The history of classical Indian dance
< Back to university newsRose Bruford College houses the unique and historically valuable David Bolland Video Collection on Kathakali, the classical dance theatre of south India.
This archive includes material dating from the 1950s, principally on Kathakali, but also other performing arts of Kerala. Kathakali is a well-known dance drama from the south Indian state of Kerala.
The word Kathakali literally means “Story-Play” and it is known for its elaborate makeup and costumes. It dates from the 17th century and is rooted in Hindu mythology.
The Collection itself reflects the changing conditions of performance over the last half-century in a variety of locations, from early silent filming of outdoor performances lit only by a single traditional oil lamp to videos of large-scale tours on the stages of European theatres.
The original material was recorded and edited on a range of formats; but some 70 hours of film and video has now been digitally re-mastered and copied for accessible viewing by students, performers and researchers.
Much of the archive is also available with English-language voice-over commentary. It includes documentaries, plays, extensive training material, and performance preparations.
The great value of the Collection is its record of great performers past and present. David Bolland gathered the material for the collection as part of his great love of the art form.
He has won 26 awards at international film festivals, including Cannes, with his documentary on Kathakali, Masque of Malabar. His book A Guide to Kathakali, now in its 3rd edition, is considered the best English-language introduction to this art.
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Posted: Tuesday 9 February 2010