Andhranatyam Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher and Founder, Nartanasala
Disciple of Late Guru Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrshna garu an Abhinava Satyabhama Guru Shri Kala Krishna garu
M.P.A Andhranatyam, Potti Sree Ramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad
Sunila Gollapudi has been practicing and performing Andhranatyam under the able tutelage of Late Guru Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna garu and Abhinava Satyabhama Guru Dr Kala Krishna garu over the last 35 years. Sunila has been the senior most disciple and was from the first batch of students to complete a formal education in Andhranatyam. She is born to the Late G Vijayalakshmi Garu and G V L N Sastry Garu, who supported her throughout her dance career. She performed thousands of dance recitals at various dance festivals in India and abroad. She specializes in the Agama, Asthana, and Prabandha Nartana Traditions of Andhranatyam. In Prabandha style she is well known for her great skill in Navajanardhana Parijatham and Golla Kalapam under the able tutelage of her Guru, Dr. Kala Krishna Garu. Sunila has won several prizes in national and international dance competitions as a child. Sunila is known for her satwikaabhinayam and specializes in Javalis and Padams, which she trained under the Devadasi tradition. She is also trained in Adhyaatma Ramayana Sankeerthanams under the Late Smt. Saride Manikyamma Garu. She won several scholarships from prestigious organizations and has been a graded artist with cultural affairs in the 90s.
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Sunila was instrumental in spreading the richness of Andhranatyam in the US and in this process she has conducted global webinars explaining the basics of the dance form in English to reach people of different ethnicities and backgrounds. She created a website for Andhranatyam that consolidates all the information about Andhranatyam, its Repertoire, its antiquity, Gurus, Performers, and the latest event updates. Sunila has Masters in Andhranatyam from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University.
Her expertise is evident in intricate footwork , the energy she demonstrates through her swift movements and abhinaya with an excellent sense of timing. She bagged several awards and titles for her immaculate skill in playing the beautiful Satyabhama in Navajanardhana Parijatham, a nine-day Shrungara Drishya Prabandham between Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. Sunila is currently working towards translating and republishing the books by her Guru Late Dr Nataraja Ramakrishna garu and make it available for both Indian and International readers.
Her expertise is evident in intricate footwork , the energy she demonstrates through her swift movements and abhinaya with an excellent sense of timing. She bagged several awards and titles for her immaculate skill in playing the beautiful Satyabhama in Navajanardhana Parijatham, a nine-day Shrungara Drishya Prabandham between Lord Krishna and his wife Satyabhama. Sunila is currently working towards translating and republishing the books by her Guru Late Dr Nataraja Ramakrishna garu and make it available for both Indian and International readers.
Nartanasala is a not-for-profit banner founded by Ms. Sunila Gollapudi in 2013 with sole intention to promote and support the revival of dance forms with a rich traditional history like Andhranatyam. Under this banner, Ms. Sunila Gollapudi facilitates dance performances that focus on unique choreographies with the help of her Guru Sri Kala Krishna. Nartanasala’s vision is to train more enthusiastic young dancers, protecting the core discipline of Guru Shishya Parampara and helping propagation of Andhranatyam on national and international platforms. Nartanasala is on a continuous lookout for new and young talent from any classical dance background who will further be eligible for scholarships and complete support in building a strong career in dance. For more details, please contact sunila.gollapudi@gmail.com
School of Andhranatyam
About Andhranatyam
Andhranatyam is a 2000-year-old dance tradition of Telugu-speaking regions Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema. Andhranatyam belongs to the nattuvamelam tradition. This dance tradition is as old as the temples. It was performed in temples and the royal courts of kings by the Telugu regions cultural and dedicated female artists.. It lost its prominence in Mughal and British era, and was revived in the 20th century with its name, Andhranatyam Before Andhranatyam got its name, it was called by different names such as Aradhana, Kacheri, Mejuvani etc. Andhranatyam includes beautiful, delicate body movements with graceful gestures and slenderness of the Kaisiki Vritti, performed by female artists. It has Agama, Asthana, and Prabandha styles in it. It is performed in Marga tradition in temples as prescribed in Agama sastras. With a tinge of the Desi tradition, it is performed in the classical style in temple asthanas and courts of kings called Kacheri, Darbar ata, etc. The Prabandha style is famous for its classical regional rendition of lokadharmi.​
Unlike other dance forms like Bharatanatyam, Odissi, and other female dance forms, Andhranatyam became inert at one point due to several changes in arts and politics, like the Devadasi Act. It was later revived in 1970 by Late Guru Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna with the support of all the 20th-century Devadasis. It has been propagated on national and international platforms for the last 50 years. Andhranatyam, like other dance forms of India, consists of Nritta, Nritya, and Abhinaya. The techniques of Andhranatyam were resumed with the help of ensemble dancers, temple inscriptions, literature references, and sculptural references within the Telugu-speaking regions. The dance training traditionally follows Guru Shishya Parampara. The three traditions of Andhranatyam that are in vogue include Aagama, which includes items performed in temples, Aasthana, which includes dances performed in the King's courts for entertainment; and Prabandha, which includes items performed for common people in a storytelling format
Late Bharatakalaprapoorna Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Ramakrishna
Doyen of Andhranatyam & Recreator of Perini Sivatandavam
Guru Dr Kala Krishna
Dr. Kala Krishna, a Central Sangeeta Nataka Akademi awardee, an accomplished artist of immense talent, a treasure of Indian heritage, and a great anthropologist serving humanity with art forms, proved that an ordinary person from a remote village can reach heights with dedication, talent and hard work. His inspirational journey in Andhranatyam, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, and Perini started with great gurus like Late Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Rama Krishna and other temple dancers who mentored him in many exceptional art forms performed in the courts of Kings and Temples in the form of Nava Janardhanam, Ashta Dikpalaka Nrityam, Bali Haranam, Navasandhi and others. He has been passing on this culture to hundreds of disciples spread across in Hyderabad Central University, Telugu University and HariHara Nritya Niketan. Tireless works of Sr. Kala Krishna in reinstating Perini Lasya tradition made the Government of Telangana think about their policy towards classical art forms and they introduced Perini Tandava and Lasya traditions in all the Music and Dance colleges. The word “Kala” was included to his name by his guru as an adjective defining his achievements in the field of dance.
