Books useful for dancers

"ASPECTS OF ABHINAYA"
Kalanidhi Narayanan
The Alliance Company
244, Ramakrishna Mutt Road
P O Box #617, Mylapore
Chennai 600004
Ph: (044) - 4941314
Price: Rs.150/-
A personalised, no nonsence approach to Abhinaya, not bogged down by the Shastras.

"BHAAVA NIROOPANNA"
Kanak Rele
Nalanda Dance Research Center
Plot A-7/1, N S Road # 10
J V P D Scheme, Vile Parle (W)
Mumbai 400049
Ph: (022) - 6206326
Fax: (022) - 6245008
e-mail: ndrc@bol.net.in
Price: Rs.350/-
Part science, part self experience, lucidly put together by committed
academician, dancer, choreographer Kanak Rele.

"DANCE DIALECTS OF INDIA"
Ragini Devi
Vikas Publications
5, Daryaganj Ansari Road
New Delhi 110006
Price: Rs.95
The best window available on the classical dance systems of India as they existed half a century ago.

"NATYA BRAHMAN: THE THEATRIC UNIVERSE"
Anita Ratnam
SAHER
C/o Karnatic Music Book Center
14, Sripuram 1st Street
Royapettah, Chennai 600014
Ph: (044) - 8260147
A comparative study between Bharata's 'Natya Sastra' and Aristotle's 'Poetics' which reveals the inter connectedness between theatre traditions of the West and the East.

"PURANIC ENCYCLOPAEDIA"
Vettam Mani
Mothilal Banarsidass
Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar
New Delhi 110007
Ph: (011) - 2911985 / 2918335
Fax: (011) - 2930689
e-mail: gloryindia@poboxes.com
Price: Rs. 750/-
A comprehensive and reliable guide towards understanding characters big and small from our puranas.

"THE DANCE IN INDIA"
Enakshi Bhavnani
D B Taraporevala Sons & Co. Pvt Ltd.
210 Dr. D Naoroji Road
Mumbai 400001
Price: Rs.695/-
Another book on the classical dance system half a century ago which offers a slightly different perspective.

"THE RAMAYANA"
Lakshmi Lal
Orient Longman Ltd
Kamani Marg, Ballard Estate
Mumbai 400001
Ph: (022) - 2616918 / 2616919
Price: Rs.425/-
Impeccable english, an overview of the many Ramayanas prevalent in India.

"UNDERSTANDING BHARATA NATYAM"
Mrinalini Sarabhai
The Darpana Academy of Performing Arts
Usmanpura, Ahmedabad 380013
Ph: (079) - 7551389
Fax: (079) - 7550955
e-mail: darpana@icenet.net
Price: Rs.175/-
An indispensable guide to every dancer, teacher, onlooker of Bharatanatyam.

"VALLABHACARYA ON THE LOVE GAMES OF KRSNA"
James D Redington
Motilal Banarsidass
Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar
New Delhi 110007
Ph: (011) - 2911985 / 2918335
Fax: (011) - 2930689
Price: Rs.300/-
A book that makes the Krishna Philosophy accessible to the dancer without mouthing pious platitudes about jeevatma paramatma.

"WHEN GOD IS A CUSTOMER"
A K Ramanujam, Velcheru Narayana Rao, David Shulman
Oxford University Press
Y M C A Library Building
Jai SIngh Road, New Delhi 110001
Price: Rs.150/-
An introduction through translation to the wonderful world of dance and shringara through the lyrics of Annamayya, Kshetrayya,
Sarangapani and Kandukuri Rudrakavi.
None of these books are perfect and flawless. All of them are helpful. Use with caution
Ranga Rao VAK

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