Ratika excels at her Rangapravesam



	Kuchipudi dance recital Ratika excels at her Rangapravesam By Ravi R. Ponangi
Ratika Gunturi performed her Rangapravesam (the traditional maiden performance by a student of the ancient Indian dance form, aimed at public recognition) on Saturday July 17 at the Berkmar High School auditorium in Gwinnett County in the presence of her ebullient parents, relatives and members of Indian community in Atlanta. Her stellar performance bore ample testimony to the excellence of the Academy of Kuchipudi Dance in Atlanta – where Ratika Gunturi received her training. It is noteworthy that the Director of the Academy, Smt. Sasikala Penumarthi is a disciple of the distinguished Padmabhushan Sri Vempati Chinasatyam, Ratika has spent more than 13years, right from her childhood days, learning and practicing this celebrated form of Indian classical dance. Her steadfast dedication to this dance form and her master’s disciplined teaching were only too evident to those present at the recital. That Ratika has graduated from Georgia Tech with a Bachlor’s degree in Biology and already completed the first year of her medical school in Virginia – deserves mention. Even before this certification of her talent, she has performed in several Kuchipudi dance dramas - Srinivasa Kalyanam, Chandalika, Rukmini Kalyanam and Swapna Vijayam - produced and directed by her mentor. The two and a half hour scintillating presentation by Ratika included the familiar items of Kuchipudi dance repertoire. Starting from an invocation of Gajavadana, demonstrating the fiery spirit of Lord Siva, depicting the life story of Balakrishna, bringing into focus the all-encompassing wisdom of Goddess Saraswati, Ratika held complete sway and thrilled the audience with her culminating Thillana. Her mudras, her agile steps and elegant movements, and her abhinaya bringing to the fore the full range of navarasas were to the audience a veritable optic feast. The first four of these items were choreographed by none other than Guru Chinasatyam. The last two were choreographed by Sasikala Penumarthi, in the carefully preserved tradition of her Guru, albeit with a touch of her originality. Ratika’s performance was ably supported by a lively orchestra consisting of Sujata Rayburn (vocal), Seshu Sarma (Veena), Subrahmanyam Viswanathan (mridangam), Ramesh Pancahagnula (violin) and Preethi Sundaresan (Flute). Needless to say, the Nattuvangam was by her teacher Sasikala Penumarthi. Rahul, Ratika’s twin brother, served as the master of the ceremonies. Dr. P. Ravi Sarma, a renowned oncologist and an ardent supporter of Indian arts and culture was the guest speaker. He spoke about Ratika’s family and the sedulous support and encouragement she has received. The chief guest Dr. P.Venugopala Rao, Professor of Nuclear and Atomic Physics at Emory University and a dedicated patron of the arts, was the Guest of Honor. While presenting the plaque of recognition, Dr. Rao echoed the sentiments of the audience when he said that the evening’s performance provided an aesthetic experience of this time-honored dance from. He blessed the young dancer by stating that this certificate of recognition should be construed not as the end of a dancing career but as the threshold for several accomplishments to come. The program was well-attended with over 400 guests and was followed by dinner.
Aug-11-2010