Vilasini Natyam: Bharatam of Telugu Temple and Court Dancers

Swapnasundari finds creative expression in Koochipoodi, Bharatha Natyam, Vilasini Natyam, vocal music, choreography, music composition, teaching, writing and a host of related artistic activity. After a professional debut at the age of 15, she made significant artistic strides and was recognized as a torch-bearer amongst the generation of Indian classical dancers born in Post Independence India. While making successive contributions to her field she continued to earn acclaim for her performances at National and international for a. She has extended the frontiers of understanding of Andhra’s dance traditions by bringing to centrestage, the less known Koochipoodi and with pioneering work in the nearly obsolete temple and court dance tradition of Andhra which she has revitalized and recast as Vilasini Natyam. Her proficiency in music, understanding of poetry and literature, multi-lingual abilities and keen intellect are reflected both in performances and choreography. Swapnasundari is the founder-director of Kuchipudi Dance Centre Delhi. The only present day exponent to keep alive the practise of combining dance with singing and dialogues, she is also the first and only dancer to produce compact discs and audio cassettes of Koochipoodi music. In a significant acknowledgement of her scholarship and accomplishments, she has been honoured with the ‘Pratibha Puraskaaram’ by the Potti Sreeraamulu Telugu University, Hyderabad. She is a recipient of the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. Swapnasundai is the only solo female danseuse and teacher of Koochipoodi as well as its youngest exponent who is decorated with the prestigious honour of Padma Bhushan which she received from the President of India in the year 2003.