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Chhau dance
Indian semi classical martial dance originating in East India / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Chhau, also spelled Chhou, is a semi classical Indian dance with martial and folk traditions.[1] It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. the Purulia Chhau of West Bengal, the Seraikella Chhau of Jharkhand and the Mayurbhanj Chhau of Odisha.
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The dance ranges from celebrating martial arts, acrobatics and athletics performed in festive themes of a folk dance, to a structured dance with religious themes found in Shaivism, Shaktism and Vaishnavism. The costumes vary between the styles, with Purulia and Serakeilla using masks to identify the character.[2] The stories enacted by Chhau dancers include those from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Puranas and other Indian literature.[2][3]
The dance is traditionally an all males troupe, regionally celebrated particularly during spring every year, and may be a syncretic dance form that emerged from a fusion of classical Hindu dances and the traditions of ancient regional tribes.[3] The dance brings together people from diverse socio-economic backgrounds in a festive and religious spirit.[2][3]
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