Rangapravesham: A dancer’s first full story

Under the guidance of gurus Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy, Suhaani dedicated the evening to her late Nani.

"My meditation!” is how Suhaani Rajyalakshmi Singh describes Kuchipudi. On Thursday, she stepped onto the stage in the Capital to perform her Rangapravesham, the traditional debut solo that marks a classical dancer’s entry into the world of performance after years of training, discipline and preparation.

Kaushalya Reddy, Raja Reddy, Suhaani Rajyalakshmi Singh and Radha Reddy

Under the guidance of gurus Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy, Suhaani dedicated the evening to her late Nani and said, “Nani first took me to dance class and clapped the loudest at every performance. From my jewellery to my costumes, Nani used to take care of it.”

The recital opened with Shiva Panchakshara Stotram and moved into Chaap Tilak, a Hindi and Urdu composition. “Chaap Tilak in the style of Kuchipudi was a very different experience,” said Raja Reddy, recalling their roots in Telugu choreography.

The Tharangam was also one of the highlights, as Suhaani danced and balanced herself on a brass plate.