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---- DUIXIE DANCE
Duixie contains two meanings. Dui means "upper" or
"highland." Therefore it refers to the round dance popular
in ruraI areas of Ngamring, Dingri, Lhaze and Sagya counties
on the upper reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. It also
refers to the tap dance performed by urban people after the
folk dance in dui areas was introduced into Lhasa.
In the mid-seventeenth century the fifth Dalai, in an effort
to reinforce his rule by combining government with religion,
stipulated that Sholdon Festival be held in Lhasa from the
end of June to early July every year. (Sholdon Festival later
developed into the Tibetan drama festival.) On this day groups
from all parts of Tibet converged on Lhasa to perform. A
group from a dui area in Tibet performed a lively and vigorous
tap dance that was immediately loved and improved on by
people in Lhasa. The major improvement was to start on the
second beat, followed by a change of step after every three
steps. The dancers tap vigorously to music played on flutes,
Chinese plucked stringed instruments, plucked six-stringed instruments, dulcimers and clusters
of small bells. The music for accompaniment of Duixie has been
formalized into a slow opening,
short interlude, allegro and finale.
Thus Duixie has gradually been
transformed from a recreational
dance to stage exhibition.
The tap dance that has evolved
from the Duixie of rural areas is
a complex combination of a
change of movement after every
three steps; five, seven and nine
quick steps; mark-time steps with
turns. The taps are rhythmic.
First popular on the streets and
in the open squares and linkas in
Lhasa, this dance is also known
as Lhasa Tap Dance.
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