def get_instance_from_path(path, *args, **kwargs):
    """ Return an instance of a class, given the dotted
        Python import path (as a string) to the backend class.

        If the backend cannot be located (e.g., because no such module
        exists, or because the module does not contain a class of the
        appropriate name), ``django.core.exceptions.ImproperlyConfigured``
        is raised.
    """
    i = path.rfind('.')
    module, attr = path[:i], path[i+1:]
    try:
        mod = import_module(module)
    except ImportError, e:
        raise ImproperlyConfigured('Error loading registration backend %s: "%s"' % (module, e))
    try:
        backend_class = getattr(mod, attr)
    except AttributeError:
        raise ImproperlyConfigured('Module "%s" does not define a registration backend named "%s"' % (module, attr))

    return backend_class(*args, **kwargs)