How a Siamese dancer’s training begins

Dhanit Yupho wrote this manual in English, for English-speaking readers, to show how a dancer of Siamese classical theatre begins to learn. It is an early explanation, from the years just after the Second World War, of a theatrical art with its roots at court, published in Bangkok in 1952 by the Hatha Dhip Company.

Its plates show pairs of dancers holding the stylised postures, arm and hand gestures and sequences of movement that make up the basic vocabulary of poses, and printed music goes with the explanations of how the dances are performed. Later revised editions came out from cultural and fine-arts institutions, often with “Thai” in the title in place of “Siamese”.

This copy is the first publication, in its original printed beige paper wrappers, stapled or stitched at the spine, with moderate rubbing at the spine and corners. Catalogues describe it as 57 pages; this copy looks complete in the pages photographed, but has not been collated.