Ram Gopal: Interweaving Histories of Indian Dance

Part-biography and part-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, bringing specificity of movement, classically trained dancers, live musicians and exquisitely detailed costumes, which were modelled from Indian iconography.

In this much-needed study of an often-neglected historical 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.

Through exploring Gopal’s lineage and celebrating his international legacy, the author unearths a fascinating narrative of his early life and brief career in India; the early international tours that saw sell-out performances in the USA and in London; Gopal’s settlement in India during World War II; and subsequent international performances and tours. She explores the sumptuous imagery of Gopal created by iconic society photographers, including Cecil Beaton and Carl Van Vechten, and by important artists such as Feliks Topolski, Milein Cosman and Kay Ambrose, and considers what it says about the contemporary preoccupation with his body, its truthfulness to the man himself and the international perception of Indian dancers at the time.

More broadly, this book covers the culture of Indian dance at the time; the politics of the nomenclature; the politics of 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.