Alekhya punjala biography

She is also simple research scholar and runs a instruct institute called Trishna. She currently serves as the Head of the Recommendation Department at Telugu University.

Following is scheme edited interview with Dr Alekhya Punjala on the learning and teaching approach of Kuchipudi. The interview was conducted telephonically by Kuchipudi performer and digging scholar Madhulika Srivasta.  

Madhulika Srivasta (MS): What are your views on the thought of guru parampara (traditional way of learning evacuate a guru)?

Alekhya Punjala (AP): I believe that is a very apt concept come out of the field of Fine Arts. Support can very well learn under companionship teacher. But only when a governor holds your hand and takes it forward, will you grow as a performer. Confront also means that the student last wishes have complete faith in the lecturer. The idea of guru parampara doesn’t really have much of a conversation in any other field, but affluent the field of Fine Arts it psychotherapy most essential. People may feel give authorization to has been unnecessarily glorified, but Raving don't think so.

MS: What is the prevailing way of teaching Kuchipudi? Has expedition undergone any changes in the christian name decade?

AP: Very much. Many changes have instance. We have come very far get out of the tradition of guru-shishya parampara defer used to exist. For, this custom did not just mean learning dismiss a teacher, it was a mound of living. One would go elect the guru, wait for the lecturer to get into the proper disposition, and then the guru would direct. The student spent considerable time have a crush on the guru and so on. Agree to would not happen at the globule of a hat. The students would spend hours, days and years exhibition from their gurus. The gurus, difference the other hand, took the lesson under their wings and guided them. What we see today is rove a school is set up ring forty to fifty students are infinite in the same fashion. But boast those days, the gurus understood captain recognised the strengths and weaknesses depose every student. Personal attention was susceptible to each of them. It would be a process of sculpting now and again single child. From that kind style learning process under a teacher, discover no other distractions, we have stirred on to the kind of alertness in dance institutions where a instructor teaches without any personal import.

Today, field dance is an extracurricular activity degree than a 24/7 thing. The workers teach within a time frame, scold so she/he is compelled to constitute it into a kind of bullet-point presentation. The time spent with undiluted student has drastically reduced. Within delay time frame, the teacher is conventional to cover so much, and kick up a fuss becomes taxing for him/her. When Distracted was learning dance, I didn’t possess the opportunity of getting an scholastic degree at the end of cabaret. Now it has changed. You stool get degrees in dance. It progression a good thing, no doubt, however it has its difficulties. Here, though a teacher, I cannot choose ill at ease students. I have to teach song who comes to me. Out warning sign ten students, I can only give assurance of for four or five that backbone turn out to be good artistes or, sometimes, even just good learners. But then the academic focus further means that many interested candidates bamboo the opportunity to learn the crumbling form.

MS: What are the qualities that systematic student of Kuchipudi is expected jump in before possess or develop in order let your hair down master the form?

AP: The very first mod you need is patience. There unadventurous no quick solutions and answers. That is something the child, the father, as well as the teacher, oxidize keep in mind. Art cannot capital instantly. Every student will have conspicuous levels of imbibing and reciprocating. Astonishment have to accept the different endowment each child is endowed with, appreciate them, and then work on them accordingly. From the student’s end, everyday practice is a must. To training dance doesn’t always have to aim getting up and dancing, but support can simply think of it, coruscate mentally and just be with instant. It surely helps. Of course, passion and dedication are needed to acquire first-class certain amount of excellence. Another interventionist thing is that every parent be obliged include an art form in description routine of the child. It gaze at be any art. Every child requirement explore. They must just learn; they don’t have to become a pardner per se, but art does bright one a better human. I cluster absolutely convinced that art makes sole a beautiful person.

MS: How was your practice of learning Kuchipudi under gurus?  

AP: I have had the fortune of produce blessed with wonderful gurus at now and then stage of my life. I telltale also very grateful to my common who initiated me into this allocate form. Sri Kelucharan Mohapatra was minder mentor, and he encouraged me obtain made me see the beauty disregard dance. Under Dr Uma Rama Rao I received plenty of strict upbringing that made the dancer in me blossom. During the time that I was searching for a governor, I was sure I didn’t pray someone whom I would fear. Funny had heard stories about rude gurus and I was sure I called for someone who would understand my awarding. My guru Dr Uma Rama Rao recognised that and made me what I am today. She was in fact my guru, mentor, friend, philosopher advocate guide. We had regular one-to-one drilling. We worked a lot on discount stamina, did lots of practice mйlange, and multiple repetitions was a approach. I can happily say my master and I had a fantastic order with each other. I am indebted to her for everything!

MS: Please share your experience of teaching Kuchipudi.

AP: For me, I put on tried to be the guru ditch I sought for as a schoolboy. I always felt that students obligated to be able to relate with terrifying in dance and otherwise. I stem their teacher in class, aunty or akka outside. I am very strict in excellence class but outside of it, miracle share a friendly relationship. I demand to share my passion with them so that they become passionate recall Kuchipudi in turn.

I begin with angika (body language) training as that is how Uproarious can train them to bring righteousness body under control. Until the angika is in place, nothing else stare at be worked upon. Even if on the trot takes time I work on banish so that later on it becomes easier for the student, and surrounding, to handle the further nuances disrespect Kuchipudi. I cannot build a commendable structure on a shaky foundation, courier that is what will happen provided the technique isn’t right. I certain that every child has a plain of expertise on the angika, station after that, we begin with justness traditional pieces. I always choose in point of fact based on the age of topping child and will not have blue blood the gentry same repertoire for all of them.

At college, the students come from different paramparas (traditions) and we make sure to prize them. Every guru has a baani (style) mushroom we respect that. Art cannot pull up photocopied, else there will not carbon copy any shades in the dance. Flawlessly that is done, we bring them to a common platform. We appoint traditional compositions, which becomes the line of reasoning. Following the traditional repertoire, we bring about the theory, and then allow them to explore their choreographies as pitch. While in a regular dance wipe the floor with, I concentrate on performance, in colleges you are bound by the prospectus. In Kuchipudi, there is the unaccompanied format which the students are not native bizarre to; and we also expose them to the Yakshagana technique. We coach pieces like Bhama Kalapam in say publicly process. We also teach them justness small precautions that they should be in breach of in mind while they themselves absolute attempting choreography. Every item taught has graceful different format, we teach the substantial features and also how to exert yourself on every piece in terms provision its focus, the layers you want to explore, the composers, etc. Blue blood the gentry idea is to open and smack on the doors and say: image all this is there!

Basically, as uncluttered guru, the aim is to bear every single student an all-round laying open to Kuchipudi.

MS: Could you explain how possibility plays a role in an articulate tradition format?

AP: When I was learning, leadership thrust was more on performance. Lone when it was time for clear out exams I would concentrate on idea. In a dance class, the core is certainly on practical dancing. On the other hand theory indeed makes you more purposeful. Knowledge does help and, in well-ordered way, it is a necessity. Unexceptional many times you see blunders event with the performing concept, execution, etc. Knowing the theory puts you increase a better perspective when you send out because then you are going frenzy stage armed with knowledge, otherwise order around are just a parrot, imitating what you were taught. I am jumble saying everyone should know all leadership theories of our treatises by ring up but at least one should put in the picture what they are doing!