Synopses & Reviews
The first book to explore the significance and symbolism of the sacred and secular ritual dances of Tibetan Buddhism.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Lavishly illustrated with color and rare historic photographs depicting the dances, costumes, and masks.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;and#8226; Looks at both sacred andlt;iandgt;(cham)andlt;/iandgt; and folk andlt;iandgt;(achi lhamo)andlt;/iandgt; forms and their role in the development, practice, and culture of Tibetan Buddhism.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;From the time Buddhism entered the mythical land of the snows, Tibetans have expressed their spiritual devotion and celebrated their culture with dance. Only since the diaspora of the Tibetan people have outsiders witnessed these performances, and when they do, no one explains why these dances exist and what they really mean. Ellen Pearlman, who studied with Lobsang Samten, the ritual dance master of the Dalai Lama's Namgyal monastery in India, set out to discover the meaning behind these practices. She found the story of the indigenous shamanistic Bon religion being superseded by Buddhism--a story full of dangerous and illicit liaisons, brilliant visions, secret teachings, betrayals, and unrevealed yogic practices. andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Pearlman examines the four lineages that developed sacred andlt;iandgt;chamandlt;/iandgt;--the secret ritual dances of Tibet's Buddhist monks--and andlt;iandgt;achi lhamoandlt;/iandgt; storytelling folk dance and opera. She describes the mental and physical process of preparing for these dances, the meaning of the iconography of the costumes and masks, the spectrum of accompanying music, and the actual dance steps as recorded in a choreography book dating back to the Fifth Dalai Lama in 1647. Beautiful color photographs from the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts and Pearlman's own images of touring monastic troupes complement the rare historic black-and-white photos from the collections of Sir Charles Bell, chief of the British Mission in Tibet during the life of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama.
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“Extraordinarily well researched and in depth.”
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"Tibetan Sacred Dance is a clear achievement in the documentation and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist dance history."
Review
andquot; . . . a well written narrative and beautiful photographs of a culture that is rarely seen by Westerners.andquot;
Review
"The Buddhist search for inner peace pervades almost every aspect of Tibetan life. One facet of that heritage that has received comparatively less attention is Tibet's sacred dance with its vivid depiction of such fundamental themes as the triumph of virtue and the supremacy of truth. This colorful book serves to redress that lapse."
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andquot; . . . provides an important glimpse into Tibetan culture, history, and spiritual practice as it contributes to world culture.andquot;
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“Extraordinarily well researched and in depth.”
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"Tibetan Sacred Dance is a clear achievement in the documentation and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist dance history."
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" . . . a well written narrative and beautiful photographs of a culture that is rarely seen by Westerners."
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". . . an engaging invitation garnering immediate access to the multidimensional and vital realm of Tibetan dance and ritual."
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andquot;. . . examines the history, rituals, and iconography of cham, touching on how the traditional forms are influencing Tibetan artists today.andquot;
Review
"The Buddhist search for inner peace pervades almost every aspect of Tibetan life. One facet of that heritage that has received comparatively less attention is Tibet's sacred dance with its vivid depiction of such fundamental themes as the triumph of virtue and the supremacy of truth. This colorful book serves to redress that lapse."
Review
andldquo;andlt;Iandgt;Tibetan Sacred Danceandlt;/Iandgt; is the first book ever written for a general audience on this fascinating subject. With beautiful photographs and accessible text, Ellen Pearlman takes us through the myriad forms and rich traditions of Tibetan dance and music.andrdquo;
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“Extraordinarily well researched and in depth.”
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"This is the first book of its kind, and it can serve as an iconographic gold mine for many specialists."
Review
andldquo;Extraordinarily well researched and in depth.andrdquo;
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 185-189) and index.
About the Author
Ellen Pearlman has been a Buddhist practitioner for over 30 years under Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and has studied with Buddhist teachers in India, Sikhim, Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Europe, Latin America, and North America. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.
Table of Contents
andlt;Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Prologueandlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Part One andlt;BRandgt;Cham: Sacred Monastic Danceandlt;/Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Entering the World of Cham andlt;BRandgt;Vajrakilaya, the Dance of the Three-Sided Ritual Dagger andlt;BRandgt;Cham and the Development of Tibetan Religion andlt;BRandgt;Representative Chams andlt;BRandgt;Skeleton Dance andlt;BRandgt;Deer Dance andlt;BRandgt;Black Hat Dance andlt;BRandgt;Old White Man from Mongolia andlt;BRandgt;Mongolian and Other Chams andlt;BRandgt;Kalachakra, the Wheel of Time andlt;BRandgt;Cham Gar andlt;BRandgt;Essential Elements of Cham andlt;BRandgt;Preparation and Initiation andlt;BRandgt;Three Main Phases of Cham Performance andlt;BRandgt;Mandala and Mantra andlt;BRandgt;Dance Steps and Mudras andlt;BRandgt;Costumes andlt;BRandgt;Masks andlt;BRandgt;Characters andlt;BRandgt;Music andlt;BRandgt;Musical Instruments andlt;BRandgt;Festivals andlt;BRandgt;Purpose and Interpretation andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Part Two andlt;BRandgt;Achi Lhamo: Folk Dance and Operatic Traditions andlt;BRandgt;andlt;/Bandgt;Origins and Development of Achi Lhamo andlt;BRandgt;Early Origins andlt;BRandgt;Thangtong Gyalpo andlt;BRandgt;Development of Achi Lhamo andlt;BRandgt;Major Operas andlt;BRandgt;Drowa Sangmo andlt;BRandgt;Gyalsa Bhelsa andlt;BRandgt;King Gesar of Ling andlt;BRandgt;Pema Woebar andlt;BRandgt;Rechung U Pheb (Rechung's Travels to Central Tibet with Milarepa) andlt;BRandgt;Sukyi Nyima andlt;BRandgt;Thepa Tenpa andlt;BRandgt;Chungpo Dhonyoe Dhondup andlt;BRandgt;Nangsa Woebum (Obum) andlt;BRandgt;Essential Elements of Achi Lhamo andlt;BRandgt;Phases of Achi Lhamo Performance andlt;BRandgt;Types of Performers andlt;BRandgt;Singing andlt;BRandgt;Music and Instruments andlt;BRandgt;Folk Dance Styles andlt;BRandgt;Lhamo Gar andlt;BRandgt;Opera Seasons andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Epilogue andlt;BRandgt;The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts andlt;BRandgt;New Forms andlt;BRandgt;Cham Today andlt;BRandgt;andlt;Bandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Notes andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Bibliography andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;Indexandlt;/Bandgt;