Kavitha Cheedalla

🪔 About

Kavitha Cheedalla is a dedicated Kuchipudi dancer and teacher, currently serving as the acting Director of Kalamandapam, a Kuchipudi school located in Fairfax, Virginia, USA. Her journey into classical dance began in 1999 when she enrolled as a student at Kalamandapam, alongside her daughter, fulfilling a childhood dream. She started teaching at the same institution in 2005, a role she credits with helping her refine her own dance technique and develop patience. Cheedalla's training in Kuchipudi has been under the tutelage of several esteemed gurus. Her initial guru was Madhavapeddi Murthy, and she also learned from Mrinalini Sadananda, who founded Kalamandapam. Other significant teachers include Sathyapriya Ramana, Pasumarthy Vithal, Bala KondalaRao, and Bhagavathula Srinivasa Sarma. She deeply admires and draws inspiration from her guru, Mrinalini Sadananda, and her brother, Subhash Vinjamuri, recognizing their collaborative efforts in creating numerous dance ballets. As a teacher, Cheedalla focuses on helping students build stamina, maintain energy levels, and master the basics of Kuchipudi. She acknowledges the challenges of balancing the practice of older dances with teaching new items within a weekly class, especially given students' involvement in multiple extracurricular activities. Her commitment to the art form and her students is evident in her continuous efforts to nurture the next generation of Kuchipudi dancers in Northern Virginia.