Not currently on display at the V&A

Theatre Costume

Artist/Maker

Ram Gopal was one of the most important dancers of the 20th century and certainly one of the most exotic theatre performers. He was a major figure in the revival of Indian dance and his spectacular theatrical presentations introduced it to audiences both in Asia and the West. He was proud of the authenticity of his music, costuming and style, shrewdly tailored his presentations to Western audiences, using modern theatrical techniques and spectacular presentation.
Besides a mass of exotic costumes, Gopal also had a large collection of stage jewellery and accessories, which he, or other members of his company, would have worn in many different dances. His stage jewellery included both 'real' items and others remade in the style of the originals but translated into theatrical terms, using imaginative materials. This sash is a theatrical recreation, using a fabric woven with finest gold stripe, edged with gold braid and lame, and decorated with leaf motifs, bugle beads and artificial stones and sequins. Seen on stage, under stage lighting, as part of a costume, the jewels would have been almost indistinguishable from the real thing.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Synthetic fabric, gold braid, gold lame, sequins, bugle beads, artificial jewels, rhinestones
Brief description
Belt possibly worn by Ram Gopal.
Physical description
Sash, narrow at centre and wider towards ends, of fabric woven with finest gold stripe, edged with gold braid and at the front with gold lame; the sash is decorated with leaf motifs in silver oval and round sequins outlined with bugle beads, alternating with large amber faceted stones outlined with gold braid (one missing) and finishing at the edge with a larger amber faceted stone, surrounded with lines of rhinestones over silver sequins, the stone and whole edged with gold braid.
Credit line
Given by the Trustees of the Ram Gopal Estate
Object history
The belt was part of Ram Gopal's estate and would have been worn by him, or one of his dancers, in performance. It was probably part of a general collection of jewellery, worn in several different dances.
Historical context
Ram Gopal (1912?-2003) and Uday Shankar, were the most important Indian dancers of the 20th century. Gopal built on Shankar's pioneering revival of Indian dance and its introduction to audiences both in Asia and the West, taking it one stage further. He remained faithful to the pure discipline, technique and ethos of Indian classical. but he also started to open out a deeper appreciation of Indian classical dance traditions, shrewdly tailored to Western audiences, using modern theatrical techniques and spectacular presentation. He widened audiences experiences by including music and other folk and classical styles alongside his own pieces. Each item was preceded by an explanation, enabling audiences to understand and appreciate what was, at that time, a very esoteric art form.
For three decades he was a major world star, with a glamour and charisma equal to any other major dance star of the period. He not only raised public awareness of the richness of Indian dance but worked with dancers trained in other dance forms, like Alicia Markova, thus setting a precedent in Britain for the current thriving and creative South Asian dance scene, which mixes classical Indian dance with other contemporary and classical dance styles to create something uniquely itself.
Each of Gopal's costumes was hand made and tailored to his own design. He spent huge sums on his costumes, which could be insured for as much as £25,000. Some were made of cloth of gold, woven and tailored in India; when it became worn, it was sent back to India, melted down and rewoven.
Summary
Ram Gopal was one of the most important dancers of the 20th century and certainly one of the most exotic theatre performers. He was a major figure in the revival of Indian dance and his spectacular theatrical presentations introduced it to audiences both in Asia and the West. He was proud of the authenticity of his music, costuming and style, shrewdly tailored his presentations to Western audiences, using modern theatrical techniques and spectacular presentation.
Besides a mass of exotic costumes, Gopal also had a large collection of stage jewellery and accessories, which he, or other members of his company, would have worn in many different dances. His stage jewellery included both 'real' items and others remade in the style of the originals but translated into theatrical terms, using imaginative materials. This sash is a theatrical recreation, using a fabric woven with finest gold stripe, edged with gold braid and lame, and decorated with leaf motifs, bugle beads and artificial stones and sequins. Seen on stage, under stage lighting, as part of a costume, the jewels would have been almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
Collection
Accession number
S.127-2004

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Record createdNovember 3, 2004
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