Ellen Pearlman

"The Buddhist search for inner peace pervades almost every aspect of Tibetan life. One facet of that heritage that has received comparatively less attention is Tibet's sacred dance with its vivid depiction of such fundamental themes as the triumph of virtue and the supremacy of truth. This colorful book serves to redress that lapse."




"Tibetan Sacred Dance is the first book ever written for a general audience on this fascinating subject. With beautiful photographs and accessible text, Ellen Pearlman takes us through the myriad forms and rich traditions of Tibetan dance and music."


"Extraordinarily well researched and in depth."


The North Brooklyn Community News, "Tibetan Sacred Dance is a clear achievement in the documentation and preservation of Tibetan Buddhist dance history."


E. C. Ramirez, Choice, " . . . provides an important glimpse into Tibetan culture, history, and spiritual practice as it contributes to world culture."


Dance Spirit Magazine, " . . . a well written narrative and beautiful photographs of a culture that is rarely seen by Westerners."


Laura Simms, Parabola, ". . . an engaging invitation garnering immediate access to the multidimensional and vital realm of Tibetan dance and ritual."


Tricycle, ". . . examines the history, rituals, and iconography of cham, touching on how the traditional forms are influencing Tibetan artists today."


Isabelle Henrion-Dourcy, Harvard University Journal of Asian Studies, "This is the first book of its kind, and it can serve as an iconographic gold mine for many specialists."


Since Buddhism entered the mythical land of the snows, Tibetans have expressed their spiritual devotion and celebrated their culture through dance. Only since the tragic diaspora of the Tibetan people have outsiders been privileged to witness these performances. To many, they still remain mysterious and enigmatic. Ellen Pearlman, who studied with Lobsang Samten, the ritual dance master of the Dalai Lama's Namgyal Monastery in India, set out to discover the meaning behind these mysterious dances. She found the story of the indigenous shamanistic Bön religion being superseded by and woven into Buddhism--a story full of complex liaisons, secret teachings, brilliant visions, and unrevealed yogic practices.

Pearlman explores the mystical beginnings and complex practices of sacred Cham--the secret ritual dances of Tibet's Buddhist monks--and Achi Lhamo, the storytelling folk dances and operas. She describes the mental and physical process of preparing for these dances, the meaning of the iconography of the costumes and masks, the spectrum of accompanying music, and the actual dance steps as recorded in a book of choreography dating back to the Fifth Dalai Lama in l647. Beautiful color photographs from The Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts and Pearlman's own images of touring monastic troupes complement the rare historic bland-and-white photos from the collections of Sir Charles Bell, chief of the British Mission in Tibet during the life of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama. From the week-long sacred Kalachakra initiation to the folk opera performances, Pearlman reveals the beauty, drama, and compelling nature of these dances and rituals and shows how Tibetan dance is an essential part of the rich history of Tibet and the survival of that culture.