Dance: Bonded by dance

The Ramanaidu sisters have a deep love for kuchipudi that parallels their love for each other, writes AREF OMAR

THEY dance with grace and facility. They dance synchronously. And it’s the shared delight for Indian classical dance that bonds the Ramanaidu sisters, Kasthoori and Thachayani.

Known as the Puchong sisters to their friends, they also go by the dance moniker, the Kuchipudi Sisters, for their devotion to the dance style that originated from the Andhra Pradesh region of India.

With ghungroo-clad ankles, the sisters proceed to give a brief demonstration of the kuchipudi, seamlessly executing its alluring steps to the rhythm of carnatic music from the stereo player, on a hot day at the Temple of Fine Arts (TFA) in Brickfields.

It’s easy to see why the sisters, who are in their 30s, fell in love with the dance, considered a classical folk drama art form.

Later, in rapid-fire succession, the sisters elaborate on the dance.

“The kuchipudi is a mix of styles, having the gracefulness of odissi and the rigid lines of bharathanatyam,” says Thachayani, the younger of the two.

“It’s also faster than the other two styles, with the beats changing to double time, making it a vigorous dance form,” says Kasthoori.

“One highlight of the dance is the tarangam, where a dancer performs on a brass plate with feet on the raised edges,” says Thachayani.

Ironically, kuchipudi was originally only performed by Brahmin men at temples 500 years ago.

“Things change. Nowadays, you’ll find many women performing this dance and hardly any men,” says Thachayani.

But change has only solidified the sisters’ relationship, having gone on their journey of dance hand in hand since childhood.

“We actually started by learning the bharatanatyam at TFA in 1982, when we were just seven and six.

“In 1994 we had our arangetram and were then offered the opportunity to learn the kuchipudi in India under an Indian government scholarship,” says Kastoori.

The sisters, who are also well versed in odissi and other classical folk dance styles, spent five years in Chennai training under kuchipudi master Vempati Chinna Satyam.

“It was hard at first. Our movements were subconsciously bharatanatyam and initially our master had to keep reminding us,” says Thachayani.

The sisters immersed themselves in the dance and were soon performing frequently at festivals which took them around India.

When asked whether there was any sibling rivalry between the two, the sisters look at each other for a split second and laugh.

“No, nothing like that, we go together,” says Thachayani, who now works in a management training consultancy firm.

“Dancing-wise, I’m more forgetful. Thacha is quick in grasping the steps. And I depend on her a lot,” says Kasthoori, a former graphic designer who has started a family of her own.

“Of course we do argue sometimes but it’s all in good faith. Some people don’t talk for days or weeks after a fight but we’re not like that,” says Thachayani.

After returning to Malaysia in 2004, the sisters started performing regularly around the country and Singapore.

They currently also teach kuchipudi to willing students at the TFA.

“Kuchipudi is not as well known in Malaysia, compared to bharatanatyam or odissi, but it is very popular in India.

“While we were learning there, we also met students from around the world, including the US, Russia and South Africa,” says Thachayani.

As part of their efforts to bring kuchipudi to the masses, the sisters will perform in the TFA production of Bhamane Satyabhamane.

The upcoming event, focusing on the legend of the beautiful Satyabhama, will feature the sisters, in duo and solo performances, as well as six of their students.

Kasthoori and Thachayani admit to enjoying the challenge of dancing kuchipudi together, having to share their ideas and in conceptualising interesting patterns onstage.

“It’s also better for the audience visually and there’s definitely more energy that we can tap into,” says Thachayani.

The sisters are of Telugu descent and share a special affinity for the dance form that originated from the Telugu homeland of Andhra Pradesh.

“It’s just more comfortable for us. I guess it’s in the blood,” says Thachayani.

• Catch the Kuchipudi Sisters on Nov 22 (7pm) at the Auditorium, DBKL, Jalan Raja Laut, KL. Admission is RM30/RM10. Call 03-22743709 or visit www.tfa.org.my