Hema Venugopalan

🪔 About

Hemamalini Yaddanapudi, known as Hema Venugopalan, is a Kuchipudi dancer, teacher, director, and choreographer of international repute. She began her dance journey at the age of six, learning from her first Guru, Sri Bhagavthula Yagna Narayana Sarmagaru, who hailed from the village of Kuchipudi. Under his tutelage, she earned diplomas in both Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam by the age of fifteen. Hema also pursued higher education in dance, attending the Central University of Hyderabad for the Masters of Performing Arts program in Kuchipudi. She further refined her Kuchipudi style under Bhagavathula Venkata Rama Sarma garu, son of Sarma garu, learning the popular style established by Sri Vempati China Satyam garu. In 2000, Hema founded the Lasyam School of Kuchipudi Dance in Chicago, USA, where she serves as the Artistic Director. Through Lasyam, she has trained numerous students and choreographed a variety of Kuchipudi dance recitals, dramas, and Rangapravesams (solo graduation performances). The school has collaborated with legendary gurus like Pasumarthy Ramalinga Satry garu to bring significant Kuchipudi ballets, such as “Bhamakalapam,” to Chicago, offering students unique learning opportunities. Lasyam students have performed at national conferences of Telugu associations (TANA and ATA) and in original dance ballets like “Seetharama Kalyanam” and “Rasavilasam.” In 2008, Lasyam students participated in an international classical dance collaboration in Cupertino, California, which was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. Beyond her dance career, Hema holds a B.A.B.L. from Nagarjuna University and was selected as a Judge in Andhra Pradesh, India, in 1998. She also earned a Masters of Law degree from Texas Tech University in 2016 and currently works at a non-profit legal aid organization in DuPage County.