- Kuchipudi is one of the ten major Indian classical dances.
- It originated in a village of Krishna district in modern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.
- It derives its name from this village.
- It is a dance-drama performance art, with its roots in the ancient Hindu Sanskrit text of Natya Shastra.
- Like all major classical dances of India, it was also developed as a religious art linked to traveling bards, temples and spiritual beliefs.
- The Kuchipudi style was conceived by Siddhendra Yogi, a talented Vaishnava poet of 17th century.
- It begins with an invocation to Lord Ganesha followed by nritta (non-narrative and abstract dancing); shabdam (narrative dancing) and natya.
- The dance is accompanied by song which is typically Carnatic music.
- The singer is accompanied by musical instruments like mridangam, violin, flute and tambura.
- Like other classical dances, Kuchipudi also comprises pure dance, mime and histrionics but it is the use of speech that distinguishes Kuchipudi’s presentation as dance drama.