In this beautifully illustrated book on Cambodian classical dance, Julie B. Mehta examines the richness of Khmer culture, the horror of the Pol Pot era and the devastating effect it had on traditional dance, and the rise of a new generation of talented Khmer dancers dedicated to reviving the art form.
The author, an Indian by birth who now lives in Thailand, spent 10 years in Cambodia researching her subject, has close contacts with all those who matter in the field and holds a deep understanding and appreciation of the cultures of both India and Southeast Asia. Her love for Cambodia's centuries-old classical dance tradition is unmistakable, and her writing both scholarly and evocative: One can almost see the beautiful deities of Angkor Wat reincarnated as the young and charming royal ballerinas of today.
One of Mehta's principle sources is Cambodia's Princess Buppha Devi, the country's minister of culture and an acclaimed classical dancer in her own right. Numerous interesting insights are attributed to her, and to a few other grand old ladies of the art who miraculously survived Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot's persecution of any manifestation of culture and talent.