Kuchipudi, one of India's main classical dance forms, has its origin in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The name 'Kuchipudi' is derived from its birth place, a small village named Kuchelapuram, in Andhra. While the origins of Kuchipudi can be traced to the second century BC, the existing form and features of Kuchipudi are largely credited to Siddendra Yogi of the 14th century. One of his eminent works of dance is 'Bhamakalapam'. Sidhendra Yogi restricted the art of dance to the young Brahmin boys of the village. Only recently have women become important as performers.

The main emphasis of Kuchipudi is footwork that is incredibly fast and rhythmically exacting. There are dance sections of both Nritya, which is the expression of mood through movement and Nritta, which is non-narative, pure dance that is a direct response to rhythm and music. Kuchipudi is often compared to Bharata Natyam, but the style of Kuchipudi is much more sensual and supple. Kuchipudi also has a vigor of motion and an exaggeration of technique, which was probably a result of the early and long-standing influence of Kuchipudi make dancers.