Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam: The Guru
Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam was originally from a traditional family of dancers in the village Kuchipudi, Andhra Pradesh. Dance intermingled in his life, at a very young age, due to the great master Sri Vedantam Lakshimnarayana Sastry. He underwent vigorous training under his cousin, Sri Vempati Pedda Satyam who was a well-established dance director in the film world. He has choreographed and produced more than 180 solo items and 15 dance dramas, which have gained international acclaim. His greatest contributions to the fine arts have been, not only his brilliant choreography but also the systematization of the Kuchipudi repertoire consistent with the treatise of the Natya Sastra. Without sacrificing its native charm, he enhanced the dance form with more classical attributes. He toured extensively across the globe and presented his ballets in many prestigious venues including The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam is a legend of his time as a pioneer and visionary in extending the charm of Kuchipudi across continents.