"If you know where to look, you can still discover and recognize what it was that intoxicating John Coast fifty years ago." —Sir David Attenborough This book is one of the great classics about Bali, now with dozens of illustrations and photographs. Dancing out of Bali is a fascinating personal account of a young Englishman who settled in a small house in Bali in the midst of the political turmoil that griped post–war Indonesia. There, he immersed himself in Balinese culture and made ambitious plans to bring a troupe of Balinese dancers and musicians to Europe and America. The book relates John Coast's daring and remarkable adventure that took him from revolution in Indonesia to the footlights of London and Broadway. Within a few weeks, the troupe had captured the hearts of audiences. Here are photographs of Bali and stories of the performer's magic island and of the enchanting dancers, including the beautiful 12–year–old Ni Gusti Raka. She became a star overnight and delighted audiences everywhere during the troupe's triumphant tour. It is also a story of Balinese culture and life in Bali–following the devastating Japanese occupation–of music and dancing in Bali, of many of the island's great performing dancers and musicians,

This book tells of a young Englishman, fresh out of a Japanese prison camp, and his Javanese wife, and how they leave Indonesia for the footlights of Broadway. This is a story of life, music, and dancing in Bali, with all the charm of the Balinese people.

There are some things that are unique to Bali and so memorable that they stay with you for years to come. One of these is the marvellous Bali dancing which has become a truly beautiful art form. Kartika Suardana, affectionately known as Dewi, is a young writer/photographer who was asked to create the introduction section to NOW! Bali Magazine from the first issue. She toured the island, finding, documenting and photographing the many dance forms one by one, and created a memorable opening section to the magazine .“We Balinese always welcome people with a dance” she said charmingly. Now here is her work, collected over three years, designed beautifully into a book to be treasured by visitors, for years to come..

Discover the richness and beauty of Bali's many performing art forms. This book is a lavishly illustrated introduction to the most popular forms of traditional performing arts in Bali--among the most intricate and spectacular musical and theatrical performances found anywhere. Ideal reading for visitors to the island, as well as anyone interested in Balinese culture, this book presents the history and form of each performance--with 250 watercolor illustrations and full-color photos to aid in identification. Introductory sections discuss how the performing arts are learned in Bali and the basic religious and cultural tenets expressed through the arts. Subsequent chapters describe each form, including Gamelan Gong Keybar, Gambuh, Legong Keraton, Baris, Wayang Kulit and many more! Chapters include: What is Gamelan? Women in Non-Traditional Roles The Stories in Balinese Theatre Sacred and Ceremonial Dances And many more! Expert authors I Wayan Dibya and Rucina Ballinger discuss how the performing arts in Bali are passed from one generation to the next and the traditional values these performances convey, as well as their place within religious celebrations and how and when the performances are staged. In addition to including a bibliography and discography, the book is enhanced with over 200 stunning photographs and specially-commissioned watercolor illustrations from artist Barbara Anello.

"The Kecak is one of the most well-known dramatic dance performance practices on Bali. It is based on stories from the Old-Indian epic Ramayana, performed by an ensemble of male and female solo dancers and accompanied by a group consisting of approximately 100 men, who function both as musical accompaniment and living scenery that can be flexibly choreographed. Since its genesis in the 1930s the Kecak has been almost solely performed in a tourist context. This book gives a thorough analysis and description of the Kecak in its present form and explores how the Kecak became and stayed a tourist genre for more than 80 years. The book is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on the Kecak in its present form, including musical, choreographic, and dramatic elements. The connection between cultural tourism on Bali and Kecak performance practice is analyzed in detail, including the dependency between tourism professionals and artists and ways of promoting the kecak. Tourists' perspectives on the Kecak are addressed separately. The second part deals with the genesis and development of the Kecak from the 1930s onward"--

Emphasizing the human body in all of its forms, Beauty Unlimited expands the boundaries of what is meant by beauty both geographically and aesthetically. Peg Zeglin Brand and an international group of contributors interrogate the body and the meaning of physical beauty in this multidisciplinary volume. This striking and provocative book explores the history of bodily beautification; the physicality of socially or culturally determined choices of beautification; the interplay of gender, race, class, age, sexuality, and ethnicity within and on the body; and the aesthetic meaning of the concept of beauty in an increasingly globalized world.

This volume examines the motives behind rejections of beauty often found within contemporary art practice, where much critically acclaimed art is deliberately ugly and alienating. It reflects on the nature and value of beauty, asking whether beauty still has a future in art and what role it can play in our lives generally. The volume discusses the possible “end of art,” what art is, and the relation between art and beauty beyond their historically Western horizons to include perspectives from Asia. The individual chapters address a number of interrelated issues, including: art, beauty and the sacred; beauty as a source of joy and consolation; beauty as a bridge between the natural and the human; beauty and the human form; the role of curatorial practice in defining art; order and creativity; and the distinction between art and craft. The volume offers a valuable addition to cross-cultural dialogue and, in particular, to the sparse literature on art and beauty in comparative context. It demonstrates the relevance of the rich tradition of Asian aesthetics and the vibrant practices of contemporary art in Asia to Western discussions about the future of art and the role of beauty.