Burnside's winning collection The Asylum Dance is his seventh, although he is also known for his two novels The Dumb House and The Mercy Boys.

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They are perfectly happy to let the Syiems carry on with their cultural functions. (Most senior officials including the Chief Minister and the Governor of Meghalaya turned up at the Nongkrem dance.) But when it comes to the actual business of governance, such as law enforcement or revenue collection, they are a little patronizing about the authority of the Syiems.

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The musical portrays Motown's first 25 years through the eyes of Gordy and is punctuated with a stunning collection of vintage hits and energetic dance numbers.

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The collection, named "BJ Kicks A, " veered from the high school dance party looks that she has championed for decades, running toward a junior high school gym class with a lot of cheek.

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