Kuchipudi dancer Atisha Pratap Singh recalls how her guru Raja Radha Reddy hand-held her through her journey into cultural consciousness. By Team Viva
Atisha Pratap Singh has learnt to balance her interests despite being a class XII student. “I am not only a passionate Kuchipudi dancer,” she tells us as her eyes sparkle. “I am a sportsperson too and represented India in football.”
Under the aegis of her gurus, Padma Bhushan Dr Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy, she has not only mastered the art of Kuchipudi but also imbibed attributes like self- confidence, determination and a disciplined persona. On her Rangapravesham, she says, “It is nothing like a stage debut. It is more like a graduation ceremony of dance. It has been 14 years since I have been dancing with my gurus and now I am putting my learnings out there. It is supposed to be one of the most important days and is just like a marriage, a once in a lifetime affair.”
Though she was thrown into it by her mother, Atisha gradually developed her innate passion and started putting her heart and soul into her performances. Her training has been very rigorous. “Right now I have hurt my foot and am dancing through the pain because you just have to concentrate on giving the best you can. The reason I am here at this stage of my life is due to the knowledge and training my Guruji (Raja Reddy) has imparted to me. He has entrusted us to take his legacy forward,” she tells us. Her first Kuchipudi performance was as a three-year-old, based on a poem written by the then President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. His post-show encouragement left an impression on young Atisha’s mind. “It took me a long time to reach where I am. When I started understanding the dance and its worth, I gave it my all. I want to accelerate and be perfect,” says she.
Unlike many of her generation, Atisha isn’t inclined to Western dance forms. “Nobody is culturally inclined. But trust me Kuchipudi gives me immense satisfaction and transports me into another world. I forget everything when I dance. It’s like meditation, peaceful, calm, yet disciplined.”