The Life and Times of La Meri: The Queen of Ethnic Dance

Russel Meriwether Hughes, born in Louisville, Kentucky, an 13th May, 1898, later came to be known as ‘La Meri’, he dancer, poet, writer, ethnic dance teacher and choreographer of repute. She traveled three times around the world and each time she diligently studied authentic dance forms and made them part of her repertoire. She came to India, ‘her dreamland’, and managed to learn Bharatanatyam from Papanasam Vadivelu and Kathak from Ram Dutt Tiwari and held performances very creditably. She analysed all the dance movements and created a good methodology for teaching the varied dance forms from different countries. Dances’ and energetically propagated the dances, for she believed in dance as the best form of communications, to bring about peace and amity amongst people from different cultures. The present monograph is a precise and insightful attempt to look into the life and times of La Meri. The author has dealt with the subject with great care and sensitivity. The six chapters – looking through a Mirror: a Glimpse of Personal Life; Images: La Meri and the Indian Dance Expert; Reflections: Inspirations and Achievements; Spotlight: Stars on and off the Stage and Rainbow: The colourful Life and Beyond – illustrate different facets of her colourful personality. The text, supplemented by testimony to the versatility of Law Meri, the artist and La Meri, the woman. It is hoped that this monograph will add significantly to the meager literature on this extraordinary artist.