Retna Mohini

🪔 About

Ratna Mohini, born Caroline Jeanne de Souza-IJke on May 17, 1904, in Batavia (now Jakarta), Indonesia, was an Indonesian-born Eurasian dancer of mixed Dutch and Javanese heritage. She gained prominence in 1930s Paris as a performer and cultural ambassador, known for blending traditional Javanese, Balinese, and Indian dance forms with modern influences. Mohini began her formal dance training in 1933 in Batavia under Retnowati Latip, who taught the Dalcroze Eurhythmics method and modern dance. She also studied with classical Javanese musicians Kodrat and Wiradat and likely trained at the Tejokusumo dance school in Yogyakarta, building a foundation in Javanese and Balinese forms. In the mid-1930s, Mohini relocated to Paris, where she adopted her stage name "Ratna Mohini," meaning "jewel enchantress." A pivotal collaboration began in 1939 when she partnered with Indian dancer Ram Gopal. During this period, she taught him Javanese and Balinese choreography while learning Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Kathakali from him and his teachers in Bangalore, India. She furthered her Indian dance studies by traveling to India, where she immersed herself in Kathakali's graceful lasya elements at the Kerala Kalamandalam under masters like Ravunni Menon and poet Vallathol. Together with Ram Gopal, she toured Europe, performing at venues such as London's Vaudeville Theatre and Paris's Guimet Museum, captivating audiences with her expressive arm and finger work. Ratna Mohini was lauded by Western media for bridging Eastern traditions with modern sensibilities, positioning her as a cultural ambassador in pre-war Europe. She is recognized as a pioneering figure for Eurasian women in the international arts. Ratna Mohini died on October 24, 1988, in Paris, France, at the age of 84.