The Javanese movement artist Suprapto Suryodarmo (universally known as Prapto) died in 2019. He had devoted his life to developing, embodying, teaching and sharing his practice of Amerta Movement / Joged Amerta, which, in his own words, is not only a language for communication but also an expression of being. In the course of his life, Prapto worked with students and colleagues (people from all walks of life, including internationally-known artists, performers, practitioners and teachers, all of whom he treated equally as ‘friends’) in sacred, ancient and mundane sites around the world. He never attempted to write down his practice, although he encouraged many ‘friends’ to spread the word and the practice, sharing their own understandings of his work widely. ​ This book, covering the early years of Prapto’s teaching, is the closest there is to a record of that period of his work in English. It is a radically revised, updated and edited version of Lise Lavelle’s doctoral thesis and draws on her unrivalled knowledge of the culture, language, art, religion and traditions of Java – the pot in which Prapto’s life, work and practice were cooked. ​ While Amerta Movement continued to evolve during this century, 'The Roots of Amerta Movement' offers a clear and many-layered introduction. For anyone wanting to know more about Prapto and his work, it is a very good place to start.

In 1988, inspired by Prapto, Lise Lavelle initiated her own movement work naming it the ‘Dance of Life and Healing Theater,’ and in 1997 changed it to ‘Embodyment, dance of release and transformation.’ She drew on her training in classical Danish relaxation and movement, Sumarah meditation as well as her practice of Amerta Movement with Prapto in Java, and turned them into a ‘holistic’ movement practice. Lise also drew on earlier studies and practices of martial arts, Qigong, Tai chi, Kung fu, ritual dance, and Theravada Buddhist walking meditation and mindfulness (studied at the Wat Kiriwong Temple in Thailand), as well as on a Jungian approach to personal development and creativity. Lise held an MA in French from Copenhagen University, Denmark and a PhD in Indonesian from Lund University, Sweden. Lise was a recognized teacher of Amerta Movement.