Performance

The dance performance in traditional Bihu music. 

                            The most important musicians are the drummers (dhulia), who play a twin-faced drum with one stick and a palm. There are more than one dhulia in a performance; each plays different rhythms at different sections of the performance. These rhythmic compositions, called seus, are traditionally formal.

                               Before entering the dancing area, the drummers play a short and brisk rhythm. The seu is changed, and the drummers usually enter the dance area in line. The mohor xingor pepa is played (usually at the beginning) by a single player, who lays out an initial plaintive motif which sets the mood for the dance. The male dancers then enter the area in formation and perform.

Other instruments which accompany this dance are:

• taal, a type of cymbal
• gogona, a reed-and-bamboo instrument
• toka, a bamboo clapper and
• xutuli, a clay whistle.

                           The songs (bihu geet) accompanying the dance have been handed down for generations. Subjects of the lyrics include welcoming the Assamese new year, describing the life of a farmer, history and satire. Although males and females perform Bihu dance, the female Bihu dance has more variations (including freehand, twisting, with a rhythmic pepa, with a kahi (disk) and with jaapi—Assamese headgear). The performance may be long, but is enlivened by rapid changes in rhythm, mood, movements, pace and improvisation. Dancers and musicians are given opportunities to showcase their talents.

Bihu

Bihu :-

                       Bihu is one of the main festivals celebrated by the people living in Assam. The word Bihu Is derived from the word Vishu which is a distorted version of the name of Lord Vishnu.  Bihu is Celebrated Thrice a year, each time to mark a different stage in the life cycle of the paddy crop.

  They have different themes Behind the Celebrations. The three Bihus which are Celebrated in this State are Bhogali Bihu, Kongali Bihu and Rongali Bihu. 

1. While Rongali Bihu celebrates the sowing of the paddy seeds,
   
2. Kongali Bihu celebrates relocation of the paddy saplings and 
   
3. Bhogali Bihu is celebrated during the harvest season.     
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      
   
                                               The Bihu dance is a folk dance from the Indian state of Assam related to the festival of Bihu. This joyous dance is performed by both young men and women, and is characterized by brisk dance steps,and rapid hand movement. Dancers wear traditionally colorful Assamese clothing.
   
                                              Though the origins of the Bihu dance is unknown, the first official endorsement is cited to be when Ahom king Rudra Singha invited Bihu dancers to perform at the Ranghar fields sometime around 1694 on the occasion of Rongali Bihu.
   
   
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   Discription :
   
   
   The Bihu is a group dance in which males and females dance together but maintain different gender roles. 
    
   
   • In general, females follow stricter line or circle formations. 
   • The male dancers and musicians enter the dancing area first, and they maintain their lines and follow synchronized patterns.
   • The dance is usually characterized by definite postures; movements of the hips, arms, wrists; twirls, squats and bends but no jumps. 
   • Male and female dance movements are very similar, with only minor but subtle differences.   
   
   

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