Footfalls from the Land of Happiness: A Journey into Dances of Bhutan
Karen Greenspan accompanies the reader to specific Bhutanese sacred festivals for a close-up view of the dances and rituals. This detailed universe is unpacked through interviews with dance masters, Buddhist experts, and dance practitioners from both monastic and lay communities. The unfolding account flows with vivid dance prose, content-rich sidebars, and 95 color-drenched dance photographs. The descriptions of Bhutan’s scenic geography, drama-filled history, politics, religion, and perspectives on life provide layers of contextual background for an understanding of this dance-suffused culture that pioneers a policy called Gross National Happiness.
Karen Greenspan is a New York City-based dance journalist. She conducted the cultural and historic research for this book over eight years, during which she made five trips to Bhutan. Greenspan has authored numerous articles on global dance traditions and contemporary dance artists and trends.
218 pages; 8.5 x 8.5 inches; paperback