Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi
In 1988 I met a friend who told me about Sahaja Yoga, a way of meditation where the female spiritual energy -
Kundalini within every human being gets awakened and united with the universal divine power. At the young age of 13, I was very interested and curious about spirituality, so I went to my friend´s house to experience my self-realisation.
It was amazing. I felt this energy rise in my spine till the top of my head and I became silent within and my thoughts stopped for a short time. I continued this form of meditation for a year, till I first met Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, the founder of Sahaja Yoga.
A small Indian housewife, with the magnitude of a queen and the love of a Divine Mother. I felt a great joy in my heart and a cool breeze on my palms and above my head. In the company of people from all different countries, cultures and religions, I felt at home and found a global family that shares the same vision of a united world. Shri Mataji taught us the technique or Sahaja Yoga and helped us to find our inner balance in modern times of turmoil.
For the first time, I had the opportunity to perform for her at a seminar in Austria in 1990. It was my own choreography to Dvoraks "New World" which symbolised the new world I found in Sahaja Yoga. Shri Mataji said that my heart was completely surrendered, while I was dancing. And that absolutely described how I felt, one with the music, the movements and the divine energy.
In 1991 I travelled on a India tour with Shri Mataji. The first stop was Madras where we watched an inspiring Kuchipudi performance, done by the students of Dr.Vempati Chinna Satyam.
I was amazed by the strong and deep expressions of the dancers, something I always missed in western dance. Shri Mataji was a great promoter of Indian art. She blessed master Dr. Vempati and visited his Kuchipudi Arts Academy.
In my last year of high school Shri Mataji visited Austria once again. Some children and I performed a short Indian dance about Shri Ganesha for her. After that she advised me to study classical Indian dance.
In 1994 at the occasion of Mahashivaratri in her house in Pune, India, Shri Mataji talked to me at lengths about Indian dance. She told me to learn Kuchipudi and said that it is the most vivid style that resembles the" Ananda Tandava" the cosmic dance of Shri Shiva.
After studying at the Kuchipudi Arts Academy, I had many opportunities to dance for Shri Mataji in private and public gatherings. The last time I performed for her was when she visited Austria in 2009.
Shri Mataji continues and will continue to inspire me and I wish to spread her love and devotion through my dance.
Get to know more:
www.shrimataji.org
www.sahajayoga.org/
Kishore Mosalikanti
Sri Mosalikanti Jaikishore hails from an artist's family, the son of Chennai violinist Sri M.S. Rao. He began his dance career at the age of seven under Padmabhushan Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam of the Kuchipudi Art Academy, Chennai.
In the 18 years he trained under his guru, he became an accomplished dancer with an uncanny understanding of the nuances of the art. In recognition as an excellent performer and an understanding teacher, Jaikishore was awarded the title 'NATYA VISHAARADA,' by Kuchipudi Arts Academy in March 1999, and the title of ‘YUVA KALA VIPANCHEE’ by the Vipanchee Trust headed by PadmaVibhushan Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna in December 2004.
Jaikishore is highly regarded by students and teachers alike for his inspiring teaching
methods. He served as a teacher at the Kuchipudi Art Academy for four years,
from 1996 and 2000.
Since 1996, he has traveled to the United States every year to conduct workshops at established Kuchipudi schools in St. Louis, Dallas and Washington, D.C. In his own compositions, he has honored the precedents set by his guru while seeking to establish his own unique style with the innovative use of rhythm and rhythmic variations. His body of choreography includes over thirty solo pieces,
several thematic presentations, and dance dramas.
All his choreographies were critically acclaimed by scholars, critics and connoisseurs of arts. His in-depth knowledge of music and rhythm, logically explained aesthetics to the present dance world and a complete command over the dance form to make it speak the language he wishes to express, makes Kishore a highly sought-after choreographer.
Master Vempati Chinna Satyam
Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam the Maestro of Kuchipudi! 1929-2012
Born in a traditional family of dancers in the village of Kuchipudi, in Andhra Pradesh, Vempati followed the path of tradition. He became a student of the legendary Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Shastra. He was overfilled with the desire to carry Kuchipudi out of the limits of the traditional village.
At the age of 18 he went, by foot, to Madras, the cultural Mecca of South India. Vempati refined and redefined Kuchipudi bringing it completely within the boundaries of the Natya Shastra, the oldest available treatise on dance. Without sacrificing its pristine purity he gave Kuchipudi more classical and sophisticated look.
In 1963 Vempati founded the "Kuchipudi Arts Academy" in Madras where he trained many students. Among them were such legendary dancers as Vyjayanthimala Bali, Jamini Krishhnamurti, Manju Bhargavi, Shobha Naidu, Hemma Malini, Kamadev and others.
Dr Vempati Chinna Satyam choreographed 17 dance dramas and composed around 180 solo dances.
In his first dance drama "Ksheera Sagara Madanam" he danced the lead role. This portrayal of Lord Shiva and his brilliant choreography was received with thunderous
In 1971 he made his first overseas tour to England and France. Then South America, the Caribbean Islands followed by an endless stream of trips in almost all parts of the world.
In 1991 he and his students performend in front of H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi. Enamoured by his graceful style and his free teaching she visited the Kuchipudi Arts Academy and advocated this pure and spiritual dance form to her disciples. Many of them studied under the tutelage of Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam and now promote and teach Kuchipudi in different parts of the world.
Dr.Vempaty Chinna Satyam passed away on 29 July 2012.
It is an great loss for the world of dance. But his legacy will live on in his choreographies and in the dance of his students and will continue to inspire generations.