Peacock dance
The peacock dance or peafowl dance is a traditional Asian folk dance that describes the beauty and the movement of peacock. There are several peacock dance traditions developed in Asia, among others are peacock dances of Myanmar, and in the western and northern parts of Cambodia, West Java in Indonesia, also peacock dances of Indian subcontinent in Southern India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
Cambodian peacock dance | |
Genre | Folk dance |
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Origin | Southeast Asia |
The mayilattam (Tamil:மயிலாட்டம்), also known as peacock dance, is performed by girls dressed as peacocks during the harvest festival of Thai Pongal in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.[1][2]
In Indonesia it is known as the peafowl dance (Merak dance or Tari Merak) and originated in West Java. It is performed by female dancers inspired by the movements of a peacock and its feathers blended with the classical movements of Sundanese dance. its one of new creation dance composed by sundanese artist and choreographer Raden Tjeje Soemantri around 1950’s. [3] This dance performed to welcoming honourable guest in a big event also occasionally performed in Sundanese wedding ceremony. This dance also one of Indonesian dance performed in many international events, such as in Perahara festivals in Sri Lanka.
References
- Dances in Tamil Nadu Archived 2015-08-14 at the Wayback Machine at discovertamilnadu.net.
- Folk Dances of Tamil Nadu at carnatica.net.
- "Sejarah Tari Merak Jawa Barat Beserta Ciri Khas dan Gerakannya".