Dancing Out of Bali

"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.