KAKATIYAM –

TELANGANA DANCE

KAKATIYAM – Telangana Dance

KAKATIYAM – Telangana Dance is a distinct classical-style form created by Padma Shri Dr. Gaddam Padmaja Reddy. It revives the movement language of the Kakatiya period by decoding dance sculptures from temples such as Ramappa, Thousand Pillar Temple, and Warangal Fort, and aligning them with texts like Nritta Ratnavali and Natyasastra.

Key points

• Reconstructed from Kakatiya temple sculptures, especially Madanika and other female dance figures.

• Draws on margi and desi vocabularies described by Jayapa Senani in Nritta Ratnavali.

• A distinct style, different from both Kuchipudi and Perini Thandavam, with its own stance, postures, and repertoire.

• Supported by a 4-year structured syllabus under the banner of Telangana Natyam.

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