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India is the perhaps the only country with eight recognized classical dance forms and these Indian Classical Dances have captured the imagination of people all over the world. Steeped in spiritualism, they are living practices connecting the past and present. Its pulsating spirit ensures a bright future. This book provides an abundance of detailed information combined with in-depth study of the magnificence of techniques, presentations, also incorporating details on costume and music in each of the eight classical forms. It also provides a critical perspective on the evolution of each dance style as a result of regionalization and the subsequent reconstruction of few of the dance forms. Many questions regarding applicability of Natyashastra to all dance forms without exception in regard to salient features and presentation techniques are answered in this book. This book blends-wide ranging information with analysis and wisdom and is a must for simple readers as well as serious students of music and dance. ... Read more

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The Indian powwow, with its colorful war dance, is among the most vital aspects of American Indian culture.William Powers has witnessed both the traditions and trends in Plains Indian music and dance over the past thirty years, and here encapsulates his long career in what may be the first book that deals with Plains Indian musical culture as a unit.After providing background material on the study of American Indian music, Powers gives a full description of the popular war dance, discusses the powwow as the context in which the war dance appears, and describes associated dances.While observing that a fascination with "pan-Indianism" temporarily misdirected the study of Plains Indian music and dance by focusing too sharply on what many believed was a nationalization of American Indians, Powers notes that individual tribes continue to be concerned with maintaining their ethnic identities through their styles of music and dance.In the balance of the book, Powers offers essays describing Plains songs available on disc and tape, including notes on the history and culture of tribes and some translations of Lakota songs.A concluding essay offers some observations of why Plains Indian music and dance have received the interest they have and why they will continue to symbolize a burgeoning contemporary American Indian culture--not only on the Plains, but in every corner of the world where American Indians are respected, admired, and imitated. ... Read more

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Indian classical dance forms have become popular throughout the world and are seen at various international dance festivals. In New Direction in Indian Dance, dancers, choreographers, and critics document the new directions Indian dance is taking in finding contemporary expression. The accompanying images reveal the ... Read more

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India is a fascinating country with plurality of ethnicity, cultures, religions and philosophy. This book contains information on at least 8 recognized classical dances forms. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Beautiful, historically accurate book
If you are interested in Kathak or just Indian history and culture, this book is for you.A huge hardcover book filled with an abundance of detailed information and fabulous color and b&w photographs.It giveshistory and good information of each Kathak gharana, including someguru/disciple bio's and lineage of each gharana.

The book shares detailson costume, music, and some technical and aesthetic aspects of Kathakmovements and footwork.For example, there is a short frame-by-frame photosequence, with written translation of Pandit Gopi Krishna performing aghazal. This book is an informative and inspiring must-have for allKathakers, although it is not a "How-To" book (which would beimpossible).Thanks to Amazon.com for obtaining this difficult to locateprize! ... Read more

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Indian classical dance is considered a 'high art'. In ancient India, it was even venerated as a 'sacred' act. In this book, the author examines the vast Sanskritic textual corpus on dance in an attempt not only to reconstruct India's two-millenia long dance tradition, but also to dispel historical and aesthetic misconceptions about it. ... Read more

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From the Introduction by Jonathan Katz:The articles in this volume are revised versions of papers presented at asession organized by Dr Sanjukta Gupta and the author for the 1987 WorldSanskrit Conference in Leiden. The general interest in this session was therole of the Sanskrit tradition in the performing arts in India. Narrowing thisdown, the organizers invited participants to consider the relations betweentheory and practice in music and dance, with particular reference to theSanskrit textual tradition of musicology. The responses to this invitationvaried in approach. Broadly speaking, the discussions were concerned with twoareas of investigation. Some examined the ways in which the theoreticaltreatises could throw light on the history of the arts themselves; othersexplored the theoretical models and explanations as systems for understandingand codifying ideas and practices. This book raises through detaileddiscussions in this field, more general issues found in the character ofqastric technical discourse.Contents:Jonathan Katz, `Introduction: qastra, prayoga andsannsupgita.'Harold Powers, `Reinterpretations of tradition in Hindustani music: OmkarnathThakur contra Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande.'Richard Widdess, `Reflections on a medieval melody: theory, practice andnotation in early Indian musicological texts.'N. Ramanathan, `Influence of qastra on prayoga: thesvara system in the post-Sansupgitaratnakara period withspecial reference to South Indian music.'Lewis Rowell, `The prabandhas in Matansupga'sBrhaddeqi.'P.L. Sharma, `qastra and prayoga: qastrictradition and contemporary tala practice, with special reference toHindustani music.'Mukund Lath, `Tandu: the first theoretician of dance.'S.S. Janaki, The hand-gesture pataka in natya.'Mandrakranta Bose, `Categories of dance: bandha and anibandha.' ... Read more

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Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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Contributed articles. ... Read more

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Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

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Traces the history of the Pueblo Indians and discusses their present government, customs, art, way of life, and relationship to the white man and his government. ... Read more

Product Description
Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more