Myanmar Folk Dances
- Myanmar folk dances developed together with folk music
and songs. So they are inseparably linked with folk music
and songs. These three performing arts are complementary
and agro-based. As Myanmar is an agricultural country the
majority of its people are peasants and their cultural
performance reflect their occupation and daily life
style. Just as their folk music and songs present and
describe their daily chores, so also their folk dances
mimic their production activities. Most or possibly all
Myanmar folk dances are group dances performed on
communal occasions. The following are some samplings of
most pervasive and popular dances.
- Ou: zi dance is a dance performed by the ou: zi drum
players to the accompaniment of folk music and folk songs
by a band of at least four instrumentalists namely an
ou:zi, drum player, an oboe player, a cymbals player, and
bamboo clapper player. The ou:zi dancer plays the ou:zi
drum as he dances. He also sings and when he is tired,
the cymbals player or bamboo clappers player takes over.
Ou:zi dance steps are quick and movements are jerky. Solo
and chorus singing alternate. The lyrics of the ou:zi
song describes the special occasion for performing the
ou:zi dance, the locality and the pagoda festival which
it commemorates. The essential feature of ou:zi dance is
the chanting of "Thangja" (thangyat) which is
an antiphonal chant usually amusing or satirical sung to
the accompaniment of ou:zi. The ou:zi dance is performed
on all happy and joyous occasions. This folk dance
creates a boisterous and pastoral festive atmosphere.
- Dou:ba’ dance, another folk dance is performed with
the same band of musicians as in the ou:zi dance. The
only difference between ou:zi and dou:ba’ dances is
the type of drum played by the dancers. Dou:ba’ is a
double face drum slung by means of a strap on the neck of
the player. Ou:zi is an elongted one-faced drum with a
long body and open-ended tail or leg. It is slung on the
shoulder of the player. Than: gja is also chanted in
dou:ba’dance. Sometimes than:gja is composed
extempore by a witty rhymester of the village. With
boisterous percussion music, sonorous songs, agile dance
steps and chanting of ‘amusing tha:gja’ the
dou:ba’ waing (dou:ba’ party or band) is one of
the most hilarious folk dances. It is performed at the
pagoda festival and the novitiation ceremony. It is also
a must when people gather to give community services or
contribute voluntary labour such as digging water wells
and tanks, building roads, repairing public and religious
buildings. The dou:ba’ dance can agitate and inspire
the public.
- Bjo (Byaw) performance follows as a signal before
announcing the conclusion of a religious deed especially
alms-giving, donation, or novitiation or ordination
ceremonies. Normally no dance is performed because bjo
music is monotone and constant. But in some villagers
some adults and even the aged, particularly the donors,
because they are overwhelmed with rapture and joy over
their deed of religious merit, are drawn into the dance
to the bjo beat. The bjo dance developed as a consequence
of these impromtu performances. Now-a-days there are
professional bjo bands and dances of whom theMoe za bjo
band is famous.
- Boun gyi dance is performed in Upper Myanmar. It
originated in Shwebo at the beginning of the Kon-baung
dynasty (A.D. 1752-1885). It is staged by the owner of
paddy land and participated by the cultivators. It is
performed at planting and harvesting times. Boun gyi
dance is slow as the music and song accompanying it are
also slow. But the boun gyi’s sound is reverberating
due to the blend of the clash of big brass cymbals and
the boom of the drum beat.
- Naban Zan dance another folk dance is the favourite of
Myanmar rural folks. The name is derived from the hair
style fashionable among young-sters in olden days. That
hair style is called naban zan. Tufts of hair are tied on
either side of the head to hang over the ear. The dancer
is a boy of early teen with a naban zan hair style,
circular paint of thanakha make-up on his cheeks, dressed
like a young boy of old days and wearing a round
"gold" pendant, "gold" bangles and
anklets. He dances and prances boyishly to the percussion
music played by a band of five to seven instrumentalists.
This dance is staged on festive occasions, particularly
for fund raising for social welfare and religious works.
- U Shway Yoe dance. Some scholars opine that this folk
dance appeared in the early days of British colonial
rule. It is a comic dance performed by a male dressed
like a typical old Myanmar gentleman with a long neatly
trimmed moustache, a scarf around his neck, a spotted
turban or headgear, a square patterned sarong around his
waist, holding a lady’s open parasole in one hand,
while the other hand is moving with dance gestures and he
is making comic faces. He shakes his moustache, moves his
head, eyeballs and eyebrows in tune with the music.
Though an old gentleman formally dressed, he acts as if
he is on the lookout for pretty young girls. His comics
and antics raise laughter. It is said that the first
actor of U Shway Yoe dance was the famous Myanmar
cartoonist Shway Ta-Lay (U Ba Galay) who played the role
of a comedian (old man U Shway Yoe) in a film entitled
Taw Myaing Zunka Lwan Aung Hpan (Longing for Wilderness)
produced by the New Burma Film Co. In some performances
of this type another comic character is introduced in a
supporting role. It is a female dancer with the role name
of Daw Moe. Daw Moe is supposed to be a middle-aged
spinster still hunting for a good husband. She dresses
herself up and acts like a young lady and dances
flirtingly with U Shway Yoe who does not like spinsters
but who always runs after pretty young girls.The U Shway
Yoe dance satirizes some Myanmars of the old upper class
who become social misfits due to their idiosynracies and
eccentricities. The dance aptly pokes fun at both the
ageing male philanderer and fastidious spinster. It is a
favourite dance not only in the countryside but also in
town. The name Shway Yoe caught on in the art and
commercial worlds. Even Sir George Scott Who served in
Myanmar as a high ranking , ICS man in the early days of
British colonial rule assumed the name Shway Yoe "
as his penname for his celebrated book the Burman: His
life and Nations.
- Myanmar performing arts of rural folks are time-honoured
tangible aspects of Myanmar culture. Despite changes
through past countries they survive with characteristic
re and resiberice and pensistently contribute to remain
as part and parcel of Myanmar folk culture. Mecamzation
of agriculture, information technology superhighway,
ultra modern transportation ,etc, are the factors
speedily and unavoidably contributing towards the fast
moving, process of globalization in every field of human
kind, including culture. But nations with deep roots in
tradition, culture and history have their national
cultural heritage that serves as a bulwark against the
undesirable effects of globalization.
- assumed the name "Shwe Yoe" as his pen name for
his celebrated book The Burman: His Life and Notions.
- The Myanmar performing arts of rural folks are
time-honoured, tangible aspects of Myanmar culture.
Despite changes through past centuries they have survived
with characteristic resilience to persistently remain as
part and parcel of Myanmar culture. Mechanization of
agriculture, the information technology and superhighway,
ultra-modern transportation etc: are factors speedily and
unavoidably contributing to the fast-moving globalization
in every field, including culture. But nations with deep
roots in traditions, culture and history have their
national cultural heritage that serves as a bulwark
against the undesirable effects of globalization.
Dr. Khin Maung Nyunt