Ram Gopal: Interweaving Histories of Indian Dance

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Both a biography and a history, this book explores the significant role that Indian dancer Ram Gopal (1912-2003) played in bringing Indian dance to international audiences from the 1930s to the late 1960s. Almost single-handedly, Gopal changed the perception of Indian dance abroad, introducing a global audience to specificity of movement, classically trained dancers, live musicians and exquisitely detailed costumes, modelled from Indian iconography. In this much-needed study of an often-neglected figure, the author unearths a fascinating narrative about Ram Gopal, the individual and the dancer, drawing on interviews with his remaining family, costume-makers, friends, dance partners, fellow dancers and audience members. More broadly, we come to understand the culture of Indian dance at the time, including the politics of the nomenclature and of the nationalist and orientalist discourses, the rapid changes created by the demise of colonialism and the influence of Western styles of dance, such as ballet and modern, in its development.

Author Bio

Ann R David is Emeritus Professor of Dance and Cultural Engagement at the University of Roehampton, UK. She specialises in dance anthropology and South Asian classical and popular dance and her dance training includes ballet, contemporary, folk dance, as well as Bharatanatyam and Kathak.