North Georgia Indian Dance festival 2025
PROGRAM
3:00 pm - Soorya Foundation video on projector and Welcome speech
3.05 Inauguration by Representative Todd Jones House District 25,
and Mike Valdes, District 5 representative on Forsyth County’s school board
3.10 PERFORMANCE 1 Vocal music Soorya Foundation Ensemble
3.20 PERFORMANCE 2 WELCOME DANCE Soorya Foundation students
3.40 PERFORMANCE 3 KUCHIPUDI – SRIVANI KUCHIPUDI DANCE ACADEMY
4:00 PERFORMANCE 4 RABINDRA NATYA – ATLANTA NRITYA ACADEMY
4.15 PERFORMANCE 5 Kuchipudi – ACADEMY OF KUCHIPUDI DANCE
4.35 PERFORMANCE 6 SOORYA FOUNDATION ENSEMBLE ATLANTA
4:50 - Certificate award from FCAA- Elizabeth Katherine Porcel, Honoring special guests and supporters- State House Representative Carter Barrett, County Commissioner Levent, and Rupal Vaishnav General Counsel, Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney
5:00 PERFORMANCE 7 MANODHARMA- DANCE TEACHERS OF NORTH GA and AL
5:15 PERFORMANCE 8 BHARATANATYAM - NRITYANJALI ENSEMBLE NJ
3:10 PERFORMANCE 1: Soorya Foundation ATL – Music
Soorya students will now begin their performance with the chanting of holy mantras and recitation of a prayer on Hindu god Ganesha. Performed by the Soorya Music ensemble
3:20 PERFORMANCE 2: Soorya Foundation ATL – Dance (16 minutes)
We will continue our performance with a Bharatanatyam presentation by students of Soorya Foundation Cumming GA. The dancers begin their prayer with a popular song on Mother Sawarwati, the mother of knowledge and will continue to praise the universal mother Meenakshi. This song will be continued with a beautiful song on Krishna, where the devotees invite him to come to their homes and bless them.
3:40 PERFORMANCE 3: KUCHIPUDI dance REVATHI KOMANDURI (18 minutes)
Srivaani Kuchipudi Dance Academy, a 501-C (3) non-profit organization, is in the forefront of promoting the ancient classical dance form of Kuchipudi from South India, among the art lovers in Atlanta.
The academy is inculcating the knowledge of this dance form among several students and several of them have graduated from the school by performing the “Rangapravesam”. The Academy has produced and participated in several dance dramas like Menaka Vishwamitra, Sivoham Sivoham, Vighneswara Vaibhavam, Bhakta Maarkandeya and Kumarasambavam, and most recently Druva Charitam in November 2024. These productions benefited several non-profit organizations in the past including, VIBHA and Sankaranetralaya.
Apart from the above productions, Smt. Revathi Komanduri, the artistic director of the dance school, also worked with Yuva Bharati for their production Sabda Manjari by doing the group choreographies for their debut program in October of 2017.
TODAYS PROGRAM Krishna janana Shabdam :
Shabdams are a very popular repertoire both in kuchipudi and bharatanatyam and they usually narrate stories in praise for kings and Gods. Krishna Janana Shabdam beautifully illustrates the childhood and early heroic deeds of Lord Krishna, portraying his divinity, mischief, and strength through a series of vivid episodes. The dance brings to life Krishna’s playful and adventurous spirit—his joyous butter theft with his friends, Yashoda’s affectionate care, his fearless taming of the serpent Kaliya, and his lesson to Indra by lifting the Govardhan mountain. It also captures his ultimate triumph over evil as he defeats Kamsa in battle, restoring dharma. Dancers are Amritha Balla, Vaishnavi Duvvuri, Aashritha Balla, Krishna Budim, Lavanya khajjyam, Kavya Enaganti and Smera sangameshwara
4:00 PERFORMANCE 4: RABINDRA NATYA - SUDAKSHINA MUKHERJEE (10 minutes)
Sudakshina Mukherjee is an accomplished dancer from Kolkata, West Bengal, Sudakshina honed her skills under the tutelage of distinguished Gurus Keka Chatterjee, Abhay Pal, Kohinoor Sen Barat, and Uma Tillak in Pune. And is currently deepening her expertise under the guidance of Guru Nirmala Paniker in Mohiniattam and Guru Sri Venu G in Navarasa Sadhana.
Beyond the classical realm, Sudakshina is a versatile artist, proficient in Contemporary, Bollywood, Folk, and Rabindra Nritya. Sudakshina's creative vision and choreography have earned numerous accolades both in India and the United States. As the Artistic Director and Choreographer of Atlanta Nritya Academy, Atlanta Nritya Academy has achieved notable successes, including being Semi-Finalists twice on the esteemed Zee TV dance show "Dance USA Dance" and first place in the Dance Fever competition.
Today the dancers will present “Anondodhara Bohiche Bhubone” is a soulful Rabindra Sangeet by Rabindranath Tagore, celebrating the eternal flow of joy and divine bliss in the universe. With its uplifting melody and profound lyrics, the song conveys optimism, harmony, and the boundless energy of life, making it a timeless expression of hope and spiritual awakening. Anondodhara- Taalam- Tritaal
Raagam- Mishra Malkosh Choreography- Sudakshina Mukherjee
This will be followed by “Mor Bhabonare Ki Hawaye Matalo” is a soulful Rabindra Sangeet that captures the spontaneous joy and awakening of the soul. The lyrics describe an unseen breeze stirring the heart, filling it with an unexplainable delight and divine ecstasy. Through its gentle yet uplifting melody, Rabindranath Tagore beautifully conveys a sense of spiritual liberation and harmony with nature, making the song an enduring expression of inner bliss and inspiration. Mor Bhabonare- Taalam- Tritaal Raagam- Gour- Malhar Choreography- Sudakshina Mukherjee
4:15 PERFORMANCE 5: Academy of Kuchipudi Dance Guru SASIKALA PENUMARTHI (20 minutes)
Guru Sasikala Penumarthi served as a resident Artist / Performer / Teacher at the Kuchipudi Art Academy under Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam, the most renowned teacher and choreographer of Kuchipudi dance in modern times. She has traveled extensively all over India, U.S.A, Canada, Europe, former Soviet Russia and has given over 800 performances, conducted workshops and lecture demonstrations. She also founded the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance in ATL in 1997.
