Arm bracelet possibly worn by Ram Gopal.

Pair of arm bracelets, each a band of vertical gold metal strips looped around black silk threads, which continue around the sides, held by gold loops, and funnelled through a 'tunnel' of fine gold cord from which they are bound with gold thread from which they fall into a tassel.

Given by the Trustees of the Ram Gopal Estate

The bracelets were part of Ram Gopal's estate and would have been worn by him, or one of his dancers, in performance. They were probably part of a general collection of jewellery, worn in several different dances.

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.

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, which he, or other members of his company, would have worn in many different dances. His stage jewellery included both 'real' items, like these gold metal arm bracelets, and others remade in the style of the originals but translated into theatrical terms, using imaginative materials.

S.121:1 to 2-2004