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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.
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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 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 : Bayaderes Page 1
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