Movement in Stills: The Dance and Life of Kumudini Lakhia

by Reena Shah

Told through the refracted lens of writer and dance student, this book offers a unique blend of biography and personal impression to depict the life and dance of one of India's greatest performing artists.

344 pages, Hardcover

First published July 31, 2006

Reviews

[Prima · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of the very few well-written resources available on the subject of Kathak. It's full of subtle technical instructions all over the book. Although it's a biography, it excellently captures the history and evolution of the art form all the way from the 1940s up until the early 2000s. The narrative is extremely gripping and very fluid. I couldn't put the book down once started. It was a pleasant surprise to read a little bit of Ahmedabad/Gujarat's artistic history along with the dancer's narrative as well. One complaint would be the incorrect spelling of 'Mughal' (spelled as 'Mogul' in the book) all over. Personally, it was very difficult for me to ignore that little error in an otherwise extremely well-written book.

[Bhawana Somaaya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book talks about the dance and life of renowned Kathak dancer Kumudini Lakhia. Kathak is the most ancient dance form in world and Kumudini dared to confront the possibilities of modern stage. Early in her career she built the concept of group choreography and was severely criticised for it. Today, 50 years later, she is called a pioneer and is worshiped as a queen of Kathak. A few years back, Kumudini turned 90 and her dance academy, Kadamb, made it a very special moment for her. If you are a lover of dance, of Kathak, if you are a lover of Kumudini, I suggest you read this book. It is a difficult read because it’s done like a research study. Its academic but Kathak is not easy either.