06 August 2025 ZOOM
I . Background and Entry into Kuchipudi
1. Can you share how you were first introduced to Indian classical dance, and specifically to Kuchipudi?
I recollect 1986 festival, my first studies of Kathak, Bharatanatyam up to 1994, then Kuchipudi 2 years, then self-education up to 2004, then acquaintance with Sobha Naidu, later in 2008 with Kishore and Padmavani Mosalikanti.
It was difficult. I met trouble staying at the academy I remember my shock when deep night I had to look new overnight stay due to sudden cancellation from Mr Nagaya. For me it was a shock, being in India first time out of shelter at deep night. Luckily, we had a help with that.
That unpleasant surprise I remember until today. However, there was another great experience of watching Madam’s performance in class in honor of Karthikeyan Pooja. I remember me crying from joy so beautiful it was.
2. What drew you to Kuchipudi as an art form over time,
The beauty, the complexity, the speed, the choreographers’ mental sophistication in creation of this type of movement, acting and dance.
The perfection in unity of the body, mind, emotions and spirit. It’s amazing yoga for me.
and how did your training evolve,
I believe it evolved the same way as for every practitioner. First it was challenging the body limits, then slowly obtaining the mind control, then exploration of the emotions, then touch of great freedom then being in that freedom upon my wish.
Especially as someone outside the Indian or Hindu cultural context?
Being non-Indian and not a part of Hindu cultural context was never a problem for me.
From the very young age I started thinking about any kind of borders people create and limitless power of true art. I never wanted to be someone else, never wanted to imitate the art instead of feeling and experiencing it. I am still seeking that essence of dance first.
As a scientist, culturologist and eternal marginal (I mean, Russian lady exploring Indian art) I understand what exactly in that art is universal and what is national, Indian. Studying both was always interesting for me. But I never felt any issues studying Indian art and being non-Indian.
II. Training and Transmission
3. You’ve trained under many notable gurus, including Dr. Sobha Naidu and Jaykishore Mosalikanti. What were the most impactful lessons or approaches you’ve adopted from your time with them?
I am deeply grateful to all the teachers; I had many, because I have never lost the most important for me ability to learn.
Madam’s most important lesson for me was cultivation of the sense and essence of beauty. Watching her grace and refinement I grew up my understanding of the beauty, which I believe, is divine.
Unfortunately, I was not able to spend more time with her. All my education under her if I summarize it was around several months. However, I feel great bond connecting me with her art.
Thanking to Padmavani and Kishore Mosalikanti I have always been trying to achieve the essence of the movement, quality of the dance, its depth and highest standard. I would say that they made my learning abilities perfect. Moreover, listening their teaching I was very happy to realize that my own thoughts about the art of dance are the same.
4. Have you faced any barriers in accessing deeper levels of learning or spiritual aspects of Kuchipudi due to cultural or religious differences? How did you navigate them?
No, not at all. No barriers as I saw those days and now. You see, deeper levels and spiritual aspects of Kuchipudi definitely come to the practitioners. I felt that truth. So I understood that all the mysteries and priceless gifts of this art are included in its practice. It really reminded me my yoga exercises. The more you practice the more you achieve, the more becomes open to you. I feel the strongest teacher residing inside of me, it is the most strict, most cruel aesthetical judge, it’s the most painful and sharp truth, this teacher never lies to me, never cares about my emotions or physical disabilities.
III. Teaching and Pedagogy
5. You’ve taught Indian classical dance in various contexts, including Russian institutions.
How do you adapt or contextualize Kuchipudi for your students?
If I teach the classics of Kuchipudi, I am a very strict and demanding teacher that is why now I do not have many students. If the students come to my semi classical dance class I am less strict. People mostly want pleasure these days. I choreograph small items with technic elements, nritta, hasta abhinaya, and acting expression.
I explain the texts. I even started a separate project, named it «Dance as the Text». The aim was to make visible all the instrumentation of Indian dance art for people of theater, plastic dance, mime, teachers of children and adult groups.
6. How do your students respond to the devotional or narrative content of Kuchipudi, particularly when they come from different cultural or faith backgrounds?
Question of faith and believes is very private and personal. I study, teach; train the dancers as a scientist first. I offer them deep understanding of the biomechanics, plastics, impulse, content, speed of the movement. After some time of my observation of the students’ practice when I know my students better, I can afford speaking about that delicate topic without any kind of pressure or influencing. I want my students analyze, think and practice first. Sacred core of this art would follow itself.
