Yashoda Thakore

🪔 About

Dr. Yashoda Thakore is an acclaimed and accomplished Indian classical dancer, scholar, and teacher, renowned for her expertise in Kuchipudi and Devadasi Nrityam. She is widely regarded for her innovative classicism and her efforts to reclaim and promote the art of the Kalavantulu, a community of hereditary women dancers. Thakore's extensive training in Kuchipudi spanned 14 years under eminent gurus such as Padmasri Sobha Naidu and Padmabhushan Vempati Chinna Satyam. She further expanded her horizons by training with Padmabhushan Swapna Sundari. A significant part of her artistic journey involves learning directly from Kalavantulu women, including Annabattula Mangatayaru and Leelasai, to revive the art of her family's heritage. Academically, Yashoda Thakore holds a Master's degree in dance and a Doctoral degree in Yoga and Dance from the University of Hyderabad, with her research focusing on the interrelationship between Yoga and Indian Classical Dances. She has translated the 13th-century Sanskrit treatise on dance, NṛttaRatnāvali, into English in association with Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao, published in 2013. Her critical edition of NṛttaRatnāvali has been approved for publication by IGNCA, Government of India. Thakore is also the author of the book "Kaivalya-Joy in Yoga and Dance," published in 2014. As an educator, she founded the Rinda Saranya Kuchipudi Dance Academy in 1997, where she trains students in Kuchipudi, music, and yoga, emphasizing the importance of research in dance. She is currently the Chair of the Department of Kuchipudi at the University of Silicon Andhra, California, where she teaches dance history, theory, and practice to graduate students. Thakore has also served as Guest Faculty at the Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad, and as Adjunct Faculty at BITS-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus. She has performed and conducted lecture-demonstrations globally, including at The Nehru Centre in London, the Indian High Commission in Dubai, and various prestigious festivals in India. Awards & Honours: Bangalore Nagaratnamma award (2017), Ugadi Puraskaram (2017), Doctoral degree (PhD in Kuchipudi dance), Gold Medal MA Dance, Women Achiever (2002).