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Glimpses of Shangrila
THROUGH GENTLE, graceful, swaying movements or energetic cart-wheeling and foot stomping by jack-booted male dancers, through mime, masks and clowning to the sounds of drums and flute, the fantastically costumed dancers of the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) enacted a lost Shangrila's rich storehouse of myth, magic and lore. The ancient Tibetan folk dances and operas were performed for the first time in Chennai, entrancing the audience. Against a painted backdrop of the Potala Palace, each of the dancers depicted a different facet of Tibetan history beginning with Guru Padmasambhava's dance to drive away evil spirits. This was followed by a fierce warrior dance by the martial Khampas, the lute players dance, the gentle Amdo dance depicting the verdant greenery of Eastern Tibet, the monastic deer dance performed by the lamas, the Mount Everest dance and the wanderer's dance.
The performance by the world famous opera called the Good Luck dance was particularly compelling. The Drokpa and Yak dancers brought a lighter touch, featuring yaks. The costumes of the dancers were brilliant.
P.C.
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