Indian Dance
1) Overview of Indian Dance
Indian dance has a long history. As early as the Indus Valley Civilization period, Indian ancestors liked dancing very much. Among the cultural relics unearthed in Harappa and Mohenshtaro, there are bronze statues of dancing girls and stone statues of male dancers, which are evidence of popular dances at that time.
In the Vedic era, Indian dance has developed significantly and has written records. The "Rig Veda" from 1500 BC records the story of dancing girls. "Qiu Sha wore sparkling clothes like a dancing girl, "men wore gold jewelry and performed war-related scenes through dance", "young men and women danced together", "there was even a caste that specialized in dancing and singing to make a living". It can be seen that at that time Dance has developed quite a lot.
By the 4th century BC, the great Indian grammarian Panini also mentioned the word "dance" in one of the Indian epics, Ramayana. There are even more records about dancing: "Ramayana" writes: "Dances and concerts were held day and night in Ayotha for the king's enjoyment." "The graceful dance of a dancer made Ravana famous. "Intoxication".
However, the monograph on dance art should be represented by Bharata's "Dance Theory", which is the earliest theoretical work on literature and art in ancient India. It is generally believed to be a product of the 2nd century AD. But its content should be written earlier, probably before AD. "Dance Theory" is a poetic work. It comprehensively discusses all aspects of drama work, from theory to practice, and is mainly to meet the needs of practical work. It serves as a drama work manual according to the needs of the audience. It discusses theater, performance, dance, content and mood analysis, physical performance procedures, poetry, language, drama classification and structure, genre, style, makeup, performance, roles, and finally It discusses music extensively. Once this comprehensive summary appeared, it had a great influence on subsequent literary and artistic theory. Although it is basically a book focusing on practical performance work, it still touches on some important issues in theory and has a profound influence on music. Various parts of beautiful art such as dance drama and dance drama were well explained. Later, Shangeldevo conducted a detailed study on dance in his book "Gret Ledernerg". The book talks about the "Dangdevo Dance" (a kind of Shiva dance). Lord Shiva is the ancestor of this dance. Shiva passed on the knowledge of this dance to his students and Brahma. Ni. The Dandeva dance is a dance about the end of the world. When the world began to be destroyed, Shiva performed the "Aand Deva" dance at the request of Buddjeri and Voyakrabad Rishi. At that time, Brahma with four faces gave him high-fives, Vishnu played drums for him, and Denbalu and Narada sang with him.
In the Kalidasa period (5th century AD). ), Indian dance has developed significantly. Kalidasa wrote many works, and his plays brought ancient Indian drama creation to its peak. He is not only famous for his poetry, but also a famous playwright. The scripts "Shakuntala" and "Maravika and the King of Fire Friends" that have been passed down to this day are very famous. The prose and poetry are well interspersed in the plays, and there are dances and songs in the plays. The theory of music and dance is also fully studied in the first and second acts of "Maravika and the King of Fire". The close relationship between dance and performance is also mentioned in Kalidasa's writings. It played an important guiding role in the later development of dance.
Like music, dance art is also a means of livelihood. Dancers have been popular in India since ancient times. Kalidasa once described some temples at that time. The situation of the dancer. In Bainer's "The Journey of King Harsha", it is mentioned that the maiko danced by King Harsha for his son's birthday. However, according to historical records, the social status of dancers at that time was not high. Even in the Sarada period, professional artists in music and dance had been discriminated against by society. At that time, the Rishi Bharata once told a long story describing the humiliation suffered by actors, indicating their humble status in society. But the arts of music and dance were valued in their own right, and men and women of all classes studied them.
From a regional perspective, Indian dance can be divided into two categories: North Indian dance and South Indian dance. The main dances of North India include Cuttack and Manipuri. The classical dances of South India mainly include Bharatnatyam and Getakri.
In addition to the above-mentioned classical dances, there are many folk dances across India.
These folk dances have strong local characteristics and flavor of life, are very popular among the masses, and are an important part of India's splendid culture.
(2) Indian dance categories
Based on the content and nature of dance, Indian dance can be divided into two categories: classical and folk. There are four classical dances, namely Manipuri, Bharatanatyam, Getakri and Cuttack.
1. Manipuri Dance
Manipuri Dance is one of the four major classical dances in India. It originated in the Manipur region, hence its name. Manipur has always been known as the "Land of Dance". Dance is an important part of the life of Manipur people and an essential virtue for women.
