Balasaraswati

"Knight's respectful, informative biography of renowned Bharatanatyam artist Balasaraswati is a must read for anyone interested in India's performing arts, dance in general, and the opening of the world to non-Western arts."—J.D. Erdman, Choice

"Musician and author Douglas M. Knight, Jr. has written a primary resource about legendary dancer and musician T. Balasaraswati."—Bernadine Jennings, Attitude: The Dancers' Magazine

"I urge anyone with a deep love of dance to read this extraordinary artist's biography; Bala crowned an equally transcendent tradition."—Renee Renouf, Ballet Magazine

"This handsome book is to be cherished."—Doris Hering, Dance Magazine

"This well-written portrait of Bala is a welcome attempt to capture the life and career of an extraordinary artist of whom only scant film or video evidence remains."—Rita Felciano, Dance Chronicle

"(W)e are fortunate in having this loving and meticulous testament to the life and career of one of the major world artists of the 20th century."—Judith Judson, Journal of Dance Education

"The story of her life and dance, caught in the middle of epoch-changing events, is told in a marvellous book, Balasaraswathi: Her Art and Life, written by her son-in-law, Douglas Knight."—Malini Nair, Times of India, Delhi

"This well-written and carefully researched first full biography devoted to Balasaraswati is filled with rich detail. It should appeal to specialized audiences interested in dance traditions and cultural history."—Carol J. Binkowski, Library Journal

"This handsome book is to be cherished."—Doris Hering, Dance Magazine

"Knight successfully integrates mostly never before seen materials housed in the family archives to produce an invaluable oral history . . . This work is accessible to non-specialists because of its narrative approach and the use of a minimum of technical terms; at the same time, historians of Asian post-colonial history, performance studies, dance, ethnomusicology, and globalization studies will benefit from the content and scope of this volume."—Katherine Zubko, Journal of Asian Studies

"A gripping account of the hereditary system of transmissions in the performing arts through the biography of one of India's greatest dancers, T. Balasaraswati. Douglas Knight, Jr., unfolds many layers of the personal, social, artistic, national, and international aspects of T. Balasaraswati's life."—Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, scholar and founder of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

"Imagine a fascinating book written with knowledge, understanding, and talent celebrating the 20th century's greatest bharat natyam performer, the incomparable Balasaraswati. Well, here it is.""—Charles L. Reinhart, director, American Dance Festival

"A gripping account of the hereditary system of transmissions in the performing arts through the biography of one of India's greatest dancers, T. Balasaraswati. Douglas Knight, Jr., unfolds many layers of the personal, social, artistic, national, and international aspects of T. Balasaraswati's life."—Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, scholar and founder of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts