Uma Rama Rao is an Indian Kuchipudi dancer, choreographer, research scholar, author and dance teacher. She is also the founder and director of Lasya Priya Dance Academy, established in 1985 in Hyderabad, India.
Background
Uma was born on 4 July 1938 to Dr. V. V.Krishna Rao and Sowbhagyam in a 'Vaddadi' family. She started training in dance from the age of 5 years from gurus like Acharya P.V. Narasimha Rao, Padmasri Dr. Nataraja Rama Krishna, Brahmasri Vedantam Lakshmi Narayana Sastri, Guru Pakkiriswami Pillai and Guru C.R .Acharya in Kuchipudi, Bharata Natyam and Ritual Dance traditions.
She had a sister, Sumathy Kaushal, with whom she performed in several places under the personal guidance of her gurus. Besides, she studied at Osmania University, Hyderabad.
Career
Uma choreographed a number of solo items, dance dramas based on the lyrics of great composers of yester years and contemporary writers of today, with innovative spirit. Her plays such as Sri Thyagaraja's Nauka Charitra, Prahlada Bhakti Vijayam,King Shahaji's Sankara and Vishnu Pallaki Seva prabandhams, Vighneswara Kalyanam, Narayana Theertha's Sadhvi Rukmini, Matrubhutayya's Parijatapaharanam, Kakuturi Padmavati's Mandakini and Siva Katyayani showed her multifaceted choreographic talent.
Besides, Uma worked at Sri Tyagaraja Government college of music and Dance in Hyderabad as a senior Lecturer in Dance from 1969 to 1988. Some time later she became the head of the department of Dance in the capacity of Associate Professor in Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad.