Dancing Out of Bali (Periplus Classics Series)

"If you know where to look, you can still discover and recognize what it was that intoxicating John Coast fifty years ago." —Sir David Attenborough

This book is one of the great classics about Bali, now with dozens of illustrations and photographs.

Dancing out of Bali is a fascinating personal account of a young Englishman who settled in a small house in Bali in the midst of the political turmoil that griped post–war Indonesia. There, he immersed himself in Balinese culture and made ambitious plans to bring a troupe of Balinese dancers and musicians to Europe and America. The book relates John Coast's daring and remarkable adventure that took him from revolution in Indonesia to the footlights of London and Broadway. Within a few weeks, the troupe had captured the hearts of audiences. Here are photographs of Bali and stories of the performer's magic island and of the enchanting dancers, including the beautiful 12–year–old Ni Gusti Raka. She became a star overnight and delighted audiences everywhere during the troupe's triumphant tour. It is also a story of Balinese culture and life in Bali–following the devastating Japanese occupation–of music and dancing in Bali, of many of the island's great performing dancers and musicians, and of the charm, humor and ancient values of the Balinese people.

John Coast ( 1916–1989 ) was born in England. He was interned by the Japanese during World War II and sent to work on the Thai–Burma railway: he wrote and later made a widely acclaimed film for the BBC n his experiences there. After the war, he became press attache' to President Sukarno in the emerging Republic of Indonesia. He later shaped the "Dancers of Bali" company, and brought it to the West. After returning to London in the mid–1950s, he became a leading figure in international performing arts as impresario and manager to many well–known artists.