While all ancient dance, tandava and lasya, was associated with Saivism, later dance traditions had come under the sway of Krishna and his legends and sports. Types of goshtis and hallisaka were associated with Krishna and the gopis. Rasa is the type par excellence with which Krishna and the gopis were associated. Rasa is also a dance in a circle, by a number of women - 16, 12 or 8. The style is delicate or forceful; it is in different talas; in fact, rasa itself is a tala name. The women sing and dance but there is no abhinaya. They do only pure dance or nritta, but what is noteworthy in this is that they execute many patterns. Pindibandha is the dancers coming together. Srinkala is forming a chain. Bhedyaka is breaking from the lines of the former and going into different positions and Lata is formation like creepers, with intertwining of dancers standing in 2 or more lines.
('Uparupakas and Nritya-Prabhandas' by Dr. V Raghavan, Nartanam, May – Aug 2008)

The typical Manipuri turban called koyet which is worn in Pung Cholom, was used by Guru Bipin Singh. However, it is to be noticed that there are different types of koyets worn in Manipuri and only the type of koyet worn in Pung Cholom and Kartal Cholom was used by Guru Bipin Singh. The difference was that in Pung Cholom or Kartal Cholom, the koyet is white whereas it is of various colors when worn by his students during a tandava item.
('Changing trends in Manipuri dance' by Bimbavati Devi, Nartanam, May – Aug 2008)

Merce Cunningham has collaborated on two books: 'Changes: Notes on Choreography,' with Frances Starr, and 'The Dancer and the Dance,' with Jacqueline Lesschaeve. An animal lover, in 2002 Mr. Cunningham published 'Other Animals: Drawings and Journals by Merce Cunningham.'


Snippets - Monthwise listing