Ram Gopal (dancer)
Encyclopedia
Bissano Ram Gopal OBE
(20 November 1912 – October 12, 2003) was an India
n dancer who performed and toured extensively throughout his lengthy career. The Polish critic Tadeus Zelinski called him "the Nijinsky
of India".
Gopal was born in Bangalore, India. He had a Burmese mother and a Rajput
father who was a barrister. They lived in a mansion called Torquay Castle.
He was invited to the United States
by La Meri
, an American dancer who specialized in non-Western forms of dance to tour with her. He made his solo debut in New York City
in 1938.
He toured extensively and appeared at the New York Golden Anniversary International Dance Festival at NYC's City Center (1948), the Jacobs Pillow and Edinburgh Festival
s in the 1950s.
His creation, Radha Krishna, was based on Hindu
mythology
.
The French filmmaker Claude Lamorisse made two films about him: “Aum Shiva” and “Ram” .
He received an OBE for services to dance in 1999. During the 1960s he was briefly married to Edith Alexander, who predeceased him. He died in a nursing home in Norbury
, south London
, UK.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(20 November 1912 – October 12, 2003) was an India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n dancer who performed and toured extensively throughout his lengthy career. The Polish critic Tadeus Zelinski called him "the Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky
Vaslav Nijinsky was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish descent, cited as the greatest male dancer of the 20th century. He grew to be celebrated for his virtuosity and for the depth and intensity of his characterizations...
of India".
Gopal was born in Bangalore, India. He had a Burmese mother and a Rajput
Rajput
A Rajput is a member of one of the patrilineal clans of western, central, northern India and in some parts of Pakistan. Rajputs are descendants of one of the major ruling warrior classes in the Indian subcontinent, particularly North India...
father who was a barrister. They lived in a mansion called Torquay Castle.
He was invited to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by La Meri
La Meri
La Meri was an American ethnic dancer, choreographer, teacher, poet, and scholar. She was born Russell Meriwether Hughes and began her dance training in Texas, studying ballet, Spanish, and Mexican dance forms...
, an American dancer who specialized in non-Western forms of dance to tour with her. He made his solo debut in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1938.
He toured extensively and appeared at the New York Golden Anniversary International Dance Festival at NYC's City Center (1948), the Jacobs Pillow and Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Festival
The Edinburgh Festival is a collective term for many arts and cultural festivals that take place in Edinburgh, Scotland each summer, mostly in August...
s in the 1950s.
His creation, Radha Krishna, was based on Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
mythology
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
.
The French filmmaker Claude Lamorisse made two films about him: “Aum Shiva” and “Ram” .
He received an OBE for services to dance in 1999. During the 1960s he was briefly married to Edith Alexander, who predeceased him. He died in a nursing home in Norbury
Norbury
Norbury is a town in the London Borough of Croydon, also crossing the London Borough of Merton. It shares the postcode London SW16 with nearby Streatham. Norbury is south of Charing Cross.-History:...
, south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, UK.