Burmese dance

A village group dance in the early 1900s

Traditional dance performance at the Karaweik in Yangon

Dance in Burma (now known as Myanmar by the government there) can be divided
into dramatic, folk and village, and nat dances, each having distinct characteristics.
Although Burmese dance has been influenced by the dance traditions of its
neighbours, in particular Thailand, it retains unique qualities that distinguish it from
other regional styles, including angular, fast-paced and energetic movements and
emphasis on pose, not movement.[1]

History[edit]

Puppet theatre ( ) is the inspiration for many movements in traditional

Burmese dancing, whose movements are reminiscent of puppets.

The origins of Burmese Dance are traced to the Pyu, Halin, and Mon cultures in the
central and lower Irrawaddy regions from at least two centuries before the Christian
era.[2] Archaeological evidence shows Indian influences already in this.[3][4] There
were also influences from Thai and Khmer cultures during the many invasions and
counter-invasions that occurred over the next two millennia.[4] There was a
particularly well documented infusion of dance forms, such as the Yama Zatdaw (the
Burmese version of the Ramayana) in 1767, when the Burmese sacked Ayutthaya
( ) and expropriated a large component of the Thai court.[4]

Some of the surviving forms (including the belu, nat gadaw and zawgyi dances)
honour folklore characters that are quintessentially Burmese, some of these from
pre-Buddhist times. There is also a close relationship between the classical Burmese
marionette and human dance art forms, with the former obviously imitating human
dance, but also with human dance imitating the movements of the marionette.

After independence from Britain in 1948, there was a period of strong Burmese
cultural nationalism that resulted in the establishment of the State School of Music
in Mandalay in 1953. A well-known dancer of the day, Oba Thaung, is credited with
codifying the nearly completely undocumented Burmese dance repertory. Her
syllabus at the school was condensed into five dance courses intended as a five-
year term of study. Each of the five courses is broken into dance sequences
comprising a total of 125 stages, with each stage being precisely ten minutes long.
[3]

Bagan dance[edit]

This dance originates from the time of the Pyu kingdoms (5th-10th century). A small
number of relatively crude musical instruments were used and the dance style is
slow and sedate. The costumes of dancers, as depicted in wall paintings, were
scanty and revealing.

Bilu dance[edit]

The bilus (demons or ogres) are ancient characters, thought to originate from a
legendary race that roamed India and Burma circa 2000 BC. Buddhist literature
describes them as primitive and feared by other races.

In literature, the Belus are described as having transmogrifying powersan ability

to take on different physical appearances. There are 24 different classical demon
forms, each with its own name and role in stories and plays. One of the best known
is Dasagiri, a demon in the Indian Ramayana epic.

In any of his forms, the Belus embodies the Devil. He is terrifying, overbearing and
diabolical by nature. But he has a gentle side also. In a typical dance, Dasa-Giri
often offers a bouquet of flowers to a dainty damsel. The demure lady is unable to
overlook the beastly side and declines his darling present. The demon then
expresses his dejection at the refusal.

Kinnara and kinnari dances[edit]

Shan kinnara and kinnari dance

There are many references in the Pali and Sanskrit literature to the mythical birds
with human head and torso, Kinnara (male) and Kinnari (female). According to the
literature, the birds originated in prehistoric India. They appear in some of the
discourses of the Lord Buddha himself.

In Burma, images of the Bird's dancing styles are found painted and carved on the
walls at Bagan and (even earlier) from the Pyu kingdoms.

The songs and dances describe the Bird's happy re-union after a separation of 700
nights due to a heavy rainstorm and floods. The dance is a popular emblem of true
love and has an ancient history that is kept alive by the Burma dance troupes.

The dancers are attired with flapping wings at their wrists, in contrast to wings at
their armpits, as is characteristic of Thailand and other Asian countries. The dance
of bird-like movements is very supple and fine, and intricately coordinated with the
accompanying music.

Mount Popa's guardian spirits dance[edit]

According to Burmese folklore (but probably based on quasi-historical facts), Me

Wunna, a beautiful princess was a sister of the king of Thaton in lower Burma.
Estranged from her brother, she refused betrothal to a royal descendent and lived in
exile and alone in the forests of Mount Popa. As a devout Buddhist she abstained
from eating meat and lived solely on flowers and fruits. She generally wore the
mask of a demon to frighten away foes and friends alike. Thus she was reputed to
be a flower-eating demon.

Later she fell in love with a royal dispatcher of fantastic physique, and begot two
able sons with him. Unfortunately, her spouse was then executed for being derelict
in fetching flowers from the mount. As a result, he became a nat (spirit).

Me Wunna's two sons, when they grew up, became distinguished heroes in the
Royal Army. Unfortunately they fell victim to an intrigue, were executed for
pretense, and became transformed into the two famous Spirits, the "Brother Nats"
of Taungbyone.
However that was not the end of it. The bad tidings of her sons untimely deaths
caused Me Wunna to die of heartbreak. So she became a nat as well and became
duly enshrined at Mt. Popa, where she became "Super-Exalted" to supreme power in
the Realm of the Nats.

The dancer, clad traditionally in regal apparel of green colour, impersonates the
Spirit. On her head is perched the mask of a demon. In her hands, she holds two
quills of a peacock's tail, the symbol of the sun, to banish Darkness (the evil
element). She dances as an apparition with grace and subtlety.

Nat dance[edit]

A nat gadaw (spirit medium) dance in Amarapura

In Burma, it is traditional to make an offering of a green coconut, three hands of

bananas, and a few other accessories, to the Guardian Spirit of Land (a nat) prior to
an important event such as an inauguration. This appeasement of the Spirit is
usually done by a professional Spirit Medium (Nakadaw).

The dancer is often attired in red silk, including a red headband and, around the
chest, and a tightly knotted red scarf. With the offerings on a tray, she or he dances
in propitiation and repeats the sequence three times. As medium dances she sings
ritual songs to the 37 National Nats (Spirits) and the Local Nat.

At the onset, the dance is delicate and the music legato. After a verbal injunction,
the dancer quickens to the rising intensity of the music. As the Medium enjoins the
Spirits, the movements and the music reach a frenzied crescendo.

Oil lamp dance[edit]

In the oil lamp dance ( ), the traditional oil lamp offered to the Lord
Buddha is a lighted wick of cotton soaked in an oil-filled earthenware saucer is the
centerpiece of the dance. A lighted candle now usually substitutes in its place. The
Rakhine people of western Burma incorporate the oil lamp dance in many of their
traditional dances, mostly devotional, to the Buddha.
The performer's hands are always upturned (to retain the oil). Elders who remember
performing with traditional lamps say that the secret is to not let the lamp drop
while, at the same time, conveying particular expressions with various attitudes of
the hands and legs. "It is almost an ordeal", they added.

Ramayana dances[edit]

In 1767, King Hsinbyushin of the Konbaung dynasty brought back Siamese captives
to the Inwa (Ava), the kingdom's capital. Among the captives were Siamese court
dancers who performed the Ramayana (Yama Zatdaw) wearing masks.

In this epic, Rama is the hero and chief character, Sita is the heroine, and Dasa-Giri
is the villain demon. In a typical segment, Rama is enticed away by the Golden
Deer, who is a transmogrified form of the demon sister of Dathagiri (Ravana).
Dathagiri himself is metamorphed as a Hermit. Rama is then seen gravely following
the tracks of the alluring Deer. The Deer leaves subtle hints as a trail.

U Min Gyaw dance[edit]

U Min Gyaw, alias Pakhan Kyaw, is a well-known Burmese nat (spirit). There are a
few different versions of his biography. One is that, being an adept horseman and
son of a trusted royal guardian; he was knighted and given the Countship of the
country town of Pakhan in central Burma. However, once in office he indulged
himself in drinking, gambling (especially cock fighting), and in womanising.

He eventually had the audacity to dethrone and execute the king and others,
including two young brothers, sons of a nobleman. These two brothers became
famous nats and went on to long careers of mischief. However, in their very first act,
the two brothers used their new powers to pay back the Count in his own coin,
causing the Count's murder and his return as the Nat U Min Gyaw.

When he takes on his human form, U Mingyaw takes relish drinking toddy, the sap
of the palmyra tree (aka the "toddy palm"). His favourite hors d'uvre, to go along
with sap, is fried chicken or fowl. Therefore, the most effective propitiation is
thought to be a pot of toddy and a fried fowl. Petitioners believe that U Min Gyaw
will fulfill any wish that is made to him during his trance, although he usually
expects a commission.
In a typical performance, the Medium appeals to U Min Gyaw by presenting him with
a bottle of liquor in one hand and a fried fowl in the other. The dancer copies the
drunken style of the Spirit.

U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe dance[edit]

U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe dance in Los Angeles, 2007

Rather than a classic, this dance is an example of contemporary Burmese folk art.
The dance has appeared out of the custom of entertaining the crowd, especially
volunteers taking part in Flag Days or at community charitable activities. Its
purpose is to inspire people to donate and to do meritorious deeds for the
betterment of next lives.

