Saturday, September 11, 2010

050107 Tai Yai dances

The 4-man 3-piece band - 1 guy each for drum & cymbals + 2 guys for gongs:

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'toe' dance - with 'toe' being described as a lion, deer, antelope, or sheep:

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What many tour brochures, tour guides & tourists refer to as the 'peacock dance', when the female dancer is supposed to be a half human half bird kinnari (kyingare; kinnara or kyingalar for the male role):

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Unlike the Tai Lue who wrap a white cloth around their heads, the Tai Yai use other colours (usually light pink) & have very neat folds in the cloth:

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Wings held in place with raffia string:

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Raffia string tail:

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Too busy watching - didn't take photos of the actual dances. These two dances were traditionally performed during Poy Awk Waa (Boun Ok Phansa), with the 'toe' representing all 4-legged creatures & the kinnari all 2-legged creatures celebrating the return of Buddha to earth after preaching to his mother in Tavatimsa heaven.

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