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P Venkateswara Sharma
A Kuchipudi dancer, symbolizes the powerful characters with authoritarian glimpses, heavy gestures and movements.

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P  Venkateswara Sharma,  Indian DancerPasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma is a far famed Kuchipudi dancer, who is well known for symbolizing villainous characters with overbearing glances and heavy gestures. His role as Keechaka in his Kuchipudi Nritya Natika Keechaka Vadha raised him to the fame. Kumarasambhavam, Mahisasuramardhini and Varudhini Pravarakhya are other ballets to name a few in which the maestro has choreographed. To create these productions, he has drawn inspiration from the Kuchipudi Yakshaganas and from the masculine roles of the anti-heroes.

Venkateswara Sharma has been esteemed for his perfect blend of the villain and the jester. Most importantly, he commingles a fascinating tale with a unique manner. The audiences have appreciated his performances in a thorough manner One of a good example is the Keechaka Vadha. To his credit this maestro has numerous well-trained students. Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma has also made his mark as a teacher. Since the year 1980, he is teaching the Kuchipudi dance. His students also actively participate in nritya natikas under the production of "Sri Bala Tripura Sundari Kuchipudi Natya Kalakshetram", a school of Kuchipudi dance established by Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma.

"Natyacharya" Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma originally belongs to the lineage of Kuchipudi exponents of Kuchipudi village of Andhra Pradesh. To the couple Sri P.V. Chalapathi Sharma and Smt. Saraswathi in Kuchipudi Village, Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma was born. After completing his graduation in Commerce, he dedicated his fullest to the art form of Kuchipudi. He also obtained diploma in Kuchipudi dance. Under the able tutorship of Sri Vedantam Radheshyam and Sri P.V.G.Krishna Sarma, he got induction in Kuchipudi Dance. Later on he received an extended training under the legendary Kuchipudi exponent Padmabhushan Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam.

P  Venkateswara Sharma,  Indian Dancer Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma rose to the excellence as an artist, a teacher and as a Choreographer. As an artist under the aegis of Sri P.V.G.Krishna Sarma, he has made his inaugural performances in the dance ballet `Parvathi Parinayam`. Siddendra Kalakshetram conducted this dance ballet in the year 1977. He has been playacting many solo dances comprising of Sabdas, Keertanas, Tarangam, Daruvulu, Padas, Astapadi, Javali, Tillana, Gopika Krishna, Sivatandavam, Bhamakalapam etc after the first performance in 1977. He has done various roles as a Yakshagana performer, in the groups conducted by Sri P.V.G.Krishna Sarma and late Sri Vedantam Prahlada Sarma. The roles, he has performed in various ballets are Tarakasura, in Parvathi Parinayam, Banasura, Siva and Parvathi in Ushaparinayam, Hiranyakasyapa in Prahalada and Sri Krishna in Bhamakalapam.

Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma has choreographed various popular ballets like Mahishasuramardhini, Keechakavadha, Varudhini Pravarakhya, Tulasi Jalandara, Vasavi Kanyaka Parameswari, Dakha Yagnam, and Tadhagatha. He has performed the roles Mahishasura, Keechaka, Pravarakhya, Jhalandara, Vishnuvardhana and Ghandharva, Daksha and Mara & Angulimala respectively. He has also played different roles in the dance dramas that were choreographed by his guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam. The role of Bhrugu Maharshi, Akasa Raju, & Chola Raju in `Srinivasa Kalyanam`; Daksha & Vatu in `Haravilasam`; Sisupala & Agni Jyotna in `Rukmini Kalyanam`; Sage Gowtama in `Ardhanareeswaram`; Sage Durvasa in `Sakuntalam` has been played by him.

As a choreographer, he has choreographed many ballets. The ballets choreographed by him are Parvathiparinayam (1985), Mahishasura Mardhini (1986), Daksha Yagnam (1987), Keechakavada (1987), Sati Tulasi (1988), Vasavi (1990), Varudhini Pravarakhya (1995), Tadhagatha (1998) and Kundalakesi (1999). In those ballets, he has performed along with his students..

Sri Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sharma has been conferred many honours and appreciations at various places as a recognition of his talent. To him, the most remarkable honor is the acknowledgement and admiration of Akila Bharatha Kuchipudi Natya Kalamandali. In the year 1999, he has also been congratulated with a title of "Natya Kala Ratna" at Hyderabad. In the year 1997, "Aradhana", the famous Cultural Association, also awarded him for his contribution to Kuchipudi dance. Sri Pasumarthy Venkateswara Sarma toured Germany in the year 1992 and USA in the year 1998, in accompaniment of his Guru Dr. Vempati Chinna Satyam, and staged several dance ballets. His performances have been well appreciated.

PV Sarma has been nominated by Department of Culture, Ministry of HRD(Government of India) as a `Senior Fellowship Awardee` for a period of two years (March, 2000 - March, 2002). This fellowship was given to him mainly to conduct research on `comparative study between Yakshagana and Nritya Natika`


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