Manipuri dance is developed from the beautiful folk dance. According to folklore, in ancient times, Lord Shiva and Parvati created a dance and chose a valley area suitable for this dance, but the terrain was low-lying and submerged in water. So Lord Shiva used his trident to split the mountain to drain the water, filled up the depression, and opened up a place for dancing. This place is today's Manipur. The first dance performed by Lord Shiva and Parvati in Manipur was called Raiharoba dance. Raiharoba dance is the original form of Manipuri dance. It is a dance performed to honor the village god. When dancing, the whole village often participates.
Manipuri dance is a general term for several types of dances. The Manipuri dances include Banga Jalan dance (quick step dance) and Gradhar Jalan dance (high fives) which are related to the praise of gods. dance), Lakkar dance (partner dance) that expresses the childhood life of Krishna (God Krishna), Tabar Jingabi dance (moonlight dance) danced during the Songkran Festival, etc. What people usually call Manipuri dance, which is also famous all over India, refers to the erotic Rath Leela dance. It is said that about 1,700 years ago, a king named Jai Singh emerged in the Manipur region. Once, he saw the Las Lila dance in his dream and heard the beautiful music, so he taught his daughter how to dance. Since then, this dance has been passed down to this day.
Ras Leela dance also includes Vasund Ras dance (spring dance), Gungu Ras dance (forest dance), Maha Ras dance (big dance), Ni Dieye Ras Dance, Devo Ras Dance, etc. All these dances are dances that express the love and play between Krishna and the girls of the Gobi tribe (a kind of pastoral tribe). The dance features Lata and Krishna.
Lata and Gobi girls wear a kind of circle skirt called banig without pleats. The skirt is covered with tulle, tied with a belt at the waist, and a tight-fitting skirt is worn on the upper body. Short coat, gauze scarf and hat. Krishna wears yellow clothes. The colors of their costumes are in perfect harmony with the dance atmosphere, making the dance more graceful, graceful and moving.
2． Bharatanatyam
Bharatyanatyam is a traditional dance from Tamil Nadu in South India and one of the four major classical dances in India. Indian scholars believe that this dance originated from the Aryan culture of North India, but was developed and perfected in South India. The development of Bharatanatyam dance in the south is closely related to the divine slaves in various temples in the south. Legend has it that the sage Bharatanatyam is the founder of this dance.
There are different opinions about the origin of Bharatanatyam dance, but no matter which theory, it is related to Arjuna. There is a story that when Arjuna was living in a foreign country, he taught this dance to Uthra, the princess of Modesiya (Virat) country. Later, this dance spread from Virat (today's Jaipur) to the whole of India; another story says that Arjuna taught this dance to King Ji when he was in the capital of Kalinga Kingdom, Mallagarbhademmo. Jitrangada, daughter of Travahun (who later married Arjuna). Therefore, in South India, it is generally believed that Chitrangoda later became a slave of the gods, and when Arjuna returned to his country, she did not go with him. There is also a theory that this dance developed from the famous folk dance Guravingi in Tamil Nadu. Gulawingi is a mobile mountain tribe. They move around the country and make a living by reading palms and dancing. The dance they dance is called Gulawingi dance. Guravingi dance is simpler than Bharatanatyam dance, but it is very popular.
Mime is a characteristic of Bharatanatyam dance, which expresses rich thoughts and feelings through the movements of various parts of the body, such as war, love, hatred, etc. It requires props, and wearing various masks to express different stories is also a major feature of this dance. Bharatnatyam dance is usually accompanied by Garnatak music.
When the Arlib plays, the actor puts his feet together and stretches his hands above his head. Then, as the sound of instruments directs the actor's movements comes from behind the scenes, the actor uses the movements of his neck, mouth, eyes, hands and other parts of the body to harmonize with the sound. Expressions express various thoughts freely.
3. Getakri dance
Getakri dance is the most famous dance in Kerala and one of the four major classical dances in India. Getakri dance is actually a very storytelling and unique dance to praise gods. The great poet Varador called Getakri dance "the queen of art". Put stories, poetry, music, dance. The clever combination of performance and painting is a major feature of Getakri dance.
Getakri dance is usually performed at night during temple fairs, and all the roles in the play are played by men. The performance is mime, but accompanied by percussion instruments. The storyline in the dance is expressed in the form of recited poetry. The verses are in Sanskritized Malayalam and recited by a man behind the scenes. The postures and gestures of the actor's body have certain symbolic meanings. The content of the poem is expressed through the speed of beating of the feet, the various movements of the hands and fingers, and the different movements and expressions of the eyes, nose, and lips. The actors only act but do not speak. Excellent Getakri dancers are very proficient in the movements of various parts of the body and performance skills. They can express various thoughts and feelings just with their eyes, and use the speed of their eyes to move to express circles, Arabic numerals "8", etc. They perform the movements of animals such as swans, snakes and monkeys, and the images are very realistic. They can even use one half of their face to express hatred and anger, and the other half to express happiness and joy.
