The Celestial Dancers


Book Description

The Celestial Dancers: Manipuri Dance on Australian Stage charts the momentous journey of the popularization of Manipur’s Hindu dances in Australia. Tradition has it that the people of Manipur, a northeastern state of India, are descended from the celestial gandharvas, dance and music blessed among them as a God’s gift. The intricately symbolic Hindu dances of Manipur in their original religious forms were virtually unseen and unknown outside India until an Australian impresario, Louise Lightfoot, brought them to the stage in the 1950s. Her experimental changes through a pioneering collaboration with dancers Rajkumar Priyagopal Singh and Ibetombi Devi modernized Manipuri dance for presentation on a global stage. This partnership moved Manipur’s Hindu dances from the sphere of ritualistic temple practice to a formalized stage art abroad. Amit Sarwal chronicles how this movement, as in the case of other prominent Indian classical dances and dancers, enabled both Manipuri dance and dancers to gain recognition worldwide. This book is ideal for anyone with an interest in Hindu temple dance, Manipur dance, cross-cultural collaborations and the globalizing of Indian Classical Dance. The Celestial Dancers is a comprehensive study of how an exceptional Hindu dance form developed on the global stage.




Dancing for Themselves


Book Description




Dances of India: Manipuri


Book Description

Manipuri, the classical dance from the easternmost end of India, is marked by a delicacy that is steeped in tradition. The book reflects the subtle nuances of the form of the supernatural to the mythological.




Dances of Manipur


Book Description

Mandala Publishing Group was established in 1987 to increase awareness of and appreciation for the culture and philosophy of ancient India's Vedic tradition. The Vedas are the oldest and largest body of literature in existence. Although originally an oral tradition, its written language, Sanskrit, is known by linguists as the mother of all languages. The Vedas outline the natural role of individuals in harmony with both the metaphysical and spiritual worlds. Enlightening and inspiring us to progress toward a spiritual goal, Vedic wisdom reminds us of our true nature. Within the four Vedas, a divine conception of art, music, poetry, theology, medicine, and even economics describes a central aim of uplifting human society toward spiritual fulfillment. The mission of Mandala Publishing Group is to make this great knowledge accessible to today's readers. Mandala sponsors cultural dance performances, art exhibits, and work shops, and funds many architectural preservation projects in India's holy cities. Preserving diverse cultures and protecting the environment are synonymous in the Vedic tradition -- where consciousness is honored in all living things -- and throughout creation -- where the ultimate truth is beauty. We hope our readers will learn and benefit from this great tradition and apply its timeless wisdom in their daily lives. A unique contribution to studies in Indian dance.




Louise Lightfoot in Search of India


Book Description

Today, Indian dance in Australia is represented by professional dance artists, companies, schools, and amateur community groups. They have, over the years, performed both traditional classical works as well as Bollywood pieces, and participated in various dance and cultural festivals organised throughout Australia. Louise Lightfoot, an Australian architect turned ballet teacher, is credited with successfully promoting a range of Indian classical dance forms. Lightfoot as a dedicated impresario for Ananda Shivaram, Rajkumar Priyagopal Singh, and Ibetombi Devi, urged Australian audiences not to see Indian dance as just an ancient, mysterious, and spiritual art form, but try to truly understand the value of this complex art of Indian dance and culture in order to strengthen cultural bonds. This book brings together Lightfoot’s thirty-three essays, reflecting her broader worldview as a dancer, choreographer, and impresario. Louise’s essays segue into each other and echo her various encounters with India and its diverse cultural conditions, beliefs and philosophies.




The Cultural Heritage of Manipur


Book Description

The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal has a project to map the cultural heritage of North-East India. One volume is planned on each state. Manipur is one of the unique multi-ethnic states of North-East India which has a complex but distinctive cultural heritage of its own. This book presents the different facets of the cultural heritage of the border state of Manipur ingrained within its historicity, identity and political ecology. This book will be of much value for scholars across the disciplinary frames and pave the way for further research. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.