In a patriarchal society, women's integrity is often diminished through oversimplified la-bels like emotional, bossy, and irrational. "Stree" confronts this challenge by reimaging the concept of female energy through the historically male only dance form of Kuchipudi and exploring Hindu iconography.
The performance takes a fresh perspec-tive on revered Goddesses like Saraswati, Rukmini, Alamelu Manga, and Dur-ga, aiming to unveil their intricate, complex, and powerful characteristics. By refram-ing traditional compositions, "Stree" seeks to challenge stereotypes and foster a deeper appreciation for the complexity and strength inherent in female energy.
Vedya Spurthi Konda is a senior discple of Sri JaiKishore & Smt. Padmavani Mosalikanti, having had her formative training under Guru Smt. Himabindu Challa. Vedya Spurthi has performed on numerous stages across the United States, India, Hong Kong, Canada, and Mexico.
She has also danced as a part of the Shivamohanam ensemble at the 16th Annual Madras Music Academy Dance Festival, the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Center, and the 2022 Konark Dance Festival. Vedya Spurthi is a 2017 National YoungArts Foundation Winner, the 2018 Saptami Foundation National 1st prize winner in Kuchipudi, and a recipient of the 2021 Alliance for California Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Grant. She holds a Diplo-ma in Kuchipudi from the University of Silicon Andhra and a Senior Certificate in Kuchipu-di from SAMPADA and Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University. Vedya Spurthi is current-ly pursuing her master's degree at the University of Pennsylvania.