ODE TO THE MASTERS -8
- Nirvikalpa
- Aug 13
- 10 min read
A Dancer is the Dance. No dance is separate from a dancer, no dancer is separate from the dance. This Quote definitely suits my dear Guru. Shri.Kishore Musalikanti ji , what to say about him? He is the perfect teacher/Acharya, he understands all of his students , he is the perfect teacher when he is teaching and other times he is more like a family, he always has treated me like a sister, that is Kishore anna for you.
I started my journey in Kuchipudi with the Kuchipudi Arts Academy when it was located at Panagal Park during my 7th standard, and I continued my training there for three years until the classes were relocated. Unable to travel long distances, I pursued my passion by learning from various teachers. Sri Udaikanth, who used to come and take classes for me before he shifted to Hyderabad, I had sessions with Sathyapriya Akka, and I also had the opportunity to learn and collaborate with Smt. Balatripurasundari, a wonderful Kuchipudi dancer. Despite these avenues facilitating my involvement in Kuchipudi, I longed for the perfect teacher. Many pointed me towards Kishore Anna, including Singer Ramesh Chetty Sir, who recommended me to him, with several others vouching for me. After a year of trying to connect, I finally met him in 2000 at Narada Gana Sabha during Navaratri. I introduced myself and directly requested to join his classes.
He asked me to start after Navaratri butI had some performances lined up, and Kishore Anna immediately asked if I could manage the classes while also being a Bharatanatyam performer. But my desire to continue with Kuchipudi was strong, so he agreed to teach me. During our first class, he mentioned that he had heard a lot about my abhinaya. Initially, he refined some of the older compositions I had learned, and then he introduced me to a new piece, Ksheera Sagara Sayana, one of my Mastergaru’s favourites. Learning this composition was a profound experience — it felt like I was diving into a divine ocean. Kishore Anna’s teaching was remarkable; he guided me with such clarity, deeply understanding the nuances of abhinaya. His insight into the composition and choreography was extraordinary. He explained, inch by inch, how Vempatti Master must have conceptualised it and what he, as a choreographer, intended to convey at each specific moment. This is how I learned the piece, through his meticulous and insightful guidance.
I started my journey in Kuchipudi with the Kuchipudi Arts Academy when it was located at Panagal Park during my 7th standard, and I continued my training there for three years until the classes were relocated. Unable to travel long distances, I pursued my passion by learning from various teachers. Sri Udaikanth, who used to come and take classes for me before he shifted to Hyderabad, I had sessions with Sathyapriya Akka, and I also had the opportunity to learn and collaborate with Smt. Balatripurasundari, a wonderful Kuchipudi dancer. Despite these avenues facilitating my involvement in Kuchipudi, I longed for the perfect teacher. Many pointed me towards Kishore Anna, including Singer Ramesh Chetty Sir, who recommended me to him, with several others vouching for me. After a year of trying to connect, I finally met him in 2000 at Narada Gana Sabha during Navaratri. I introduced myself and directly requested to join his classes.
He asked me to start after Navaratri butI had some performances lined up, and Kishore Anna immediately asked if I could manage the classes while also being a Bharatanatyam performer. But my desire to continue with Kuchipudi was strong, so he agreed to teach me. During our first class, he mentioned that he had heard a lot about my abhinaya. Initially, he refined some of the older compositions I had learned, and then he introduced me to a new piece, Ksheera Sagara Sayana, one of my Mastergaru’s favourites. Learning this composition was a profound experience — it felt like I was diving into a divine ocean. Kishore Anna’s teaching was remarkable; he guided me with such clarity, deeply understanding the nuances of abhinaya. His insight into the composition and choreography was extraordinary. He explained, inch by inch, how Vempatti Master must have conceptualised it and what he, as a choreographer, intended to convey at each specific moment. This is how I learned the piece, through his meticulous and insightful guidance.
I started my journey in Kuchipudi with the Kuchipudi Arts Academy when it was located at Panagal Park during my 7th standard, and I continued my training there for three years until the classes were relocated. Unable to travel long distances, I pursued my passion by learning from various teachers. Sri Udaikanth, who used to come and take classes for me before he shifted to Hyderabad, I had sessions with Sathyapriya Akka, and I also had the opportunity to learn and collaborate with Smt. Balatripurasundari, a wonderful Kuchipudi dancer. Despite these avenues facilitating my involvement in Kuchipudi, I longed for the perfect teacher. Many pointed me towards Kishore Anna, including Singer Ramesh Chetty Sir, who recommended me to him, with several others vouching for me. After a year of trying to connect, I finally met him in 2000 at Narada Gana Sabha during Navaratri. I introduced myself and directly requested to join his classes.
