November 21 , 2007

With blessings from well known dancer Padmasree Smt. Sobha Naidu, Natyanjali Kuchipdi Dance School had their kick off meeting recently in Plano, Texas to host “Kalyana Srinivasam” a dance ballet. The following members of Natyanjali dance school - Vasanth Suri, Srilatha Suri, Uma Yalamanchi, Madhavi Sunkara,Vidya Mahankali, Sanjeev Bode, Sarita Bode, Rajeev Gandhi, Sunita Gandhi, Datri Shah, Sujatha Reddy, Indira Paruchuri, Rima Niyogi, Prasad Vadlamani, Bhaskar Phalgun and Arpitha Cherukuri have participated in this kick-off meeting and gave their valuable suggestion to make this program a grand success. This dance ballet is choreographed by Padmasree Sobha Naidu and directed by Srilatha Suri, director of Natyanjali dance school. It will showcase the talents of senior professional Kuchipudi artists and the skill of students of Natyanjali Kuchipudi Dance School. This ballet will be performed on March 08, 2008, at 5:30 PM at Granville Arts Center, in the city of Garland, TX. For tickets and more information, contact Srilatha Suri at 972-334-9609 or email – [email protected].

Kalyana Srinivasam is the grandest Kuchipudi (India’s prominent classical dance forms, known for its intricate footwork, graceful movements) dance drama conceived to date with numerous characters in dazzling costumes and jewelry, depicting the story of celestial wedding of Lord Srinivasa with Goddess Padmavati. Enjoy this show with elaborate backdrops, lilting music and watch characters such as elephant, parrot, cow, calf and eagle come to life on stage.

All members attended have concluded that this will be a veritable feast for the eyes and ears of dance lovers of Dallas/Fort Worth metropolis area!

Natyanjali Kuchipudi Dance School, established in Plano, TX by Srilatha Suri, a senior disciple of Padmashree Dr. Shobha Naidu, with the mission to encourage and promote the exquisiteness of Kuchipudi in the DFW metroplex. Natyanjali Kuchipudi Dance School offers training to students in this art through solo pieces, classical dance dramas, conducts workshops by eminent teachers from India. By learning the technical and theoretical aspects of dance and performing in several shows, students develop the needed artistic ability to further cultivate their interest in this Kuchipudi form of dance.

Srilatha initially underwent intensive training in Bharatanatyam. After watching Dr. Sobha Naidu’s scintillating performance, she was inspired to learn Kuchipudi and joined Dr. Sobha Naidu’s Kuchipudi Academy in Hyderabad, India. After rigorous training, she was awarded a “Natya Visharadha”. As part of her Guru’s entourage, she not only gave several performances in India, but also performed extensively in different countries, including a coast-to-coast expedition of the United States and Trinidad and Tobago extensively with her guru at a very young age.

Her major accomplishments since then include:

In 2006,  Srilatha and her students Collaborated with Natya Kala Ratna Pasumarthi Venkateshwara Sharma to present Mohini Bhasmasura to Telugu Association of North America on Diwali celebrations. Presented Nrityaparampara, performance by her daughters Pranamya and Pranhuti Suri in Ravindrabharathi, India an evening dedicated to legacy of dance and honored her Guru Padmasri Sobha Naidu.

In 2004, choreographed, directed and performed along with students in Telugu Tejam for Silicon Andhra. Directed several dance items, including folk items for Bay Area organizations such as BATA, Silicon Andhra, Livermore Hindu Temple, Nrityanivali and Bala Bharathi and TANTEX.

Her students won first and second prizes in dance competitions. Her students have participated in various cultural organizations programs and fundraisers/charitable shows as well.

In 2002, conceived, choreographed and performed in the lead role in the ballet “Shiva Ganga”. Shiva Ganga was a ballet which attempted to raise awareness of present day pollution of the river Ganges. The performance, witnessed by audience of 3000 people, including the Mayor of Cupertino, CA, won her the recognition of “Silicon Andhra Nritya Bharathi”.