CLL and Friends of IndiaPresent South India Dancers

By Fred Shapiro

Kalanidhi Dance has captivated audiences in the U.S. and around the world, demystifying the rich and ancient tradition of Kuchipudi dance. The Center for Lifelong Learning and the Friends of India have joined together to schedule the troupe to appear in Leisure World Thursday, August 22 at 11:00 AM in the Clubhouse 2 auditorium. Tickets are not necessary and the performance is open for all residents to attend. 

Enjoy the  Kalanidhi Dancers as they present the beautiful South Indian classical dance style, Kuchipudi. Led by Kalanidhi company members, the session will deepen your understanding of this culturally rich art form through dance demonstrations and discussion. Participants will interact directly with the dancers and even get a chance to learn aspects of Kuchipudi's gestural dance vocabulary.  

Kalanidhi Dance performs classical and original works using the timeless visual vocabulary of Kuchipudi, one of India’s eight classical dance forms. Guided by Founder and Artistic Director Anuradha Nehru, Kalanidhi seeks to push Kuchipudi in new and exciting directions while remaining authentic to its style.

Over the last decade, Kalanidhi has collaborated across genres and musical styles to critical acclaim, presenting Kuchipudi to Yanni, Philip Glass, and Ravi Shankar, and performing with Opera Lafayette, The New York Baroque Dance Company, and the Sean Curran company. 

The New York Times has called Kalanidhi “a combination of bright energy, full-bodied sweetness and rapid precision” and a “rare amalgam of prime dance virtues.”  

Founded in 1991 by Anuradha Nehru, Kalanidhi Dance is a non-profit organization 501(c)3, that is committed to the preservation, promotion and education of Kuchipudi dance, an Indian Classical dance style that originated in Andhra Pradesh, India. 

For an enjoyable performance, make sure you place this date in your calendar and bring a friend.