The first couple of dance
Age is a number and that number is 50. It is also 81 and 74. As the lights dim and the audience settle into their seats at Kamani Auditorium, Delhi, an air of anticipation descends on the audience being treated to half a century of moving poise. The Parampara Series 2024 is about to commence, and all eyes are fixed on 81-year-old Raja and wife, the 74-year-old Radha, the path breaking ambassadors of Kuchipudi from the times male dancers were not kosher; even the great Briju Maharaj had his problems.
Raja is dressed in a resplendent golden dhoti. Radha in a radiant yellow sari offset by a pink blouse. Their each movement, deliberate yet fluid, unfolds poetry in motion. Behind, a quartet of dancers in shimmering blue hold frozen pose, awaiting their cues with discipline and reverence. “For the past five to six decades, we’ve travelled extensively, influencing how we approach our craft—global exposure has refined every element of our art,” they say.
Raja Reddy’s lifelong passion for Kuchipudi was kindled in Adilabad, a quiet district in present-day Telangana, where he was captivated by touring troupes performing Kuchipudi Bhagavatam. It was watching actor Vyjayanthimala’s mesmerising dance in the film Nagin that cemented his aspiration to be a dancer. It became a shared mission when his wife, Radha, joined him as an equal partner in the craft.
“When we came to Delhi in 1966, it was with a singular passion—to dance,” they recall, adding, “After completing our choreography training, we were ready to leave the city, but an unexpected opportunity to perform in Delhi changed everything.”
At the time, Kuchipudi was not widely known, but Delhi became their land of destiny. “The city gave us a platform and opened doors we hadn’t dared to dream of,” they reflect. Delhi’s embrace not only nurtured their art but also shaped their legacy—an enduring love story between two artistes and their craft, becoming the only family of Kuchipudi dancers to include their two daughters, Yamini Reddy and Bhavana Reddy, as integral members of the dance world.
Raja Reddy confesses his appearance initially brought rejection from several gurus—in the world of Kuchipudi, it was customary for good-looking boys with sharp features to impersonate women. “I didn’t meet the traditional standards. I was well-built and sturdy, lacking the slender femininity typically required. When I approached Lakshmi Narayan Shastri, he told me harshly ‘Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? You come from an agricultural background; go back to farming’,” Raja recalls. His friends encouraged him to take up Kathak instead, but his heart remained with Kuchipudi. This determination eventually led him to his guru, Vedantam Prahlada Sarma in Hyderabad. This time, he was accepted.
The Reddys, who run the Natya Tarangini performing arts centre in Delhi, emphasised the meticulous process behind their choreography. “Creating a piece takes anywhere from six months to a year. The music is often composed by us or in close collaboration with a composer,” they share. Now, as age imposes its natural limitations, the Reddys have taken on the role of mentors. Raja Radha Reddy repertoire’s upcoming performance at Jashn-e-Rekhta on December 15 exemplifies this. Titled Poetry through Dance, the piece will explore Sufi traditions, promising a synthesis of lyrical beauty and Kuchipudi’s elaborate elegance. Dance has no age, it is timeless.