The names U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe are fictitious (not part of any classic text) and
chosen for their rhyming effect. There is no established melody for the dance.
Instead the orchestra improvises any lively tune, or recorded music is sometimes
used. Enthusiastic citizens with no formal dance training often perform. The roles
are one Old Bachelor (U Shwe Yoe) and one Spinster (Daw Moe), the latter played by
either a male or female dancer. The choreography is spontaneous and designed to
give the audience the best medicine.

The costumes are bizarre and flamboyant, with the indispensable elements of U
Shwe Yoe's (independently animated) moustache and a twirling Pathein parasol. In a
jocular manner, he emotes his love and makes a pass at Daw Moe, while she
responds evasively and artfully. The audience, often mostly children and old folk,
clap loudly and encourage Shwe Yoe in his persistence.[3]

Zat pwe duet dance[edit]

All-night performances, which combine melodrama, slapstick, traditional dance, and

even pop music are called "zat pwe" in Burma. These seasonal events are staged in
enclosed temporary bamboo theatres and are typically part of annual fund raising
activities at pagoda festivals. The performers are travelling troupes, usually several
dozen professional male and female dancers, musicians, comedians, and actors.
These troupes travel widely throughout the country. The Duet Dance, a standard
part of the Zat Pwe, typically starts near 2- or 3-AM, and has a duration of about two
hours.

Generally the lead actors dance with the lead actresses. The male dancers make a
display, often with highly athletic and inventive elements. The male and female
dancers sing in duet and exchange lover's vows.

There is often a competitive aspect to see who in the troupe can win the favour of
the loudest cheers. During all of this, the orchestra must synchronise to the action
occurring on the stage. When done with excellence, this dance can create national
fame for the troupe.

Zawgyi dance[edit]

Zawgyi is a Burmese folk character adept in the art of alchemy. He is said to have
gained his supernatural skills through occult means. He inhabits thick forests near
the Himalaya where he forages herbs for magical purposes. After searching for
many years he obtained the Philosopher's stone and thereby gained Zawgyihood.
Sometimes, with a touch of his magic wand he brings to life "illusory females" from
trees bearing female-shaped fruits in order fulfill his carnal wishes.

The dance illustrates Zawgyi going about the forest, prancing with his wand,
pulverising herbs and gamboling in jubilation after acquiring the Stone.

There is only fragmentary knowledge of the early history of Myanmar classical

dance. It seems clear, however, that the present style and technique evolved over
some 1 500 years, incorporating elements of the earlier Mon and Puy traditions
predating the arrival of the Burmese. As may be expected, Indian influences are
clearly present, but it is not exactly known how the Indian influence was received. It
is probable that the source in India was the Pala dynasty off Eastern India, which
was partly contemporaneous with the classical Pagan period in Myanmar from the
11th to 13th centuries. Pala culture deeply influenced the arts and architecture of
Pagan. Thus it is possible that the influence was also felt in the field of in dance.
As already discussed earlier, important sources for the history of Burmese dance are
the small reliefs from the Pyu period and the several murals and reliefs from the
Pagan period. They are characterised by Indian-influenced foot positions, strongly
bent bodies, and angular arm positions, all of them features still recognisable in the
present-day classical dance technique of Myanmar.

Later, Burmese dance was also influenced by the classical dance of Thailand or, to
be more specific, Thai-Khmer dance; the Thais conquered Angkor in Cambodia in
the 15th century and, it is believed, abducted court dancers and other artists. The
Thais probably modified the style to their own tastes, and this, in turn, was partly
adopted in Burma, when the Burmese imprisoned the Thai court with its dancers
after the sack of the Thai capital, Ayutthaya, in 1767.

Thai theatre and dance gave a new impetus to the performing arts of Burma. During
the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the so-called golden age of Burmese theatre,
new drama forms evolved, including marionette theatre, which had a major effect
on the aesthetics and repertoire of the dance in Myanmar. The Thai khon, a form of
mask dance-theatre enacting the story of the Ramayana, has its equivalent in
Burmese dance-theatre, and some dances are labelled yodayar, referring to
Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand.

The Puppet Style

It is generally believed that the Burmese marionette theatre was developed in order
to enact the Buddhist Jataka stories with their moral teachings. Live dancer-actors
were regarded as too impure to impersonate the principal characters that present
the former incarnations of the Buddha. The art of the puppeteers soon achieved
virtuoso levels of performance, and during the century-long heyday of this art form
the movements of the marionettes came to dictate the technique and aesthetic
standards of live dancers.

