Dancing at the Golconda Fort gave me goosebumps: Deepika Reddy

"I have performed extensively in prestigious dance festivals in India, and certainly in many heritage sites. But I had never danced at the Golconda fort before this. it was challenging as well as very exciting for me. Years ago, I had done a small documentary,

Forts of India

, for

Doordarshan

where I did a small item here. But this was the first time I did a whole show here. I had goosebumps,” said Deepika Reddy, visibly moved, after a stunning performance that got her a big round of applause. “I love performing at heritage monuments. It gives me a high! I am lucky to have danced at iconic monuments all over the country — Khajuraho, konark, to name a few. It’s breath-taking for the audience as well as the dancer,” she added.
Admittedly, it was difficult to get permission from the

Archeological Survey of India

to perform at the Golconda Fort. But since the theme of the ballet was related to Golconda, the permission was granted at the last moment. “The whole idea was to let heritage speak through dance. I had been working on

Jayaho Golconda

and

Telangana Vaibhavam

for a couple of months. But getting to showcase this at the right venue made all the difference. A divine act like

Kuchipudi

, when done in the backdrop of a majestic heritage monument, becomes something very extraordinary,” Deepika said.
As a Kuchipudi guru who performs with her students all over the country, Deepika is upbeat about the future of classical dance. “I am very positive because young dancers today have learnt how to perfectly balance dance and academics; many of them do so well in both. And personally, it’s a very fulfiling experience for me as a teacher too, when I see them do so well. If you multi task at young age, you are bound to shine in everything,” she says.
Talking about why dance is good for everyone, the Kuchipudi exponent, who has been dancing for the last 45 years, says, “dance can help carve out a different personality within you. it gives you self-confidence, poise, and improves memory power because it requires you to remember many things at the same time, and yet, not let any of it reflect on your face. Abhinaya, not concentration, should show on your face. Add to that, perfect footwork, hand and body movements — every part of your body and brain is working at the same time when you are dancing. And this naturally helps a dancer in every other field of life as well.”