The traditional dances of Myanmar nationals have been staged annually in Yangon during the celebration of the Union Day, and these scintillating dances in colourful gorgeous costumes have captivated large audiences.


          Of several Bama folk dances, Ozi and Dobat dances are most popular, and widely performed throughout the Union. They are folk dances performed at any season on any occasion. The music is sonorous, dance steps and movements are active and lively, and the songs are effective and forceful. Usually young men perform these dances but now-a-days women also participate. The music band consists of one cymbal player, or two bamboo clappers, one oboe player, one or two Ozi (elongated drum) players in the case of Ozi dance, and one or two dobat players in the case of dobat dance. Dobat is a double face drum.


          The dancer dressed like a Bama teenage boy of olden days dances and makes gestures mimicking the playing of dobat or ozi. Some dancers really play ozi or dobat as they dance. The songs are either traditional folk songs or songs newly composed for specific occasions. Both music players and dancer sing them. Besides they sing Than Gyat (couplets of refrains with balanced rhymings) which poke fun at everything they disapprove of, or make jokes about social ills. It is easy to take part in these two folk dances if one can follow the beat and step. There is no inhibition. Onlookers may join in and dance with abandon. The more the merrier. For better appreciation and understanding of the folk dances of our Union nationalities one should participate in them whenever opportunity occurs.

The Latklai Htongka Dance (Kachin State Presentation)

          The Latklai Htongka Dance is a modern adaptation of the choreography of the traditional Kachin dance 'the Htongka' . It is an innovation which also preserves the traditional . It is a selection of the best features of the dances performed at new year, house-warming parties, harvest time and weddings. It is a sprightly dance to the accompaniment of the Ozi (pot drum), hence it is also commonly known as "traditional Kachin pot drum dance". Cymbals, gongs and flutes are played to the beat of the pot drum. One cannot but admire the art, the spirit and the grace of the Kachin dance.


Diku Dance (Kayah State Presentation)

           It is a dance performed by the Kayah people at their traditional cultural festival of worship. The Diku festival is held every year during the month of Thadingyut. The festival is held to pray for a bountiful harvest with a full yield of crops which has been spared pests and other dangers. Glutinous rice is boiled after being placed inside packets made of traingular-shaped leaves. Three to five packets are joined together and boiled. Traingular-shaped leaves wrapped around glutinous rice symbolises the united efforts of parents, children and friends. Offerings are made of these packets of glutinous rice together with the local brew. Relatives and friends from far and near are also entertained with these. Afterwards, men and women who have come to participate in the Diku festival join hands to dance to the music of drums, gongs and flutes. In this dance one can see the unity, co-ordination, collective work, kinship, hardiness, courage, and endurance of the Kayah people.

Traditional Kayin Doan dance (Kayin State Presentation)

          If one were to name the dance which best represents the life and beauty of the Kayin people, it is the Doan dance. It is a joyful and gay collective dance which symbolises solidarity. The Doan is presented ensemble and is performed at a quick tempo.

          Forefathers said that the Kayin Doan dance originated from collective social work. In modern times, there have been adaptations to the Doan dance. In the Doan dance, not only are dance movements important but the songs must also be meaningful.

          The songs sung on these occasions are full of "meeting-and-parting" themes, reminding the kith and kin to keep up the friendly spirit among themselves "until we meet again" next year, etc.

The Sawng Vat Dance (Chin State Presentation)

          Chin nationals have realised the bountiful wealth of the motherland and felt a deep gratitude towards it since their time of settlement. They have performed the Sawng Vat dance with firm determination to live together in weal and woe. The Sawng Vat dance is the oldest Chin dance. It is usually performed at times when tasks and undertakings are successful, as a token of gratitude to the motherland. This dance portrays the sense of gratitude of the Chin people to the Union and their desire to live together with other nationalities in friendship and solidarity, weal and woe. The Sawng Vat Dance of the Chins portrays the honest simplicity and the sense of unity of the Chin people and their loyalty to the Union.

Sama Gwek (Traditional Duet Dance) (Mon State Presentation)

          The Sama Gwek Dance has been performed inside palaces since early Suwunna Bumi period. Before the enlightenment of the Buddha, the dancers danced, singing songs glorifying the king, the queen, princes and princesses. After the enlightenment of the Buddha, they danced to songs depicting the greatness of the Buddha in riddles. With the passage of time, this dance moved from the palace to town, from town to village. The songs sung in competition have been about the greatness of the Buddha, about love and romance. The musical instruments used in this dance are the crocodile-shaped guitar, the violin, the flute, drums, a small cymbal and a clap. As ancient as the Bamar, is the Mon Culture in the Union, and it is a delightful sight to see and enchanting to hear the Mon traditional dance and songs.

The Dance of Pilgrimage to the Sandaw Shin Pagoda (Rakhine State Presentation)

          At the Rakhine State, pagodas can be seen on top of most hills. Of these pagodas, the Sandaw Shin Pagoda (wherein Buddha's hair is enshrined) located on top of Nilar Paba hill on Phayonkar penisula at the mouth of the Kaladan River, is an especially famous and historic pagoda. This pagoda was renovated by King Sanda Thuriya and was successively maintained by Kings throughout periods of history which include the Wesali period. During the Mrauk-U period, Chief Queen Soemai, wife of King Phalaung, undertook the renovation of the pagoda. She performed great acts of charity in honour of the occasion. A pagoda festival was also held. The festival of the Sandaw Shin Pagoda is still held every year during the month of Nataw. The group dance invites other nationals of the Union to join the people of the Rakhine State in a pilgrimage to the pagoda. The group dance is performed to traditional Rakhine songs in order to portray the history of the Pagoda.

U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe Dance

          The U Shwe Yoe dance has been an essential part of charitable and other ceremonies traditionally observed by the Myanmar. U Shwe Yoe dances to the music of the Ozi and Doebut troupes. Later, Daw Moe's dance was added and the "U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe dance" was created. The dance is presented with humour in order to make the spectators merry and gay.

          This dance is one of the entertainment items in a Pagoda Festival or a phongyi-pyan (a monk's cremation ceremony) and other festive occasions.

The Kainari and Kainara Dance (Shan State Presentation)

          The Kainari and Kainara duet dance is performed on auspicious occasions and charities, Kahtain ceremonies, eating-the-new-crop-festivals and festivals which mark the beginning and end of Buddhist lent and others, to the accompaniment of music made by drums, gongs etc. The Shan people never get mononotous from watching the Kainari and Kainara bird dance which never fails to delight the audience. The duet dance of the couple amidst woods and forests attempts to imitate the movements of birds. The movements of a bird's body, its wings, its legs, etc. form the basic dance movements.This dance can never fail to thrill the audience.