He asked me to start after Navaratri butI had some performances lined up, and Kishore Anna immediately asked if I could manage the classes while also being a Bharatanatyam performer. But my desire to continue with Kuchipudi was strong, so he agreed to teach me. During our first class, he mentioned that he had heard a lot about my abhinaya. Initially, he refined some of the older compositions I had learned, and then he introduced me to a new piece, Ksheera Sagara Sayana, one of my Mastergaru’s favourites. Learning this composition was a profound experience — it felt like I was diving into a divine ocean. Kishore Anna’s teaching was remarkable; he guided me with such clarity, deeply understanding the nuances of abhinaya. His insight into the composition and choreography was extraordinary. He explained, inch by inch, how Vempatti Master must have conceptualised it and what he, as a choreographer, intended to convey at each specific moment. This is how I learned the piece, through his meticulous and insightful guidance.
Under Kishore Anna’s guidance, I had the privilege of performing with him on nattuvangam at prestigious venues like Parthasarathy Swamy Sabha, Brahma Gana Sabha, Mylapore Fine Arts Club, and many others. In 2007, when he decided to form a group, he invited me to join, and I was overjoyed to be a part of it. This group wasn’t just for performing; we spent 4–5 months learning new compositions before our debut at the Ananya Festival. From there, we went on to perform at numerous venues and major festivals, including the Music Academy for two years and Kalakshetra.
Interestingly, I was the shortest member of the group, which often posed a challenge for Anna when placing me on stage. I would either be positioned at the front, requiring him to find a partner for me, or in the middle. One of the most memorable experiences was performing the composition Shiva Shiva Bhava Bhava as a group, with Kishore Anna eventually joining us on stage. Dancing alongside him was truly overwhelming. The moment when he took on the role of Shiva and I portrayed Bhagiratha felt like I had achieved something monumental. The way he taught me to embody that role is something I cherish deeply.
For a program in Delhi, Sri Aadith Narayanan was supposed to be the nattuvanar for Kishore Anna’s group. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, he couldn’t attend, and Kishore Anna asked me to step in for the nattuvangam during the first composition. This marked a beautiful new stage in my journey with him, where I had the honour of doing nattuvangam for my Vaadiyaar. It was a wonderful experience.
One quality of Kishore Anna that I haven’t seen in anyone else is his meticulous approach to explaining things. He has a clear system for communicating with musicians — whether it’s a mridangist, vocalist, violinist, or veena player. He explains everything so beautifully and ensures they know exactly when and where to come in. Even if something is missed, he patiently reviews it with them. This responsibility of the nattuvanar, which he fulfilled wonderfully, is something he instilled in me as well. With this clarity, he taught me how to do nattuvangam. He would sit with me, provide notes, practice before rehearsals, and guide me with immense dedication and hard work.
In 2014, Anna called me with surprising news. He told me that Sundaram Mama had asked him to choreograph Kuchipudi for the Bhagavatham at the Cleveland Festival. Since Kishore Anna wasn’t available at that time, Sundaram Mama asked him to train me and send me to teach instead. Without hesitation, Kishore Anna said yes. This request came after 15 years of being with him — as his student, a performer under him, having performed alongside him, and even doing nattuvangam for him. Now, I was being asked to step in during his absence.
I have to admit, I was terrified, and I didn’t understand where Anna got his confidence in me. By this point, I already knew I was more inclined toward Bharatanatyam, and I preferred being a student and performer in Kuchipudi rather than taking on teaching responsibilities. I liked relying on Anna. When I asked him, “Do you think I can do it?” he reassured me, saying that he would handle everything — I just needed to go and teach them. He even promised to join in on Zoom to help and support me.
This turned out to be an incredible experience for me, one that I am deeply thankful for. I have to thank Sundaram Mama for this opportunity and, most of all, Kishore Anna, who believed in me and sent me there. It was my very first trip to the USA, and it was both successful and fulfilling.
Later on, I had the privilege of performing solo Kuchipudi under Anna’s guidance, with him on the nattuvangam, at festivals like the Nishagandhi Festival, Kalamandalam Festival, and many more. However, as time passed, our schedules started to conflict, making it increasingly difficult for me to attend classes regularly.
