Balancing a demanding corporate career with her passion for classical dance, Kum. Sheetal Rapole impressed audiences with a poised and accomplished Kuchipudi debut at Ravindra Bharati, Hyderabad. Her performance stood out for its aesthetic depth, technical precision, and confident presentation of both nritta and abhinaya.
Kum. Sheetal Rapole mesmerised the audience by presenting rare and refined elements in her Kuchipudi debut performance. Currently working as a tax consultant at Deloitte, Sheetal has been pursuing her passion for traditional classical Kuchipudi alongside her professional career. Having already impressed audiences through several group performances, she delivered a brilliant solo debut and earned widespread appreciation.
On Friday, Sheetal Rapole, a disciple of renowned Kuchipudi guru Rohini Kandala, made her Kuchipudi debut at Ravindra Bharati under the aegis of the Kuchipudi School of Lasyanga. She showcased her rhythmic command with a competent and graceful performance of Bho Shambho keertanam in Revathi ragam.
The recital began with an invocatory hymn to Gana Ganapate, followed by a compelling presentation of Prahlada Pattabhishekam, which received a standing ovation from the audience. In the raga malika Siggayenamma, Sheetal performed the entry sequence of Bhama Kalapam, portraying the character of Satyabhama with finesse and expressive depth.
Narayana Teerdula’s Nanda Nanda Gopala in Dhanyasree ragam and Smara Sundarangu’s keertanams in Paras ragam were rendered with engaging hava, bhava, griva abhinaya, and vinyasas, keeping the audience thoroughly entertained.
Veludanda Nithyananda Rao, Vice Chancellor of Telugu University and the chief guest, remarked that Sheetal’s performance did not appear that of a debutante and praised her maturity, skill, and confident execution of all aspects of the recital. He also appreciated the quality of musical support and grooming.
Bhagavathula Sethuram, who inaugurated the event by lighting the ceremonial lamp, expressed his happiness and congratulated Sheetal’s guru Rohini Kandala, stating that it was a matter of pride for any teacher to claim such a talented disciple.
Madhusudan Penna, Director of the Osmania University Sanskrit Academy, Deputy Director K. Varalakshmi, and eminent dance teachers Anupama Kailash and S. P. Bharti, along with other distinguished guests, attended the programme and congratulated Sheetal Rapole.
The musical ensemble featured nattuvangam by Rohini Kandala, vocals by Mantha Srinivas, mridangam by S. Nageswara Rao, violin by K. Anil Kumar, flute by K. Uma Venkateswarlu, and special effects by R. Srikanth. Suresh Rao’s grooming and Basavaraj’s lighting design added a special visual charm to the performance.
At the conclusion of the recital, Kum. Sheetal Rapole, accompanied by her parents Srilekha and Pramod Kumar, paid traditional respects to her guru Rohini Kandala, expressing deep gratitude and devotion. The programme was compered by Srilata Naraparaju and Keertana Reddy.
