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In India the dance has been one of the chief forms of religious
expression since the beginning of time. Originally, All through
the East dancing was performed by professional hired women or
boys, who go through their evolutions in order to afford pleasure
to the spectators. There were very few steps, and the movements
are mainly from the waist upwards; but the bayadères, nautchees
(temple dancers), or Maikos were considered the true dancers;
every part of their body lends itself to some expression, arms
and hands, as well as eyes and features.
In the wealthy pagodas there belonged whole Indian tribes of female
dancers, called bayadères, the word originating from the
Portuguese balladiera; in Hindustani they are called Devadási
and Japan Maiko or Guéchas
(geisha). The bayadères are responsible for the cleaning
of the temple, and they must dance twice daily at least before
the idol.
The first dance is an expiation rite for their own sins; the second
symbolizes an intercession for the forgiveness of their neighbors
sins. This "corps de ballet"
is recruited by the priests, and mostly among the daughters of
the weavers; the girls are called divine spouses, and join the
community
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at the age of nine. It behooves the ancient bayadères to
instruct the novices not only in the dance, but in singing, reading,
and writing. Once the bayadère is consecrated as a 'divine
spouse,' she cannot return to her family: she belongs body and
soul to the pagoda, which feeds, dresses, and lodges her for life.
INDO-CHINA - 800 AD Chinese
and Indian mix. (Including Siam and Cambodia).
The Indian and Chinese cultures met here but the Indian is much
more fluent except in costume (pagoda type, prachadee
headdresses etc.) with masks sometimes worn by villains. Double
jointed elbows turn inside out and wrist turn back again. The
dance is performed in the Hall of the Dance before a palace or
temple. (see Oriental dance)
The Bayaderes
who danced in the temples of India, performed these religious
exercises with chaste and cautious movements; but the Bayaderes
were divided into two classes: Those who are not consecrated to
the temples dance in the palaces for the amusement of the maharajahs;
they were artists in their way, maintaining a special attitude,
and were regarded with respect. They were very well-informed,
poets and musicians, and as an accompaniment to their dances they
extemporize songs and set them to music; copper castanets were
used by many of them. The Hindu Egyptian dancers were called Almèh.
- Some of the bayadères Nautchees are covered with diamonds
and other precious stuffs; their gowns were very ample and full,
after the fashion of the gowns used to-day in the 'skirt-dances;'
there is also a great display of scarves. The music was soft,
and occasionally consisted of viols and tam-tams; the dancers
wear anklets of bells, and the movement of their body was of a
special undulating kind, impossible to describe and equally impossible
to imitate. The nautchees had the right to go where they choose,
and they were even allowed to enter the palaces of the princes,
to sit down in their presence, and to talk to them freely.
- Men also dance in India; they are called Cathacks (Kathak),
and are between eighteen and twenty years old. Just like the bayadères,
their performances consist of graceful poses and of scarf movements,
and they are dressed in magnificent costumes. also
see another: Bayaderes Page
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