Today’s Excerpt:

Learn about dance from different traditions by watching the performances below.

Buddhist
Watch “Dancing Buddhist Monks” (1-min video) to see Buddhist monks in Bhutan rehearsing cham before an upcoming festival. Cham is a ritual Tibetan dance performed by masked monks during a sacred festival. The dance is intended to scare away fear and terror and invite peace into the hearts of those seeking enlightenment.

African
Watch “5 Traditional African Dances” (5-min video) to see a variety of dances from different regions of Africa for spiritual practice, community gathering, and as a way to teach and transmit cultural traditions.

Reflect:

• What do you notice about these dances?
• Why do you think dance is part of these traditions?