Bharatha Natyam and Kuchipudi Dance Program By Ranjani Murthy (USA)

Bharatha Natyam and Kuchipudi Dance Program By Ranjani Murthy (USA)

Date: August 8th, 2013
Time: 7:00 P.M
Venue: KH Kala Soudha
Ramanjaneya Temple Compound,
Hanumantha Nagar, Basavanagudi
Bangalore – 560019
Contact number: 8197168615
Charge: Free program

Profile of Ms. Ranjani Murthy

Twenty two year old Ranjani has been learning Kuchipudi for past 12 years from Guru Smt. Sandhya  Sree Athmakuri of Michigan. She has had the privilege of giving several kuchipudi performances with Smt. Athmakuri’s troupe, including the tribute celebration program of Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam’s birthday in D.C. She was one of the youngest to play the role of Uttara, a noteworthy character in a dance drama that toured the U.S.A..She did her Rangapravesam in Kuchipudi (solo debut performance) under Smt. Sandhyasree in October 2007 with rave reviews which has come out in several newspaper articles. Ranjani recently toured 8 states in USA  with Smt. Sandhya Sree’s troupe participating in the dance drama “Mohini Bhasmasura” choreographed by Sri Hari Ramamurthy  of India in the summer of 2011.

Ranjani Murthy has also been learning Bharatanatyam for past 17 years having started from age 4.  She initially received her dance training from her mother Bhavani Murthy.  Subsequently, she has undergone extensive training in Bharatanatyam under renowned teachers, Smt. Sudha Chandrasekar. Her love for this art form took her to Bangalore to have advanced training every summer from the age of 8 under Miss Bhanumathi & Smt. Sheela Chandrasekar of Bangalore, India. In the summer of 2005 at age of 14, Ranjani gave her Arangetram (solo debut 2 ½ hour performance) under Miss Bhanumati and Smt. Sheela Chandrasekar in Bangalore, India. Her debut performance was well received by several dance connoisseurs in Bangalore.  Sri. Sridhar, a dancer of international fame from India, had this to say about her:  “Her technique, lines, abhinaya and control over laya were very pleasing and overall impact looked like that of a seasoned dancer’. She recently won First Prize at the AKKA conference in 2012 Sponsored by the Karnataka Sahitya Nritya Academy of Bangalore, India.

Ranjani has given several hundred solo and group performances and has won prizes in  numerous dance competitions in many parts of U.S.A.She won Cleveland Aradhana 2007 Dance competition (winner got to do a solo recital in Chennai December 2007 season).  She has also won prizes in competitions in Maryland and Chicago in both the styles. She has performed for many charitable organizations, like Aim for Seva, Asha for Education in MI, Girls Inc.and Rotary International in TN, and has raised over $ 14000 for various charities. Ranjani gave two solo dance recitals in December 2006 in Chennai, one of the main cultural hubs in India. Both the programs were very well received. Gurus Dhananjayan and his wife Smt. Shanta, two of the stalwarts in the sphere of Indian classical dance, were very much impressed with the caliber of Ranjani’s performance and commitment to this art form. Most recently, in December 2007 & January 2008, Ranjani gave four solo 1 ½ hour performances at some of the well-known sabhas in chennai—two kuchipudi (Kartik Fine Arts and Hamsadhwani) and two Bharatha natyam (Narada Gana Sabha—for winning the Cleveland competition and Mylapore Fine Art Society) with wonderful reviews. She performed in the December season 2009 and was conferred the title of “Natya Kala Rathna” by Gana Mukundha Priya Sabha in Chennai. She also performed for the World Dance Alliance Festival in Jan. 2010 in Bangalore, with great reviews from the Hindu newspaper. Ranjani also has trained in Carnatic Vocal Music for 9 years under Smt. Bhanumathi Chari and Kalpana Venkat of MI.