The Kuchipudi revolution: How women came to dominate the dance form

Kuchipudi exponent Yamini Reddy enthralled the India Today Woman Summit 2026 with not only her steps but the evolutionary story of the dance itselfAs a performer, educator, choreographer and researcher, Kuchipudi dancer Yamini Reddy has enthralled audiences both nationally and internationally. A recipient of several awards and honours, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, Reddy presented a jaw-dropping ‘Tarana’ performance at the India Today Woman Summit 2026 in New Delhi on August 22.She combined Kuchipudi’s fast, rhythmic footwork with stylised mime, hand gestures and facial expressions. Reddy even danced on the rim of a brass plate and coordinated it with complex rhythmic patterns. Holding the session ‘The female gaze: Revolutionising the arts’, Reddy spoke about how Indian classical dance is a tough art form, mainly dominated by women, though Kuchipudi to begin with was a male-dominated dance. So, how is it that all leading Kuchipudi dancers now are women? Reddy explained how Kuchipudi is a combination of theatrical elements and temple dances and was primarily taught only to Brahmin boys in groups. It was in the 1900s that the dance got revolutionised, was given its solo format, and ever since the first female learnt it, they have completely taken over and now it’s completely female-dominated. THE FEMALE GAZE: REVOLUTIONISING THE ARTS Yamini Reddy, Kuchipudi dancer “These art forms are not just our past. They are our history, and we carry these on our living bodies and pass them onto our next generation.” “These art forms give us our identity and tie us to our Indian roots. If we forget that and don’t support the forms, we are bound to lose our traditions. And it’s not only the artiste’s responsibility to carry forward the tradition.”Subscribe to India Today Magazine- EndsPublished By: Akshita JollyPublished On: Aug 26, 2026 18:48 IST