Course Title PEM 12

International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms

SEM/ Academic 2nd Semester
Year 2024-2025
Topic History, Culture and Folk Dances of Myanmar
Presented by Tapero, Rochelle

Course and BPEd 2A

Section
Presented to Dr. Rodger A. Gimpaya
BPED Faculty
Date
This lesson explores the different history, cultural and types of folk dances in
Description of the Myanmar.
Lesson

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Learning
Objectives At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

●​ Understand the history and cultural significance of Myanmar folk dances,

●​ Identify different types of Myanmar folk dance and their characteristics,
●​ Learn and practice basic dance movements,
●​ Perform a short Myanmar folk dance routine.

CONTENT DISCUSSIONS

Lecture Guide
The history of Folk Dance of Myanmar

Myanmar’s folk dances reflect its culture, traditions, and spiritual beliefs. These
dances are performed during festivals, village celebrations, and religious
ceremonies. They are often accompanied by traditional music and colorful
costumes.

Dance in Burma (since 1989 known as Myanmar)

can be divided into dramatic, folk and village, and nat dances, each having distinct
characteristics. Although Burmese dance resembles the traditional dancing style of
its neighbors, in particular [Dance in Cambodia ], it retains unique qualities that

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
distinguish it from other regional styles, including angular, fast-paced and
energetic movements and emphasis on pose, not movement.

History of Burmese Dance

The origins of Burmese Dance are traced to the Pyu, Halin, and Mon cultures in
the central and lower Irrawadd regions from at least two centuries before the
Christian era. Archaeological evidence shows Indian influences already in this.
There were also influences from Thai and Khmer cultures during the many
invasions and counter-invasions that occurred over the next two millennia.

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.

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.

Yein Group

Yein is a form of group dance that features multiple dancers synchronously

dancing and moving their heads, waists, feet, and hands to the beats of music,
often performed by a traditional Burmese orchestra called hsaing waing or drums.
It is commonly performed by troupes during Thingyan.

Bagan Dance

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.

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
Bilu Dance

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. The Belus are described as
having transmogrifying powers—an 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 Dadagiri, a demon in
the Indian Ramayana epic.

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 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 reunion 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

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 descendant 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

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
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

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

In the oil lamp dance, the traditional oil lamp offered to the 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 Dance

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 Dadagiri
(Ravana). Dathagiri himself is metamorphosed 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

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

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
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 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 in his
human form, U Mingyaw takes relish drinking toddy, the sap of the palmyra tree
(aka the "toddy palm"). His favourite hors d'œuvre, 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

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.

Zat Pwe Duet Dance

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

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
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

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 Zawgyi Hood.
Sometimes, with a touch of his magic wand he brings to life "illusory females"
from trees bearing female-shaped fruits in order to 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.

Elephant Dance (Kyaukse Elephant Dance Festival)

traditional Burmese performance where men wear large, colorful paper-mâché

elephant costumes and dance to the beat of drums, essentially mimicking the
movements of an elephant, all taking place in the town of Kyaukse, Myanmar; the
highlight of the festival is the dance procession around the Shwe Tha Lyaung
pagoda, with the "elephant dancers" paying homage to the site by circling it three
times.

Here’s the some folk dances from Myanmar:

●​ Bagan Dance
●​ Bilu Dance
●​ Kinnara and Kinnari Dance
●​ Mount Popa’s guardian Spirits Dance
●​ Nat Dance
●​ Oil Lamp Dance
●​ Ramayana Dance
●​ U Min Gyaw Dance
●​ U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe Dance
●​ Zat Pwe Duet Dance
●​ Zawgi Dance
●​ Elephant Dance

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
 PERFORMANCE TASKS/ LEARNING ACTIVITY

Quiz: Short Quiz 1-5 Multiple - Choice

1. What is the traditional folk dance of Myanmar that involves graceful hand and foot movements?​
a) Bagan Dance​
b) Yein Dance​
c) Nat Dance​
d) Zat Pwe

2. Which Myanmar folk dance is typically performed in a group during festivals?​

a) Yein Dance​
b) Zat Pwe​
c) U Shwe Yoe & Daw Moe Dance​
d) Elephant Dance

3. U Shwe Yoe & Daw Moe Dance is a comedic folk dance performed by which group?​
a) Monks​
b) Farmers​
c) Entertainers​
d) Warriors

4. What type of dance is performed during the Thingyan Water Festival?​

a) Bagan Dance​
b) Yein Dance​
c) Royal Court Dance​
d) Pyu Dance

5. Which folk dance is associated with animism and spirit worship?​

a) Nat Dance​
b) Yein Dance​
c) Bagan Dance​
d) Zat Pwe

Answer Key:

1.​ B.
2.​ A.
3.​ C.
4.​ B.
5.​ A.

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms
 LEARNING RESOURCES

●​ Marshall Cavendish Publishing, ed. (2007). World and Its Peoples: Eastern and Southern Asia.
Marshall Cavendish. pp. 630–640. ISBN 978-0-7614-7631-3.
●​ ^ Oba Thaung: Who Systematized Myanma Dance, Zaw Pale and Khin Win New, (translated to
English by Than Tun, 1995)
●​ ^ Jump up to:a b c Program notes of the Mintha Theater in Mandalay.
●​ ^ Jump up to:a b c D.G.E. Hall, Hutcheson and Co., London 1950
●​ ^ "The Inwa School for Performing Arts". Retrieved 15 January 2023.

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International Folk Dances And Other Dance Forms