Manju Hemamalini

🪔 About

Manju Hemamalini Chavali is a renowned Kuchipudi dancer, instructor, choreographer, and author, dedicated to the Indian classical dance form. Her journey in dance began at the age of five, training in Guntur under Sri Chinta Adi Narayana Sarma. At thirteen, she was hand-picked by the legendary Padmabhushan Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam to train under him in Chennai, where she immersed herself in the art form for over twelve years. By the age of eighteen, she was appointed as a resident instructor at Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam's Kuchipudi Art Academy. Hemamalini holds a Master of Performing Arts degree from the Central University of Hyderabad. She is an ICCR empanelled artist and a Grade A Doordarshan artist. Her career has seen her perform at major festivals across India, including the Khajuraho Festival and Sangeet Natak Academy Festivals, and internationally in countries such as the USA, Canada, Germany, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Greece, and Sri Lanka. She has choreographed over 25 original pieces, six tarangams (plate dances), and ten dance ballets, and has supervised over 15 Ranga Pravesams. Beyond performing and choreographing, she also provides professional consultancy to the Cultural Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, for producing dance ballets. In 2011, Hemamalini founded the Guru Parampara School of Arts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, with the objective of spreading Kuchipudi dance and Carnatic music. She also established Naadam, a non-profit organization, to promote humanity and equality through dance and music. Awards & Honours: Natya Visharada, Nritya Tarangini, Swarna (2006), Sang Ratu Ugrasena.