Veena Murthy Vijay plans to revive Kuchipudi dance-drama in Karnataka

Dr Veena Murthy Vijay wants to bring Kuchipudi back to Karnataka as dance-drama, not only as the solo repertoire audiences commonly see today.

The Bengaluru-based dancer, choreographer and teacher received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Kuchipudi for 2024 from President Droupadi Murmu at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on August 13. The honour arrives as her school, founded in 1976, completes 50 years.

Murthy Vijay said she hopes to take the form deeper into Karnataka by reviving its original dance-drama and Yakshagana style. She also wants more students to pursue certificate and diploma courses that engage with Kuchipudi’s theatrical side.

Experimentation has a place, she said, particularly for younger dancers, but it must be rooted in traditional pedagogy. “Change is the one constant we must see,” she said.

For Murthy Vijay, dance offers more than performance training. “Dance is not all about a drill or a body exercise. It is about the mind, emotions, and looking into your own self,” she said. Her next focus is to see more young people take up the form.