“For me, dance is something that not just brings joy but also fuels my soul. I’ve been expressing myself through folk and classical dance forms right from my childhood.
I learned Andhra Natyam through the guidance of Guru Afzal Pasha and he even encouraged me to learn Perini Natyam from his Guru. I went on to complete the training course of Perini Natyam at Warangal under Guru Kala Krishnan and Kumar. My interest and enthusiasm towards the classical art form captured the eye of the late Guru Nataraj Ramakrishnan and he took me to his dance wing to further train and refine my dancing skills in Perini Natyam.
I obtained my Diploma in Dance in Andhra Natyam and Perini Natyam from Telugu University, Hyderabad. After completing my graduation, I performed Perini Natyam in several cities across India. I have also participated in a few reality shows and won several accolades in the television industry. I was conferred with the Jaya-Vihayadu, an award presented by Guru Nataraj Ramakrishnan. I was even offered to choreograph and conduct Fusion dance classes in a Fitness Centre in Malaysia from 2011 to 2015.
Later I resigned from my job and came back to India to pursue my career in classical dance form, Perini Natyam, full time. I worked on a grand project, 101 Day Nonstop, where I had done 200+ shows of Perini Natyam in different schools and colleges in Telangana.
We covered 31 districts in a span of a year educating students about Perini Natyam.
I used to do three shows every day and on holidays used to perform at the temples as well.
I later started teaching and organizing summer camps and workshops for Schools and Universities.
On 3rd January 2018, I received the Savitribai Phule award for best state dance teacher. Very recently, I was conferred with Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar for Perini Natyam and also received appreciation from PM Narendra Modi ji for my efforts to keep this historical dance alive.
Very recently, we performed at the Ramappa Temple which is a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the occasion of World Heritage Day.
Dance is such an art, once you take the plunge, there is no looking back. Today, when I look back at my journey, I am extremely grateful to all my gurus and well-wishers who extended their support to me to pursue this classical art form.”
- Featuring Ustad Perini Raj Kumar