Puppet-style dances are still popular. Many dance numbers are based on the
repertory of the marionette theatre, such as the dances of the Magician, the Prince
(mintha) and the Princess (minthamee). This partly explains the jerky movements of
the dancers, who often perform sitting or crouching on the floor. The marionettes
also influenced the way in which the dancers fall down, like a marionette whose
strings are cut. The performer, however, always falls to the ground in a very
graceful position with legs bent back and arms bent angularly. The facial expression
is often a frozen, puppet-like smile, which appears to derive from the marionettes.
Over the years, various puppet-style dances evolved, emphasising the precise
imitation of the marionettes.

The Present Technique

The present technique and style of dance in Myanmar, as long as the history of the
art form may be, is, in fact, a result of the canonising of the Burmese dance
technique in the 1950s. The first governmental institutes in control of dance
education in Burma were the State Schools of Music in Mandalay and Yangon,
founded in 1953. In Burma, where the court tradition had had an abrupt end, it was
felt that the classical dance technique should be recreated and standardised for the
use of the curriculum of the newly founded State School. This task fell to the
renowned performer Oba Thaung, who created the basic movement series,
comprising 22 basic movement units (gabyar-lut), still used in dance training in
modern Myanmar.

In the first basic position, the knees are bent into an almost crouching position, and
the body is forward with the arms supporting the small of the back. From this
spring-like tensed position, the dancer rises from time to time, preserving,
however, the s-shaped bending of the body. Footwork closely resembles the flat-
foot steps typical of many Indian dance styles, but in Myanmar the feet only touch
the ground lightly, sometimes kicking the long train of the costume backwards.

The hands repeat gestures of Indian origin, which, unlike the Indian mudras, no
longer have any precise symbolic meanings. They are merely dance gestures
forming an integral element of the dance as a whole. Sharp neck movements
accentuate the head movements that follow the rhythm of the music, and the eyes
are trained, as in India, to follow the movement.
Many dances, or at least parts of them, are performed in a crouching position;
sometimes the dancer is nearly lying on the floor. There are similar dances in other
parts of Southeast Asia, and they may have been dictated by the requirements of
the strict court etiquette where underlings had to kneel before rulers. In fact, many
Southeast Asian dances express respect for a ruler, spirits, Hindu deities or the
Buddha.

Forms of Dance

The most archaic of the dances of Myanmar are probably the dance sequences
belonging to nat pwe rituals, already discussed earlier. As was mentioned, they
have also been adapted to the more refined, classical repertory. The actual court
tradition of Burma was abruptly ended by the Anglo-Burmese wars and the
complete destruction of the countrys court culture. However, some of the courtly
dance forms spread among the ordinary people when former court artists were
forced to find their livelihood outside the restricted circles of the court.

The actual court dancers were not allowed to perform for outsiders, but they could
teach their art to ordinary dancers. Thus the female tradition of court dance spread
to the cities of Mandalay and Rangoon at the end of the 19th century. The relatively
small court orchestra was expanded, and the performances gained increasingly
theatrical features. By the early 20th century the female group dances became very
popular and overshadowed many other forms of dance. These kinds of dances are
usually performed by large groups of female dancers who execute the dance in
unison. They form often part of communal festivities, temple fairs etc. on a grand
scale.

Many dance forms have also flourished naturally among ordinary people, both
ethnic Burmese and other ethnic groups. Drum dances have had a long history, as
is seen in the temple murals of the Pagan period. However, in the 17th century, it is
believed, a long-drum dance became increasingly popular. The dancers played long
drums while dancing. Later the drums grew in size even more and they were
supported by stands. Simultaneously, the dance became more theatrical in
character. Their popularity ceased at the beginning of the 20th century when the
female group dances became popular.
There are naturally dozens of different dances in the region of present-day
Myanmar. As has already been discussed, the puppet style dances, derived from the
repertory and character gallery of the marionette theatre, are still very popular. One
theme, known in many Southeast Asian cultures, is the dance of the kinnari, a half-
bird half-human creature described in Buddhist mythology. It belongs both to the
actual Burmese repertory as well as to the Shan tradition of Northeast Myanmar. It
is characterised by standard poses indicating flying. The Burmese version is
performed in traditional dance costume imitating the court costume of the court of
Upper Burma, while in the Shan version the dancer wears a fantastic costume with
large, colourful wings supported by bamboo sticks.