​​Arunima Kumar Dance Company

About the Gurus ​

Arunima has learnt Kuchipudi under the maestros Guru Jayarama Rao and Vanashree Rao ,one of the most celebrated couple of this art form. Their duet performances are a striking example of perfection in synchronization and homogeneity in presentation of this rare form of art. Jayarama Rao was trained in the Kuchipudi Village under Late Sri Chinta Krishna moorthy, Sri P.V.G.K. Sarma, and later under Dr. Padmabhushan Vempati Chinna Satyam,in Chennai.Vanashree first learnt under Guru Krishna Kumar, then Guru Jayarama Rao, and later in Chennai under Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. She also learnt some special abhinaya pieces under Guru Padmasri Nataraja Ramakrishna, under the Sangeet Natak Akademi grant.

As outstanding artists of the ,ICCR, they have performed in almost all major National and International Festivals and in over 60 countries, including USA, Europe, Latin America, Japan, Portugal, Afganisthan, Bangladesh,Fiji etc.

they have toured whole of India for lecture Demonstrations for Spic Macay. Sri Jayarama Rao as a Guru has trained innumerable students who are acclaimed artists to day, Meenakhshi Sesadri, Vanashree Rao, Arunima Kumar, Meenu Thakur, to name a few.

 

They have been honoured with many awards, including the SANGEET NATAK AKADEMI AWARD, the Delhi State Award, and the Andhra Pradesh Samman,Sri Rao was awarded PADMASREE in 2004 by the President of India and was awarded The Tytle of NATYA RATNA, in February,2005, by the Sanmukhananda Sabha, Delhi for his contribution towards Kuchipudi Dance.

Arunima began her training under Padma bhushan Smt Swapnasundari, a notable  dancer, teacher and a key exponent of Kuchipudi and Bharata Natyam, a choreographer and a vocalist. She has written books like "The World of Koochipoodi Dance" , "Tracing the roots of the classical dance", "Vilasini Natyam". She is the founder-director of Koochipoodi Dance Centre in Delhi.



Arunima attributes her  success to her Gurus and seeks their blessings before every performance.