I usually explain them how to open their body parts, to make to work their muscles, mind, emotions, I use a lot of technics and methods used in the theater schools, schools of vocal and Sri B. K. S Iyengar yoga therapy. I study and practice those technics until today.
7. In your experience, what pedagogical methods help build both skill and cultural understanding in cross-cultural classrooms?
Love… loving what you study is important. I ask them to grow a deep love to the art. It means asking questions, watching the practice, performances (not copying!), thinking, and analyzing, observing, learning from everyone who practices the art, speaking on the dance, sharing the thoughts about the dance. And practicing, practicing… The most beautiful dance art you will see when the dancer truly loves it, loosing herself or himself in that love.
IV. Interpretation and Identity
8. Do you see yourself as a cultural ambassador of Kuchipudi?
That sounds too pompous for me. «Cultural ambassador» is too grand.
I had a chance to enjoy the great mastery, simplicity and modesty of very devoted teachers and performers of this art. I am not comparable with those geniuses. They are and they were true cultural ambassadors spending all their lives on it.
I love dance, like feeling, speak and sense the God through the dance, so I am glad to share my thoughts with the students without thinking of me as a unique, grand, important etc.
If so, how do you balance authenticity with accessibility in your performances and teachings?
I speak pretty much before the performance, making it understandable.
- How has your own cultural identity influenced your interpretation or embodiment of Kuchipudi?
After studying the history of world culture, rituals, religion, dynamics of social groups and many other anthropological sciences aspects I have become a complete scientist. I feel myself as a cosmopolite and human being that does not need any church prescriptions, dogmas, and regulations to understand what is good what is bad. I like watching all the rituals, games humanity invent to entertain itself.The language of true art is beyond the borders, names of the dance style. I believe everyone who love life, enjoys it, observe and study it can interpret and embody themes of Indian classical poesy. Artists portray rasas, bhavas, express devotion, love, show the body movements, a row of human body and mind skills.V. Globalization and Innovation
10. What are your thoughts on the globalization of Kuchipudi?
To answer this question correctly, I need to spend some time on research work. I did this research in the 1990s, when I got a computer and enjoyed reading articles about artists and later watching their performances on YouTube. I would say that it has spread well, but it is less well known than Bharatanatyam. No surprise, the Indian government was great at promoting Bharatanatyam when Indian society needed a cultural brand. Russians in the Soviet Union had the same process, they promoted ballet and always applied the adjective «Russian» to it. They put a lot of effort into making people pronounce “Russian ballet» that way. It became a symbol of the state, because the nation needed to be proud of something. Unfortunately, a happy nation has rarely been a point of pride 🙂Do you think the form is changing as it moves beyond its traditional cultural base?
I have no idea, as now I live my life in practice of dance and yoga… I suppose it must depend on the teachers, their passion to dance, and transmission of tradition, love to experiment, even on their students. I am sure every case is unique.
I can speak of myself only. I have dance class, which is 100 % Kuchipudi where I am not a choreographer but the teacher of the tradition. I do not mix it with my other dance classes where I teach my choreographies. I explain students the difference.
11. How do you preserve the integrity of Kuchipudi while allowing space for innovation or reinterpretation?
By separating the classes! It is honest. I think I have created pretty much choreographies and explain the students what exactly they learn.
- Reflection
12. Are there any particular performances, student experiences, or moments in your teaching career that felt especially significant in this journey?
Each performance was unique. We prepared it carefully trying to do our best.
The priceless teaching experience for me when I observe the growing self-conscience of the student, their deep understanding of art: talam, abhinaya, structure of jathi or a part of the dance piece learned after one time watching for example.
- What advice would you give to students or teachers learning or teaching Kuchipudi outside of India?
1. Every year reply to yourself the question why you learn / practice / perform / choreograph. Reply not formally, but honestly. Your honest reply would influence your life.
- Observe how your goals change.
- Regularly ask yourself how much you love this dance. Reply honestly.
When my students hardly struggle the body limits I send them to my yoga class. When they are lazy I suggest them such way of thinking: imagine that all the great dancers of the past come here to watch and enjoy your technically good dance or inspirationally sincere abhinAya. When you do your best in this art they smile and bless you. Aiming to the perfection and your never-ending desire of your perfect dance is the essence of the art and maybe of our existence.
14. Is there anything else you’d like to share that you feel is important to the conversation on globalizing Kuchipudi?
Try to learn with the teacher; try not to learn by video tools otherwise you will miss the soul of art.
