Seasoned Kuchipudi dancer Aparna Satheesan, a senior disciple of Guru Smt. Vyjayanthi Kashi and Girija Chandran have been felicitated with the honorable National Nritya Shiromani Award 2022 as part of the 13th Cuttack Mahotsav, an International festival for dance and Music in Odisha. The event was organized by the Utkal Yuva Sanskrutik Sangh. This is an annual 7-day festival where artists from all over the world showcase their art and also dance and music competitions for upcoming talents.
The National Nritya Shiromani award is an annual award given to eminent dancers and musicians in the world for their excellence and for their immense contribution to the art field. Aparna has also presented a solo Kuchipudi dance recital on January 4th, 2022.
The items Aparna chose to perform revealed not only her adeptness as a powerful dancer but also displayed her choreographic skills. Aparna graciously started her recital with a Ganesha Sthuti, a famous composition of Sri Papanasam Shivan, seeking blessings from Lord Ganesha. Her exceptional choreographic skills are completely visible from the invocatory dance. Aparna then continued the recital with a famous keerthanam on Lord Rama. Aparna is known as the “Queen of expressions” in the art world, an epitome of a complete dancer. She covered the full stage with power, grace and indomitable energy, spreading aesthetic bliss that left the audience in a trance.
Aparna has received several awards and recognitions for her contributions in the dance field. She has presented her talent in world-class stages across the world and has more than 500 stages to her credit. The dancer is now busy with her new dance production on the postpartum emotional journey of a new mother which will be premiered on January 22nd under Soorya Performing Arts banner.