Facial makeup plays an important role in Getakri dance. This kind of makeup is a special painting art. The makeup on the face helps to express the various ideological contents of the dance. They use a thick paste made from rice flour and apply it on the face. Depending on the character, they apply it in five colors including green, red and yellow. The face of the positive character is painted with light green and white; the face of the negative character is painted with several layers. Pink and white, with red around the nose, black around the eyes, and a red beard; the female horn is painted with a layer of white on a yellow and light red background.
Getakri dance is generally based on the two epic epics "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata", but now some people also use it as a means of political propaganda.
The art of Getakri dance is not easy for ordinary people to appreciate, but in Kerala, everyone can appreciate its artistic beauty, and Getakri dance is performed in both cities and villages.
4. Cuttack Dance
Cuttack Dance originated in Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh. It is a famous dance in Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and one of the four major classical dances in India.
Cuttak is a caste that specializes in dancing and makes a living by performing arts. The dance they dance is called Cuttack dance. Cuttack dance was originally a courtly erotic dance. In the feudal emperor era, it was exclusively used by princes and nobles to entertain themselves after dinner. Now it’s a dance that everyone does.
Cuttack dance can be performed by both men and women. The content mainly shows the love story of Krishna and Lata. There are many small copper bells tied to the feet of Cuttack dancers. The performers make different sounds according to the changes of the drum beats. Sometimes they are sonorous and powerful, with complex sounds flowing; sometimes they are fine and sweet, and they are melodious. Along with the drum beats and music, the movements of various body parts and facial expressions are used to express various emotions, so some people call it a dance that performs various postures. At present, this kind of dance mostly appears on the screen and in the dance hall.
In addition to classical dance, there are many famous folk dances in various places in India. Folk dance in India has a long history and is recorded in the classical literature "Yajurveda" and the two epic epics "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana". Some are religious, some are seasonal, etc. They are not only rich in content, but also unique and popular among the masses, so some folk dances can be passed down from generation to generation. The following is a summary of the selection:
Vongola dance is a harvest celebration dance performed by Punjabi people during the harvest season. Dancers are welcome, regardless of age or age. As long as there is an open space, a group of people gather together and beat the drums, they can start dancing. It begins with dancing in a circle, and newcomers can join at any time without interrupting the continuity of the dance. The drummer stands in the middle of the field and the dancers circle around the drummer. The drummer beats the drum for a while and then raises the drumstick upwards. When the dancer sees the raised drumstick, he speeds up his pace and jumps faster and faster. His whole body shakes rapidly, and he lands on one foot and raises his hands. , jumping and turning in circles.
As they reached the climax, they clapped their hands and shouted "Balay! Balay!" or "Ho! Ho!" from time to time. The shouts are extremely powerful and majestic, and the dances are joyful and lively. Those who dance are often carried away with joy, and those who watch are often dancing with joy. After the climax, it turns into a slow dance, dancing slowly with one foot to the sweet music. At this time, one of them suddenly covered his left ear with his hand and sang a song, and everyone immediately started dancing as wildly as before. This alternating speed and slowness can be repeated several times, and the jumping time can last for several hours. Skilled vongola dancers can even perform very complex acrobatic moves, such as the torso close to the ground, the spine tilted back, or a dancer standing on his shoulders while he dances on his knees. Since Vongola dance has no strict rules, it gives people a fresh, natural and energetic impression. The movements of this dance unmistakably reflect the masculinity of the Punjabi people.
There are several kinds of Vongola dance, among which the main ones are Rudy dance, Qiumor dance, Thogany dance, etc., which are slightly different from each other. This kind of dance has superb skills, changeable formations and no artificiality. Accompanied by music and tambourines, the melody is beautiful, harmonious, and naturally touching.
The dancer's costume is a fashionable headscarf on the head, a beautiful crotch on the lower body, and a silk loose coat on the upper body, which is dyed with blue or crimson colors, which is gorgeous and eye-catching. There are foot bells tied to the feet, and the dancers' feet movements are skillful, accompanied by the rhythmic sound of music, tambourines and foot bells, vividly showing the hardworking and brave Indian people's love for life; the pleasant tunes and dexterity, The beautiful dance postures and rich expressions reflect the determination and optimism of the Indian people to defeat nature and achieve a bumper harvest.
Getta dance is the oldest dance in Punjab. "Geta" means high five. In the past, getta dance was performed to please the gods. Today this dance is also performed during weddings and other festive events.
