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Theatre Costume


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.
Gopal did not only study Indian dance, but was also interested in other South Asian dance forms and traditions, which he incorporated into his stage productions. This beautiful headdress is from Java and is made of black velvet, with a characteristic scroll curving over the crown. The edgings are made of elaborately pierced and painted leather, so thin that it seems like paper.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Velvet, bugle beads, wooden bead painted gold, painted leather, cotton twill
Brief description
Javanese headdress worn by Ram Gopal.
Physical description
Javanense headdress of fitted cap of black velvet with turned back curve from front edge and at the back a scroll curving over the crown; the curve and scroll are edged with clear bugle beads and from the curve hangs a large wooden bead painted gold. Around the edge is an elaborate serrated band of pierced and painted leather; on the curve and crown and sides of the scrool are motifs of pierced and painted leather and around the scroll is fixed a stylized dragon head in pierced and painted leather. The crown is lined with red cotton twill and edged with dark green velvet.
Credit line
Given by the Trustees of the Ram Gopal Estate
Object history
Javanese headdress worn by Ram Gopal.
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.
Gopal did not only study Indian dance, but was also interested in other South Asian dance forms and traditions, which he incorporated into his stage productions. This beautiful headdress is from Java and is made of black velvet, with a characteristic scroll curving over the crown. The edgings are made of elaborately pierced and painted leather, so thin that it seems like paper.
Collection
Accession number
S.118-2004

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Record createdNovember 2, 2004
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