The Chhau dance
If there is something that brings up to our minds the Asian continent, that could be its legends and traditions. Today, from the luxury hotel Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, we are taking you to India to learn more about one of its most ancient dances: the Chhau dance.
The Chhau dance is a traditional dance prevalent in Eastern India. Chhau dancers perform epic poems as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. There are three styles of the dance, based on its places of origin and development, Seraikella Chhau, Purulia Chhau and Mayurbhanj Chhau. The main difference between these subgenres is that the first two ones are performed with masks.
This dance is linked to the celebration of regional festivals, especially the spring festival of Chaitra Parva. Its origin comes from Eastern India warrior traditions, from the states of Bengal, Orissa and Jharkhand, and from different indigenous dances and martial arts.
The Chhau dance is only taught to men who belong to families of traditional artists or families from local communities. It is perfomed at night in an open space to the sound of popular folk melodies, which are played by mohuri and shennai, two typical Indian instruments. A variety of drums also accompany the music.
The themes of this style are usually abstract and symbolic. The Chhau dance is different from any other style of classical Indian dance because of the way the space is used and the way emotions are communicated.
Chauu dancers execute movements which enhance their bodies in the air: spiral turns, movements in the air and an extreme balance. The use of the mask requires a trained body in order to be able to express feelings faceless.
In 2010 the Chhau dance was inscribed in the UNESCO´s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Although it doesn´t have the status of classical Indian dance yet, work is in progress to get it due to its traditional elements.
If after learning more about this amazing dance you would like to visit Asia, we invite you to come to Asia Gardens Hotel & Thai Spa, 5 star resort in Spain, and enjoy our complete program of activities.
