there by saving their time and money. But one need to realise that there are no such short-cut miraculous methods to be followed in any Classical Dance form

                The following is our ‘3-Level System’ that assures our students to get a very good foundation in aspects such as grace, control over the body, etc. which lead to a greater flexibility of the body, poise and gait, that would later help them to perform Solo Items with ease, and make them eligible to undergo the “Course for Expression Foundation” in the later years.



FUNDAMENTALS ON THE NRITTA ASPECT:


 
PRIMARY LEVEL:

          This course comprises of Eight Fundamentals. Through this our students can perfect the various positions of their HANDS, FEET, KNEES, HEAD, etc., BODY GRACE, and BODY CONTROL (while doing dance). The duration of this course for the average students would be ONE YEAR and talented students may finish the same within SIX MONTHS (1 hour/day, 3 days a week).
SECONDARY LEVEL:
SET 1: “Taam Digi Digi Thai”
SET 2:

“Taam.. Digi Digi Digi Digi
              Digi Digi Digi Digi”

“Tai..    Digi Digi Digi Digi
             Digi Digi Digi Digi”
 
SET 3:  “Tai Taa Kitataka  Tattaihitta Taam”
SET 4 “Tamta Tadinda Tatta Dinda”
SET 5: “Todimmi Todimmi Taa...”
SET 6: “Tattaihitta Tattaihitta”, etc.

          All the fundamentals in Secondary Level are SIXTY EIGHT in number and EACH SET’S TRAINING PERIOD IS SIX MONTHS (1 hour/day, 3 days a week).
TERTIARY LEVEL:
SET 1: Chaturasra Jaathi Jathis (few sets of Quadruple [4] – beat Sound Syllables)
SET 2: Thisra Jaathi Jathis (few sets of Triple [3] – beat Sound Syllables)
SET 3: Misra Jaathi Jathis (few sets of Septuple [7] – beat Sound Syllables)
SET 4: Khanda Jaathi Jathis (few sets of Quintuple [5] – beat Sound Syllables)
SET 5: Sankeerna Jaathi Jathis (few sets of Nonuple [9] – beat Sound Syllables)
          After the successful completion of these three Levels, students would then be allowed to learn the course for “EXPRESSION FOUNDATION” which is as follows.
   
COURSE FOR EXPRESSION FOUNDATION (NATYA ASPECT):
    1. SIRO BHEDA (various head movements)
    2. GREEVA BHEDA (various neck movements)
    3. BHRU BHEDA (various eyebrow movements)
    4. NASIKA BHEDA (various nose movements)
    5. DHRISTI BHEDA (various ways of looks)
    6. URAH KARMA (positions of the chest)
    7. PAARSHWA KARMA (positions of the body sides)
    8. KATI  KARMA (waist movements)
    9. ADHARA KARMA (lip positions)
    10. PHUTA KARMA (movements of eyelids)
    11. TAARH KARMA (movements of eyeballs)
    12. NAVARASAS (the nine emotions)
    13. ASHTA VIDA NAYIKI LAKSHNAMS (eight situations of a woman)
    14. STHREE BHEDAMULU ( DIVYA,NRUPA PATNI, KULASTREE, GANIKA)
    15. PURUSHA BHEDAMULU( DHEERODDHATHA, DHEERA LALITHA, DHEERO DAATTA, AND DHEERA PRASHANTHA)
    16. STUDY OF BHAAVAS, ANUBHAAVAS, VIBHAAVAS, VYABHICHARI BHAAVAS, STHAAYEE BHAAVAS etc.
    17. SWEEYA, PARAKEEYA, SAAMANYA
    18. MUGDHA, MADHYA, PRAGALBHA
    19. UTTAMA, MADHYAMA, ADHAMA
    20. ROOTS OF THE CHATURVIDHAABHINAYA
    21. DHARMIS
    22. SIDDHIS
    23. VRITTIS
    24. MAARGI, DESI
    25. PAATRA, APATRA, etc.
    26. SABHA SAAMPRADAAYA.
    27. KINKINI
    28. ABHINAYA HASTHAS
   

Students would be made to practice all these and many more, in both theoretical and in practical ways to understand the nuances of expressions as a whole and later use these techniques to bring the characters into life during various performances. Dance is a huge subject and its techniques have to be practiced for 10 to 15 years, to the least, to handle the art form with ease.

In the Nritta Part, after learning the Fundamentals, one has to also study

    • NRITTA HASTHAS
    • MANDALA STHANAS
    • STHANAKA BHEDAS
    • CHAARIS
    • 108 KARANAS
    • THAANDAVA/UDDHATA
    • LAASYA/MADHURA
    • BHANGAS
    • PINDI BANDHAS, etc.
    • ANGAAHAARAAS
    • RECHAKAAS
    • BHRAMARIS
    • UTPLAVAMS etc.,
   

The other areas of training are

 

MUSIC:
 

    • SWARAS AND THEIR ORIGIN
    • TAALAS
    • AATHODHYAM
    • DHRUVAA GAANAM etc.

LITERATURE:

    • NUANCES OF GRAMMER
    • TECHNICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF VARIOUS SONGS LIKE KRITHULU, KEERTHANALU, SAN-KEERTHANALU, PADAMULU AND JAAVALEELU

SCULPTURE:

    • NUANCES OF SCULPTURE

STAGE AND LIGHTINGS:

    • STAGE PROPS
    • THEORY OF COLOURS TO BE USED IN PROPS
    • THEORY OF COLOURED LIGHTS TO BE USED ACCORDING TO THE SITUATIONS
    • EVENT MANAGEMENT
    • COMMUNICATION SKILLS

    And many more to be learnt by our students to become full fledged artistes. The coaching for the entire above said are in the methods of theory and practical training sessions and every student has to master all the areas to become a ‘Professional Dancer’. They can also become a successful GURU or choose to be a STAGE PERFORMER.

    For Stage performers and Teachers:

                Those, who have already completed the above said courses and who want to learn more on theory and Kuchipudi items need to contact the academy either directly or by phone/e-mail. The training would be given on a contract basis according to the norms fixed by the academy management.
   
 

All the best.