In all the Himalayas, the ancient dances of the region have been most faithfully preserved in Bhutan. The extraordinary grace and colour of these energetic, dramatic dances is one of the visitor’s most vivid memories. To the fanfare of trumpets and the rhythmic sounds of drums, cymbals, pipes and gongs, a rainbow of dancers’ whirls and bends and leaps high in the air with Skirts swirling and hands are moving in the timeless gestures that correspond to the mudras and Buddhist rites.
Folk songs and dances from the corners of the kingdom are rich and varied. The Bhutanese are a musical people. Folk songs of an itinerant minstrel, the low chanting of the monks, the sounds of long horns echoing across the valley, lively processions, scared dances and ancient folk dramas re-enacted are all a part of the intriguing pastiche of Bhutanese music.
