Sree Mayuri Dance Academy
Kuchipudi · Northeast Ohio
Sree Mayuri Dance Academy brings the classical Kuchipudi tradition of Andhra Pradesh to Northeast Ohio. Under the guidance of Smt. Kalyani Veturi, students learn the rhythm, expression, and storytelling that have been passed from guru to disciple for generations — and carry it to stages across the region.
Every Kuchipudi artist stands on the shoulders of a guru. Sree Mayuri Dance Academy bows to Guru Sree Vedantam Ramalinga Sastry Garu — Sangeetha Nataka Akademi awardee and principal of Kuchipudi Kalakshetram — under whose guidance Kalyani trained, and alongside whom she assisted in summer camps and workshops. The academy's teaching carries that lineage into every classroom and every performance.
Kalyani Veturi began learning Kuchipudi at the age of eight, and has devoted her life to the art form ever since. A graded artist of Doordarshan, India's national television, she has received state and national awards — including honors from YMCA, Samskara Bharathi, and AP Tourism — and has performed in more than one hundred programs at reputed auditoriums across India.
Her notable performances include the dance festival at Pragathi Maidan in Delhi, the Hyderabad Film Festival, the National Games in Hyderabad, the Kuchipudi Aradhana Festival, the International Dance Festival at Oberlin University, and Cavaliers Stadium in Ohio. She has also served as cultural coordinator for the North East Ohio Telugu Association (NEOTA).
Known for her creative choreography and her command of Nattuvangam — the rhythmic conducting at the heart of a Kuchipudi recital — Kalyani teaches with the belief that Kuchipudi is a form of yoga: an art that unites literature, music, sculpture, exercise, and spirituality.
New students begin with the building blocks of Kuchipudi — basic steps (adavus), hand gestures (mudras), posture, and rhythm — in a warm, encouraging setting open to children and adults.
Students deepen their technique with jathis, traditional items, and expressive storytelling (abhinaya), building the stamina and grace the repertoire demands.
Advanced students master complete dance-dramas, perform at festivals and community stages, and prepare for milestones such as the arangetram.
To ask about classes, enrollment, or performance invitations, reach out — we would love to hear from you.
sreemayuridanceacademy@gmail.com · Northeast Ohio