She received the Master Artist award from the Georgia Arts Council and the National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts. Penumarthi is on the Georgia Council for the Arts and Young Audiences of Atlanta Artist Rosters. She teaches Kuchipudi dance for the Emory Dance Program.
The dancers of Academy of Kuchipudi Dance will now present RASA LEELE. The tale of Rasa Leela is a cherished and visually enchanting part of Hindu tradition, celebrated throughout India. It represents the profound connection between the divine and the devotee. On a moonlit night, Lord Krishna's melodious flute calls out to the Gopikas, his devoted followers, who abandon everything to join Him in a celestial dance. This mystical dance symbolizes the union of the human soul with the divine. Krishna's infinite love allows Him to appear before each Gopika simultaneously, bringing them joy and lifting them to a state of spiritual ecstasy. Rasa Leela is a testament to the boundless joy and spiritual fulfillment that comes from devotion to the divine.
Performers are Ishika Dantuluri Mahima Cherukuri Mohitha Bhumireddy Nikhila Vishnubhotla Ramya Sarath Reneeta Basu Sandhya Sarath Shreya Sarath Sivanuja Gokarakonda Sruthi Chava Sruthi Vangavolu Sudha Somayajula, Choreography is by Guru Sasikala Penumarthi.
4:35 PERFORMANCE 7 SOORYA FOUNDATION ENSEMBLE TIRUPPAVAI (17 minutes) "Tiruppavai" is a presentation of select verses from the work Tiruppavai that was composed by poetess-saint Andal of the Sri Vaishnava tradition in praise of Lord Krishna. Sri Andal loved her deity Lord Vishnu and decided she would marry him. She decided to observe the Margali Bath rituals so that she could attain Lord Sri Krishna as her husband. The dancers will enact the story of Vamana and bali, and present the valiant stories of Krishna as depicted in the Bhagavata and Mah Bharatha.
Concept, Choreography and Music by Guru Sushma Mohan Ladies and gentlemen TIRUPPAVAI by SOORYA FOUNDATION ENSEMBLE.
4:50 - Certificate award from FCAA Certificate award from FCAA- Elizabeth Katherine Porcel, Honoring special guests and supporters- State House Representative Carter Barrett, County Commissioner Levent, and Rupal Vaishnav General Counsel, Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney
5:00 PERFORMANCE 8 ATL DANCE TEACHERS (15 minutes) Revathi Komanduri
MANO DHARMA - A dance presentation by the gurus of North Georgia and Alabama
Manodharma is a spontaneous presentation of any art form. It captures the essence of an improvised creation and the balance between disciplined training and unrestrained creativity. It spotlights the dancer's artistry and emotional depth and is a conversation between structure and freedom, each enhancing the other.
Such impromptu forms highlight the years of training, performance and experience of a dancer.
TODAY’S THEME IS Krishna - Stuti and Ninda Stuti:
Stuti is a praise of the divine. Ninda is a form of scolding. Ninda Stuti literally means praising through blame. Similar to a parent’s love for one’s kid, it is always done out of love, Love for the Divine.
Ninda Stutis are simply praises of love and admiration, performed in the quest to seek unity with Brahman, is the ultimate divine reality for Hindus. Let them be heard and sung. Let them bring us closer to the Divine.
PERFORMERS
Soujanya Madhusudhan
Savita Viswanathan
Harini Santhanam
Sudakshina Mukherjee
Sudha Raghuram
Shanti Umashankar
5.20 PERFORMANCE 9 BHARATHANTYAM Ramya Ramnarayan
Counted among the leading exponents of Bharatanatyam today, Ramya Ramnarayan combines legacy, expertise and experience. A protégé of two exponents of the dance form, Kalaimamani, SK Rajarathnam Pillai and Padma Bhushan Kalanidhi Narayanan, Ramya is recognized as a capable performer, choreographer, educator and a torch bearer of this art, who blends tradition with innovation.
Ramya Ramnarayan is a “Kalaimamani” awardee and has performed in prestigious venues such as the Madras Music Academy, Narada Gana Sabha, Kartik Fine Arts, International Fringe Festival, Asia Society, Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, Zollener Arts Center, Lincoln Center New York to mention a few and at various festivals throughout the world.
Through the Production Company and school – Nrithyanjali, Ms. Ramnarayan’s work is created to retain roots in the collective history of philosophy, spirituality, mysticism, and myth of South Indian heritage while bringing the eloquence of Bharatanatyam to universal themes.
She was a visiting faculty appointment in the Dance Department at Mason Gross School of Arts, affiliated to Rutgers University and is a gallery artist with Pentacle, roaster artist with Young Audiences of NJ and Eastern PA, and empaneled artists with Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
Ramya Ramnarayan recently released a Bharatanatyam DVD at the 38th Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana Festival. DVD Title- Guruvin Kural Amudam - A tribute to Guru the legendary Natyacharya S K Rajarathnam Pillai. Pls welcome Nrithyanjali ensemble and Guru Ramya Ramnarayan