Aizawl, July 5 (IANS) The vivacious Mizo bamboo dance, which symbolises excellence and skills, will entertain spectators at the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in the Indian capital.
‘The state government has accepted the invitation from the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee to perform the Mizo traditional and colourful Cheraw dance at the inaugural ceremony in the national capital,’ an official told IANS.
‘Around 80 dancers, comprising men and women, will perform the bamboo dance, traditionally known as Cheraw dance, at the inaugural function at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi Oct 3,’ he said.
The 19th edition of the Games will take place from Oct 3 to 14 in the national capital New Delhi.
This year the Cheraw made it to the Guineess Book of World Records as the the world’s largest and longest dance ensemble.
‘On March 12, 671 troupes consisting of 10,736 dancers participated in the mass dance congregation at the Assam Rifles ground in the heart of the capital Aizawl city to demonstrate the world’s largest and longest dance ensemble,’ said Jim K. Chozah, Mizoram information and public relations director.
He said a new world record was created with dancers performing the bamboo dance for hours in perfect rhythm.
The bamboo or the Cheraw dance is the harbinger of the Chapchar Kut festival of the Mizos, which marks the end of winter and the advent of summer.
The dance symbolises the excellence, strength, skills and aspirations of the people of Mizoram, a mountainous state of around one million people.
Cheraw is the most vibrant of Mizo dances. Men sitting face to face on the ground tap long pairs of horizontal and cross bamboo staves open and close in rhythmic beats, while girls in colourful Mizo costumes dance in and out between the beats of bamboo.
The bamboo poles produce a clicking sound that forms the rhythm of the dance.
