| Dr. Raja and Radha Reddy | |
|---|---|
The Dancing Duo Drs.Raja and Radha Reddy |
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| Field | Indian Classical Dance |
| Movement | Kuchipudi |
| Awards | Padma Bhushan |
| Website | Dr. Raja and Radha Reddy’s Official Website |
Contents |
Drs. Raja and Radha Reddy are world renowned dancing couple who given a new dimension to the age old art of Kuchipudi dance without sacrificing the traditional poetry or dramatic sensibility. With rare excellence and perfection of technique they have earned the credit for Kuchipudi’s high ranking today among the major dance forms of India. Through their togetherness and perfect unison Drs. Raja and Radha Reddy portray the masculine vigor lyrical charm of the pairs of Hindu mythology such as Shiva-Parvati, Rama-Sita and Krishna-Radha thus identifying themselves with the twin concept of Purusha and Prakriti, the male- female principle in Indian philosophy. In precise postures and refined patterns the duo re-enlivens the magnificent sculptures chiseled in the ancient temples of India.
They are one of the most sought after choreographers in the country today. In their career spanning over four decades they have choreographed several dance dramas, solos, duets and group performances.
Raja and Radha Reddy attribute a major part of their success to Kaushalya Reddy. Without whom they believe their life would have been incomplete. As Raja’s second wife she is not only a partner in their professional life but is also partner in personal life. Today they are synonymously known as the Kuchipudi trio Raja Radha and Kaushlaya Reddy.
Dr. Raja, Radha and Kaushalya Reddy along with their daughters Yamini Reddy and Bhavana Reddy, in the true style of Guru-Shishya parampara are engaged in passing on their art to younger generation at their institution Natya Tarangini in New Delhi and Hyderabad.
Raja and Radha Reddy have popularized the Kuchipudi style of Dance by performing all over the world. The most memorable performances ever by the Reddy's was at New Orleans, in front of the President of United States of America, Mr. Gerald Ford. There they performed on board a barge floating down the mighty river Mississippi. In 1983, President Fidel Castro saw their dance performance in New Delhi and in Cuba and said "I have seen complete India in their performance".
They have conducted charity shows for Red Cross Society , Blind Relief Association, the home for the aged people in Mum bai and CRY. In November, 1996 Reddy's inaugurated the India Festival at Bangladesh.Their tour of Europe in 2001 and the U.S. in 2003 received an overwhelming response. Each performance culminated with a standing ovation from the audience.They also featured as star performers in the prestigious Edinburgh Festival in 2002. They have had the honour of participating in International Dance Festivals such as the Avignon in France, Salzburg in Austria, Festival of India in USA , South America, Europe and so on. They were invited to the declare open the “Play House Theater” in Durban, South Africa for general public with their inaugural Kuchipudi performance and also had the privilege of representing India as the star attraction of the All-star Ballet Gala festival in Japan.
Parampara series is a 4 day National ,music and dance festival organised by Natya Tarangini which is an attempt to restore the lost glory and the preserve the culture . In 2004 the Parampara Series 'Vaangmayee' was inaugurated by the Honorable President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalamwhere Gurus Raja and Radha Reddy performed along with their disciples on the poem 'Life Tree' written by Dr.Kalam.In the September of 2005 a 4 day festival titled “Layaalayam – the abode of rhythm” was organized which featured maestros from the field of Rhythm. This was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh.
The Parampara series has featured legendary icons from the field of music & dance like Padma VibhushanPt.Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Hari Haran, Padma Vibhushan Pt. Birju Maharaj , Begum Parveen Sultana , Vyjayanthimala, Padma Vibhushan Kelucharan Mohapatra,Bikram Ghosh, Mrinallini Sarabhai and Mallika Sarabhai, Alarmel Valli, Amjad Ali Khan, Kishori Amonkar, Aditi Mangaldas,Sandhya Purecha, Ustad Shujat Khan , Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ulhas Kashalkar to name a few .
Shreyasi is the 4 day International Parampara festival of dance started by Gurus Raja , Radha & Kaushalya Reddy in 2011. The event witnessed performances by international artists like - Paul Taylor Dance Company,(USA) , Grand Moscow Classical Ballet,(Russia) , Jose Porcel - Flamenco Dance, Spain , Whirling Dervishes - Dervish Dance, Turkey
Drs. Raja and Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy live in New Delhi, where they have been running their Dance Institute Natya Tarangini since 1967 .They hail from the state of Andhra Pradesh, the birthplace of Kuchipudi style of Indian classical Dance.