REVIEW / REPORT

A refreshing Kuchipudi performance

- Shruthi Mukund
e-mail: smukund@washingtonperformingarts.org

October 4, 2026

On August 14, 2026, at the Silver Spring Black Box Theater, Madhuvanthi Sundararajan presented the culmination of a year-long Folklife Apprenticeship supported by the Maryland State Arts Council, under the mentorship of Kuchipudi artiste and tradition bearer Kasi Aysola. The evening was a remarkable demonstration of what happens when rigorous training, deep respect for tradition, and an adventurous artistic spirit come together.

Madhuvanthi Sundararajan is no stranger to the stage. A trained Bharatanatyam dancer, she made her Kuchipudi Rangapravesam, or solo debut, in India on January 17, 2024, and has since continued to deepen her practice of the form under the mentorship of Kasi Aysola. Her August 14 performance marked her first U.S. solo presentation in Kuchipudi and revealed just how fully she has embraced its distinctive vocabulary, expressiveness, and theatricality. Drawing on her Bharatanatyam foundation while developing a voice of her own in Kuchipudi, Madhuvanthi brought a performance that felt both refreshing and deeply rooted in tradition - confident, expressive, and unmistakably her own.

Madhuvanthi Sundararajan

The evening opened with Natesa Kauthuvam, an invocation to Nataraja, the cosmic dancer and Lord Shiva. Set in Hamsadhwani, the piece brought the grandeur and ferocity of Shiva's tandava to life, with choreography originally created by Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. It was an auspicious beginning, establishing both the devotional foundation and the dynamic physicality of the evening.

The centerpiece of the program was E Mayaladira, a demanding Swarajathi in Huseni. Kasi Aysola took a considerable artistic risk by challenging Madhuvanthi with a nearly 45-minute centerpiece. It was a challenge that paid off spectacularly. The narrative follows a woman confronting her lover Mallaji, questioning his betrayal and reminding him of the depth and history of their relationship. Madhuvanthi sustained the emotional arc and dramatic tension with extraordinary focus. What could easily have felt lengthy instead became utterly absorbing. She had the audience's full attention, enraptured by her storytelling, expressions, and command of the stage.

The following Javali, Sarasamulade, shifted the emotional register. Here, a young woman warns Krishna that their clandestine meeting is too risky: her family is nearby, the moonlight exposes them, and even a rumor could damage her reputation. Madhuvanthi brought an appealing mixture of hesitation, affection, playfulness, and apprehension to the character, demonstrating the expressive range that makes Kuchipudi such a compelling dance-theater tradition.

Mamava Pattabhirama moved into the devotional world of the Ramayana. Inspired by the coronation of Rama, the piece moves through the young Rama and Lakshmana's confrontation with the demons Maricha and Subahu before arriving at the grandeur of Rama's Pattabhishekam. The final tableau evokes Rama and Sita on the throne, surrounded by family, devotees, kings, and sages. Madhuvanthi captured the devotional quality of the work while also bringing clarity and energy to its narrative episodes.

The program concluded with a Poornachandrika Thillana, an exuberant burst of pure dance and rhythmic brilliance. After the demands of the Swarajathi and the emotional and narrative richness of the preceding works, Madhuvanthi returned to the stage with remarkable energy. Her stamina was extraordinary. The final Thillana felt not like the end of an exhausting evening, but like a celebration - precise, joyful, and full of vitality.

A major strength of the performance was the live orchestra, which enhanced rather than merely accompanied the dance. Kasi Aysola's nattuvangam, Vignesh Subramanian's vocals, Madhava Paliyam's mridangam, Vishveshwar Nagarajan's flute, and Hari Kappiyoor's veena created a rich musical environment in which the dancer could respond, interact, and tell the story. The live sound gave the performance an immediacy and dynamism that would be difficult to replicate with recorded music in an intimate setting like the Black Box Theater.

At the heart of the evening, however, was the artistic relationship between Kasi Aysola and Madhuvanthi Sundararajan. Aysola's choreography gave Madhuvanthi both structure and room to explore, while his decision to place such a substantial Swarajathi at the center of the program demonstrated a willingness to challenge his student and trust her abilities. Madhuvanthi met that challenge with remarkable maturity. What made the evening particularly exciting was that this was not simply a dancer learning another classical form. It was an artiste expanding her vocabulary. Her foundation in Bharatanatyam was evident in her discipline and technique, but under Kasi's mentorship she has continued to develop as a Kuchipudi dancer, cultivating a distinct stage presence and an impressive capacity for storytelling.

Seen in that context, this first U.S. solo presentation was more than a milestone. It was a glimpse of an artiste continuing to evolve. This was a performance steeped in tradition without feeling bound by it. Madhuvanthi brought freshness, intelligence, stamina, and emotional depth to every piece, while the musicians gave the evening a vibrant musical pulse. The culmination of a year-long apprenticeship, it demonstrated the continuing evolution of an accomplished artiste - and what thoughtful mentorship can make possible.

Shruthi Mukund is Director of Strategic Partnerships and Special Productions at Washington Performing Arts. Previously, she served as Director of Community Engagement at Olney Theatre Center, where she built its community engagement department and developed innovative programs and partnerships that expanded access and strengthened community relationships. She holds a Master's degree in Arts Management from American University. A respected curator, consultant, and speaker, Shruthi leads the Indian Dance Educators Association, supporting Indian classical dancers, schools, and companies nationwide.