Indian dancer Nila Radhakrishnan teaching her apprentices

Dancers

Fieldwork

Apprentices

Indian Americans

Indian dance

Indian arts

Teaching of folklore

Children

Clothing and dress

Body movement

Four proof sheets with 119 black and white images (plus negatives). Nila began learning East Indian dances at the age of five. Of the four main Indian dance styles, Nila performs in the bharata natyam style. Nila later went on to ebcome a medical doctor. The Menons were sisters from St. Petersburg. During the apprenticeship, they learned the dance moves, the hand gestures, jewelry and clothing styles. The Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program began in 1983 with a NEA grant of $22,000. The program provided an opportunity for master folk artists to share technical skills and cultural knowledge with apprentices in order to keep the tradition alive. Apprentices must have had some experience in the tradition and agreed to train for at least six months. The first project director was Blanton Owen, later replaced by folklorist Peter Roller. The program was continued each year through 2003.

State Archives of Florida, Series S1640

1991-02

Florida Folklife Program

Still Image

S1640

11

1

Photographic prints

Folk Arts Apprenticeship Program

Stone, Robert, 1944-

Radhakrishnan, Nila, 1974-

Menon, Prema, 1977-

Menon, Priya, 1975-

Indian Americans

2232

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