Place: Bangalore, India
School/Organization:
Nartana Academy of Performing Arts
Websites:
http://www.youtube.com/Panchamavedam
http://nartanaacademy.blogspot.com/
Youtube:
Contact:
Email : sudhasridhar@hotmail.com
Phone : (91) 80 - 2321 2396; 99865 23451 Profile & Pictures posted with permission of the artist
Sudha Sridhar started her journey in dance as a child artist at a very young age of six. She had the honour of having her Natya Aramba Puja being performed by Doyen Guru Padma Bhushan Shri Vempati Chinna Satyam in Chennai on the birthday of Padmashree Sobha Naidu, from whom she had the initial formal lessons in Hyderabad. Having a unique dance birth, Sudha continued to be trained by both the Gurus and her stay at Kuchipudi Art Acadamey, Chennai went a long way in making her what she is today in Dance.
Sudha did her Bachelors in Performing Arts (Kuchipudi) from Telugu University, Hyderabad particularly learnt music, choreography, stage management and production skills under the guidance of Dr. Alekya Punjala & Bhagavatula Sethuram. Sudha Sridhar is also a double graduate having graduated in Law from Osmania University, Hyderabad.
Sudha has performed extensively throughout India under different banners and solo performances in front of diverse audiences. Her performances have been for Kuchipudi Art Academy, Telugu University, Soumitri Fine Arts, Andhra Pradesh Endowments, Andhra University, Nrutya Darpan, etc as enumerated below:
- Received First Prize in 54th Dance Competition conducted by Sri Gowthami Kala Vihara, Vishakhapatnam Ship Yard, conducted by Vishaka Valley, Vizag.
- Republic Day Parade at New Delhi – Depicting Kuchipudi.
- Trinity Thyagaraja Panchami Function at Lalitha Kala Thornam, Hyderabad.
- Sangeetha Natak Academy Youth Festival, Ahmedabad.
- Christmas Celebrations at Chirag Fort Club, Hyderabad conducted by Mariappa International Eductational Society.
- U N Peace Day Programme organized by Indian Federation of Friendship Association with Foreign countries at Thyagaraya Gana Sabha, Hyderabad.
- Melu Kalayika, Bangalore Palace Grounds, organized by Andhra Association, Bangalore.
- Ugadi day Celebrations at Lalitha Kala Thornam organized by Andhra Pradesh Cultural Affairs.
- Three years as an artist of Andhra Pradesh Endowments, in all the pilgrimages centers in AP.
- Ballet ‘Pallaki Seva’ at Raj Bhavan, Hyderabad during Princess Diana and Prince Charles visit to India.
- At Government Music College, Hyderabad, in front of then Governor of Andhra Pradesh.
- Selected for Dance - USSR Exchange Program.
- At Jammu Tawi as part of Osmani University, Hyderabad, based on Inter College Exchange Programee.
- Indian Chartered Secretaries Seminar at Nizam’s Club, Hyderabad.
- Eve of Kavi Sammelanam 1993 at Rabindra Bharathi, Hyderabad organized by A P Cultural Affairs, Hyderabad.
- Shivarathi Mahotsavam at Srikalahasti conducted by Endowments Department.
- Ugadi Day celebrations at Ravindra Kala Kunj, Pune.
- Ugadi Day Celebrations at Pune Film Institute organized by Andhra Association, Pune.
- AICC Function at Tirupathi.
- Tirupathi Brahmo Utsav, Tirupathi.
- National Moot Court Seminar at Sundarayya Vigyan Mandir, Hyderabad conducted by Vasavi Education Society.
- Performed at Krishna Nagar Cultural Association, Hyderabad.
- Sri Venkateshwara Temple inauguration Function at Vanasthallipuram, Hydearabad.
- At Hampi Utsav along with her students in dance ballet ‘Geet Govindam’.
- Performed at Satya Sai Seva Trust, Puttaparthi, ballet ‘Mahishasura mardini’ in front of Satya Sai Baba.
- Ballets for Doordarshan Hyderabad production.
- Sanghi Temple Inauguaration, Hyderabad.
- At Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Hyderabad.
- Performed at Pune, Kharagapur & Kolkata for Andhra Association.
- Dance Ballet – ‘Shiva Ganga’ at Bharatiya Viday Bhavan, Bangalore for Padmavathi Kala Niketan, Bangalore.
- Performed at Shanmukhananda Sabha, Mumbai.
- Performed at Bharatiya Viday Bhavan, Hyderabad.
- Performed at Vasavi Fine Arts, Navya Nataka Samiti, Yuva Kala Vahini, Samskara Bharathi, Akruti Fine Arts.
- Andhra University & Vizag Gautami Kala Vihar.
- Kakitya Festival, Warangal.
- Ganga Utsav, Varanasi.
- Birla Institute of Scientific Research, Jaipur.
- Thermal Power Project, Madhya Pradesh.
- Ballet ‘Srinivas Kalyanam’ in Music Academy, Chennai.
Apart from performing at an individual capacity at various places, Sudha has performed in various roles in the following Ballets:
Geetha Govindam, Shiva Ganga, Mohini Bhasmasura, Ambedkar, Srinivasa Kalyanam, Pallaki seva,
Hara Vilasam, Varudhini-pravarakyudu, Anarkali, Sakunthala, Daksha yagnam, Annamacharya, etc.
Having been a performer, Sudha’s interest in Choreography was a very natural transition and is her inherent strength too since her heart is in it. Further she is influenced by her Gurus who had churned out innumerable disciples – the art of applying Dance as a communication medium more as a puja. Her approach is to go beyond achieving reward, awards and grave for the glitter world and set up a platform for a spiritual enlightenment through the medium of Dance.
Some of her choreographies worth mentioning are:
- Her choreography for St. Anns, Vanasthalipuram, bagged the first prize at the Republic Day Celebrations at Lal Bahadur Stadium, Hyderabad. The dance was based on patriotic Ghazal songs.
- Choreographed dance for Ayurvedic Medical College, Hyderabad for their building inauguration in front of the then Health Minister of AP won her good reviews.
- Skits for Child Rights under the aegis of UNICEF, UNO.
- On Raja Yogam from Bhagavad Geetha.
- On Baja Govindam and sanskriti slokas bringing out the similarities with Christian Hymns and philosophy.
- On Pancha Bhootamalu for a charity cause.
- On Thillanas of Shri. M Balamurali Krishna’s
For Shri Ram Chandra Mission, Chennai.
- A portion of the Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.
- Skit on transformation of Siddartha to Lord Gautam Buddha.
- Krishna Tula Bharam.
Sudha is now teaching Kuchipudi dance through Nartana Academy of Performing Arts on a very selective basis, who are dedicated and serious about dance.
Her passion for Kuchipudi dance and sensing the need for showcasing Kuchipudi Yakshaganam, the original genre at the present juncture, Sudha Sridhar can be called as a cultural activist as a Founder Director of Panchamavedam Foundation which is primarily devoted to preserving, protecting and promoting Kuchipudi Yakshagana through various advocacy efforts.
She had once danced for the sake of Child Rights through UNICEF but now she is working for Cultural Rights of Kuchipudi Yakshaganam.
Currently Sudha Sridhar is also a resource person for an Exclusive Dance magazine – Kalaspandan, Bangalore and Nartaki.
