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the stage each time to repair the damage & then returned & resumed his dance was charming in the 'Dolpat, a dance performed by the best dancer of the village who leads the procession of villagers going to the monastery to offer a new set of robes to the priest. Little Bawlone Sein (dancing diamond) was charming.)

The classical dance here is actually a pot pourri of moods & styles. The arts. for the past 100 years in Burma, under the English, have disintegrated, & now the traditional Burmese culture is being sponsored & encouraged again.

Then followed singers & musicians playing the Saung (Saung) harp, which is gracefully shaped like a Burmese boat & is the most aristocratic of Burmese musical instruments. It was meant for chamber music of the court & as accompaniment for the voice, involving memories of the vanished

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courts of Ava & Mandalay. The pattalar (xylophone) of well-seasoned graduated bamboo pieces slung over a richly decorated sound box.

Myin Yein (The 'yein' always precedes the traditional Burmese play. A group of young people sing & dance a theme, serious or light, set by the 'Zat Saya' (the leader of the company.  It is usually danced by young girls.

The most ambitious act was the 'Yama Zat, the Burmese version of the Ramayana, the Indian Epic danced as masked mime.  Ravana's abduction of Sita was shown. The stage was small, the scenery - very poor - western realism - (trees in a forest) but the costumes were rich & colorful - the masks, beautiful. It was performed - well - by the 'Kyet-tha-yay-saung dramatic society, all amateurs - there are few