Getta dance is very simple, but the dance is moving. This dance is usually performed on a moonlit night. The dancers first form a circle, and then gradually expand the circle to the rapid beat of the drum. At this time, three or four people came to the center of the circle and started dancing. They dance and sing at the same time, playing the role of lead singer. The song they sang was called Tabai or Bader, and every time they sang the last line, the others clapped their hands and sang it again, and so on until the end.
Getta dance is generally danced by women. Men can also dance, but they must be separated from the women and form a circle. Only when celebrating marriage, men and women can dance together.
Qiumer dance (i.e. wild dance) is a dance performed by men. Although not as famous as Vongola dance, it is also popular in the vast rural areas of Punjab. Because it is a dance related to agricultural festivals. This dance can be done at any time. It is similar to the Getta dance. When dancing, people form a circle. Accompanied by drums, sometimes the men each hold a short stick and beat each other rhythmically, dancing in circles. People who dance the Qiumer dance wear a gorgeous tasseled headscarf on their heads, a white round-neck gown, and various colored cloth sheets. The two ends of the cloth sheet are tied to the left waist, and the brightly colored wide-brimmed underwear extends to the waist. On the feet, wear soft shoes. The Qiumer dance is very beautiful and moving, and can last for three or four hours at a time.
In addition, Tikka dance, Ludi dance, etc. are all popular women's dances.
Powai dance is a famous folk dance drama in Gujarat. The form is very special. The dance includes music, dance and drama performances, which is similar to a song and dance drama. The characters were all played by men, and the audience was also all men.
Performing Powai dance drama is an ancestral occupation of the Paojige, Nayege and Dilagher tribes. They form a song and dance troupe, visit villages and villages, and perform on tour. Especially during the Navratri festival, the Piwai dance must be performed to welcome the Goddess Powai (i.e. Mother Difficult to Approach). This is the origin of the name of the dance drama.
This kind of dance drama has no stage and is performed in open squares or temple courtyards. However, during the performance, it is necessary to place an image of the Unapproachable Mother in the courtyard or square and light an oil lamp in front of the image. The performance often lasts from the night before to the early morning of the next day. Each Powai dance is divided into several parts, and each part is called a swanger. Each swanger has one or two characters, performing a certain mythological story, historical figure or social figure. Dance dramas are often mixed with some satirical jokes to achieve a certain purpose of ridicule. They are very interesting and very popular among people.
Gerba dance is a worship dance and is the most popular folk dance in Gujarat. It comes in two forms, namely "Gelba" and "Gelbi". Gelba dance is danced by women, while Gelbi dance is danced by men.
When women dance the Gerba dance, they place lighted clay pots or young crops of certain crops in the center of the dance floor, and then form a circle. , dance heartily to express prayers to Mother Earth. This dance is unique because the clay pot with a hole in the head for lighting emits twinkling lights as the body swings. It is as beautiful as a diamond, and the shadows cast by the light are also particularly beautiful. During the Navratri festival, women especially like to dance Garba dance. Beautiful girls, with lighted clay pots on their heads, dance in groups and go to various houses, inviting everyone to come and join in the dance. During the nine-day festival, there is dancing everywhere and singing in every house. In addition to sacred festivals, such as Krishna's Nativity Festival and Rama's Nativity Festival, this dance can also be performed on other festivals. Gerba dance is also performed on festivals such as Spring Festival, Girls' Day, and Widow's Day.
Girbi dance is a dance performed by men during the Navratri festival to commemorate the unapproachable Mother Goddess. This dance is generally not performed at other times. The layout of the dance floor and the dancing method are the same as the Gerba dance performed by women, except that men do not hold clay pots on their heads when dancing. People who dance the Girbi dance are naked on the upper body or wear an ancient lace gown and a pair of Rajasthani trousers on the lower body.
Ras dance is another famous folk dance in Gujarat with a long history. This is a mixed dance of men and women, with three forms, namely Dende Rasq (stick dance), Dal Rasq (high-five dance), and Rahid Rasq (performance dance). The Dend Rathgar (stick dance) is particularly popular in North India. During the Autumn Moon Festival, this kind of dance can be seen everywhere, and this kind of dance is also performed during other festivals. In the past, Rath dance only performed the life story of Lord Krishna and only sang songs related to Lord Krishna. Today, the content of the lyrics has changed, and other songs can also be sung. There are no certain rules for dressing up when dancing Rath dance. Generally, women wear wide tops and skirts, and men wear long shirts or slim-legged trousers. Sometimes an actor is required to dress up as Krishna.
In addition to the above-mentioned dances, each state in India has its own folk dances, and there are many, so I will not introduce them one by one here.