Academy of in Pittsburgh in 1991. Apart from being an accomplished dancer, Kamala is a practicing Yuva Bharati physician - an Endocrinologist and the medical director of Joslin presents Center for Diabetes. and Kuchipudi By Aparna Ramaswamy is a senior disciple of by Smt. , Radica Giri, Radhika Shankar, the world's leading exponent of the Pandanainallur tradition of Aparna Ramaswamy and Kamala Rajupet (Reddy) Bharatanatyam. Aparna has been featured at prestigious venues including the New Victory Theater (New York), the Van Wezel December 5 th , 2010 , 4:00 pm Performing Arts Hall (Sarasota, FL), Mandapa (Paris, France), at Albert Schultz and Janet Theater, Palo Alto, CA Gana Sabha, Karthik Fine Arts, the ICCR (New Delhi), and has been invited to perform at the Kennedy Center's Maximum Program Festival in 2011. Aparna is the first Bharatanatyam artiste to Pushpanjali – Gambeeranattai – Adi by Radica be named one of 25 dancers to watch in the United States and Composer: Muthuswamy Pillai abroad by Dance Magazine. As Co-Artistic Director of Ragamala In this invocatory item the dancer prays to Lord Ganesha, the Dance with her mother, Ranee Ramaswamy, Aparna has created remover of obstacles for his blessings. and toured numerous productions.

Purvarangam - Ragamalika - Chatushra Ekam by Radhika Radica Giri , took her early training in Vazhuvoor style of Bharatha “Purvarangam” is the beginning scene of a play in which the Natyam, from Dr. K. J. Sarasa. She has returned to actors invoke the blessings of the Lord for an auspicious dance 5 years ago with a debut performance in the Natyanjali beginning. The Natya Shastra depicts Bharata learning the Natya Festival held at Chidambaram during Shivratri. Radica established Veda from Brahma and enacting a play with Lord Indra as the the Anjali Dance School in 2006 where she offers tutelage in spectator. Lord Indra gives the auspicious stick known as the Bharatanatyam. Radica continues to hone her skills through Jarjara to cast off all evils. In this item, dancer seeks the blessings prolific teacher, Shri A. Lakshman. Radica regularly performs of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Saraswathi and Lakshmi and depicts the during the December season in , Mumbai and Delhi. significance of Jarjara Puja.

Radhika Shankar , a Bay Area Bharatanatyam artiste, has trained Gangashtakam – Ragamalika - Adi by Aparna rigorously in the various aspects of Natya under Padmashree Dr. Rivers have been the cradles of civilizations through millennia. at Nrithyodaya Dance Academy in Madras. They are venerated as benevolent Mother Goddesses sustaining Radhika has performed in numerous concerts with Dr. Padma the entire ecosystem, of which man is a part. The sacred River Subrahmanyam’s Nrithyodaya Dance School troupe throughout Ganga’s divine origin endows her waters with the powers of the world. Radhika has received outstanding reviews for her cleansing all sins from the past, present, and future. A holy dip in Abhinaya, scintillating footwork, and grace. Radhika is a Senior these sacred waters is considered to be a cleansing and purifying Staff Applications Engineer with Synopsys. of the body and spirit. The perennial flow of the river, from its origin to the sea, symbolizes the journey of the soul to merge with edge of a brass plate. the universal. Padam - Shanmukhapriya - Roopakam by Radica Siva Panchakshari - Sindhu Bhairavi - Kanda Chapu by Radhika Composer: K.N. Dandayudhapani Pillai Composer: Adi Sankara The nayika essayed here is one who is a bold, confident and The five letters NA-MA-SI-VA-YA constitute the Beejakshara or the materialistic. A samanya Nayika upon hearing some commotion mantra to meditate on Lord Shiva. Adi Sankara has devoted five outside her house and asks her friend to check what is happening verses which respectively begin with these syllables and end as at her door. She says “Is it the the Lord Shiva, is it the Lord of the prostration to Shiva who is respectively in the form of these five 7 Hills, or is it the valiant Muruga? Well whoever it is – they will syllables. This item is very unique as Radhika’s Guru Dr. Padma only be worthy of my attention if they are wealthy”. Subrahmanyam danced this item at the 1000 th year celebration of Brihadeeswara temple, in Thanjavur along with 1000 dancers. Anandamae - Nadanamakriya – Adi by Radhika This padam describes the story of Chiruthonda Nayanaar who was Ananda Tandavam - Ragamalika – Adi by Kamala an ardent devotee of Lord shiva. Lord Shiva appears in disguise to Composer: Dr. C. Narayana Reddy test the devotion of Chiruthondar and requests human flesh of This item describes the joyous dance of Lord Siva in the Golden their one and only son. Witness how the story ends!! temple of Chidambaram. As Lord Siva dances, Godess Parvathi, the daughter of Nagaraja smiles radiantly, and the holy river Javali - Athana - Adi by Radica Ganga flows out of His locks. The reverberating sound of OM -the Composer: Chinnaya(Tanjore Quartet) pranava nadam- emanating from him, forms the very essence of In this piece – the heroine is a vaskaasajja nayika or the one who life. Prakriti or Mother Nature offers music to his rhythm. The is awaiting her Lord’s arrival. She asks whether it is his anger or it entire world serves as His stage. The dhamaru held in His hand is his pride that is the cause of delay. She pleads him to come to and the bells on His feet resonate as Brahma wields the cymbals, her at once. Vishnu plays the mridangam, the pramadaghanas or devotees of Siva dance and the apsaras sing with joy. Lalgudi G Jayaraman’s Thillana - Rageshri – Adi by Aparna

Intermission Lalgudi G JayaRaman’s Thillana – Thillang – Adi by Radica Govardhana Giri Dhara – Ragamalika - Adi by Kamala Composer: Narayana Theertha Artists In this traditional number of the Kuchipudi repertoire, the dancer Kamala Reddy (Rajupet) a senior disciple of Guru Vempati Chinna recounts through abhinaya, two episodes from the life of Lord Satyam, has performed extensively in India, USA and other Krishna. In the first episode of "Gopika Vastrapaharanam", countries. She has performed for major organizations in India mischievous Krishna stealthily hides the clothes and ornaments of including the Music Academy, Krishna Gana Sabha, ICCR and Gopikas. In the second episode, Krishna is depicted as the all- Sangeet Natak Academy, Konark festival and Shanmukhananda powerful Lord as he protects the villagers from the wrath of Lord Hall. She has played lead roles in Gurujis dance ballets and toured Indra. The dance ends with foot movements performed on the with him worldwide. Kamala established the Kala Niketan