This volume brings a critical lens to dance and culture within North East India. Through case studies, first-hand accounts, and interviews, it explores unique folk dances of Indigenous communities of North East India that reflect diverse journeys, lifestyles, and connections within their ethnic groups, marking almost every ritual and festival. Dance for people of North East India, as elsewhere, is also a way of declaring, establishing, celebrating, and asserting humans' relationship with nature. The book draws attention to the origins and special circumstances of dances from North East India. It discusses a range of important folk-dance forms alongside classical dance forms in North East India, with a focus on Sattriya dance. The chapters examine how these dance forms play an important role in the region’s socio-cultural, economic, and political life, intertwining religion and the arts through music, dance, and drama. Further, they also explore how folk dance cultures in North East India have never been relegated to the background, never considered secondary, aesthetically, or otherwise, but have become expressions of political and cultural identity. An evocative work, this volume will be of interest to students and researchers of pedagogy, choreography, community dance practice, theatre and performance studies, social and cultural studies, aesthetics, interdisciplinary arts, and more. It will be an invaluable resource for artists and practitioners working in dance schools and communities.

In this book the author has first investigated the concept of the devadasi as found in the cultural history of South India, especialy in Tamil Nadu. Hereafter the function and form of the devadasi tradition are examined within the Temple Ritual of Tamil Nadu. This is not the study of the fact of the devadasi tradition, but of its meaning and the mode of production of that meaning.

Orissa Society of Americas 35th Annual Convention Souvenir for Convention held in 2004 at Dallas, Texas re-published as Golden Jubilee Convention July 4-7, 2019 Atlantic City, New Jersey commemorativ edition. Odisha Society of the Americas Golden Jubilee Convention will be held in Atlantic City, New Jersey during July 4-7, 2019. Convention website is http://www.osa2019.org. Odisha Society of the Americas website is http://www.odishasociety.org

The ancient Indian epic poem Ramayana has been disseminated throughout large tracts of Southeast Asia since the 9th century. Versions of the epic poem have come to adopt and reflect the unique characteristics of the countries and regions where it has gained cultural currency. The epic has been a source of popular themes in both traditional and contemporary art forms, including literature, performing arts, fine arts, and films. This book showcases Ramayana theater as a platform where the multiple meanings and senses of values are negotiated. It focuses on the relationships between the cultural representation and the various meanings of Ramayana theater, as well as other dramatic art forms. Focusing on the various contemporary contexts of art performances where the epic poem has been represented, the book also presents the ideologies and moral values contained in the theatrical forms of the epic poem. It discusses various performance contexts, such as diaspora communities, production of popular content culture, cultural diplomacy, designation as intangible cultural heritage, transmission, tourism, and the representation/exhibition of culture, as well as the performance in rituals. It also includes works of three contemporary and inspiring artists: cross-gender dancer Didik Nini Thowok, animator as well as puppeteer Nanang Ananto Wicaksono, and composer Ken Steven.

This book will be helpful for Prathama, Madhyama of Bhatkhande Sangit Vidyapith, Praveshika, 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Year of Prayag Sangit Samiti, Prayagraj, Surnandan Bharati, Kolkata, Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh, Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Pune along with 9th and 10th Board. I hope it benefits the budding talents of Classical dance of Kathak.