In 2017, for the Cleveland Festival, Anna was choreographing Navavidha Bhakthi while I was also working on choreographing Rukmani Vivaham for Bharatanatyam. Despite my busy schedule, when Anna asked if I could join the dance for his piece while continuing to teach my choreography, I agreed immediately. Together, we figured out a proper schedule. Learning how to manage my time effectively was one of the many invaluable lessons I gained from Anna. From him, I didn’t just learn dance; I learned how to guide, teach, and systematically organise everything. His expertise in choreography is truly unparalleled, whether musically or rhythmically, and I have always admired his mastery of Hasta-Abhinayam and his ability to establish Sthayi Bhava with such depth.
What I found particularly remarkable was how, even when he performed the same composition, Anna would always add something special to it — each time bringing a different flavour to the performance. For Navavidha Bhakthi, he choreographed each type of bhakthi in a unique way: one as a group performance, another as a duet, one structured like a natakam, and one as an ekaharya patram where different roles were portrayed in a single performance. For the Bhakthi of Smaranam, he chose the Draupadi Vastrabhaharanam sequence and entrusted it to me. This was a huge moment in my life. The way Anna taught me to embody this character was nothing short of mind-blowing. I still remember the Shakuni walk he demonstrated — I tried my very best to recreate it.
Anna was meticulous about every detail, especially when it came to character transitions. I gave it my all, even though I knew there were areas where I could improve. This experience added another feather to my cap, enriching my journey as a dancer. Performing the Smaranam segment solo for about 15 minutes was an unforgettable experience, and I then joined the group for the thillana afterward.
One of the most remarkable experiences was the production we did called Trayee. I approached Anna with a wish to create a production that featured both Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi as a Jugalbandhi. My idea was to start with Bharatanatyam and end with Kuchipudi in the same program. Initially, when I shared this idea with him, he felt it might be too much, especially with the costume changes and everything involved. But when I requested him to reconsider, he came up with the beautiful concept of Trayee.
This production centered around the musical trinity — Thyagaraja, Shyama Shastri, and Muthuswami Dikshitar — and how they sang in praise of Kanchi Kamakshi. In Dikshitar’s kriti “Kanchadalayadakshi,” we incorporated the Jugalbandhi, with Shyama Shastri’s composition for Bharatanatyam and Thyagaraja’s composition for Kuchipudi. Anna started the performance with a Mallari and concluded with a Thillana. It was an incredible privilege for me to choreograph alongside him. While he choreographed the Kuchipudi segments, I choreographed the Bharatanatyam parts to perform with my students.
The first performance of Trayee was at Bharat Kalachar. Leela Sekhar from IDA, after watching it, immediately offered us a slot in Narada Gana Sabha for her festival. There, we presented just the Jugalbandhi section of “Kanchadalayadakshi.” We performed the same production again in 2019, this time with Shyama Shastri’s “Kamakshi Stuthi” for Bharatanatyam. That festival also went exceptionally well.
One thing about Anna is that whenever someone seeks his advice, he gives it wholeheartedly. Even for Bharatanatyam productions, if they approach him sincerely, he offers such detailed feedback — pointing out what works, what doesn’t, why certain aspects might not be effective, and what can be done to improve them. As his student, I’ve received countless suggestions and guidance from him. He’s truly a loving and caring person. Anna has accompanied me on numerous tours and has even done nattuvangam for me in Bharatanatyam. This generous spirit isn’t reserved just for me; he’s been the same with senior dancers like Shailaja, Uma Murali, and Deepika Reddy as well.
Anna’s down-to-earth personality shines through in his willingness to help others, and I owe everything to him — my improvements, my achievements, all of it is because of him.
Gurur Brahmā Gurur Viṣṇur Gurur devo MaheśvaraḥGuruḥ sākṣāt paraṁ Brahma tasmai śrī gurave namaḥ.
He has been the Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara in my life and my journey in natyam, always standing by me and guiding me. Even today, whenever I achieve something and message him, he responds immediately with his good wishes.
I wish I had joined Anna earlier and had the opportunity to be his student for a longer time. Even though our time together was brief, it was an incredibly enriching learning experience. I deeply admire Anna for everything he does — his exceptional nattuvangam skills, his remarkable personality, his organisational abilities, and his unwavering confidence in his art. I aspire to follow in his footsteps forever. Thank you, Anna, for being such a great pillar in my life!
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