Mask Makers Web

Some Chhau dances use large stylized masks. The depiction of birds and animals is a distinctive feature.

Added on: Jul 10, 2002 | Hits: 9699

Tuju Taksu is an innovative dance troupe that uses contemporary Balinese masks to create powerful modern performance theatre. The dances explore the mystery and magic of stories from diverse traditions. The masks are collaboration between Balinese master mask maker, Ida Bagus Oka, and American choreographer, Maru Matthaei, founder and director of Tuju Taksu. Using traditional Balinese woodcarving techniques they have created many original performance masks which are blessed in a special ceremony to activate their spirits. Evoking the spirit of the mask awakens that essence in performer and audience alike. Tuju Taksu has been performing in Bali and Northern California since 1995

Added on: May 07, 2002 | Hits: 9373

Participants from foreign countries also: Tibet, Guatemala, Senegal.....etc

Added on: Jan 08, 2001 | Hits: 9098

....Masquerade dancers are a feature of religious societies in many areas. Four main types of masquerader are identified by the roles they play: those who embody deities or nature spirits and to whom sacrifice is made to assure the fertility of land and people, those who embody the ancestral spirits, those who placate the spirits through their dance, and those who perform principally as entertainers......

Added on: Jan 28, 2001 | Hits: 8997

This dance is designated as intangible cultural property in Yamagata hyon in Japan.

Added on: Oct 11, 2002 | Hits: 8870

4 masks

Added on: Jun 01, 2002 | Hits: 8717

The masked play of Kosong Village in South Kyongsan Province is known as ?Okwangdae? or ?Five Clowns Play.? Taking the stage to perform a masked play- consisting of drama, dance and song-the five clowns represent the five cardinal directions of east, west, south, north and the center. It is difficult to determine exactly when this form of masked play came into being, but it is believed that it initially began to be performed around the 10th century and became established as a distinctive form of entertainment in the middle of the 18th century. A description of it can be found in an ancient historical source which was revised in 1530 AD.

Added on: Jun 05, 2002 | Hits: 8641

By Keith Stanley Photos from (2002) Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the Mall is the most ambitious ever. It's theme is "The Silk Road," featuring the cultures along that famed ancient trade route between the East (China & Central Asia, with extensions to the Indian subcontinent) and the West (Italy and Western Europe), through the Middle East (Turkey, Iran, Iraq). More than 300 musicians, dancers, and artisans from some 25 nations along the fabled Silk Road are present on the Mall for the two weeks of the Folklife Festival, demonstrating the living culture of their regions.

Added on: Sep 28, 2002 | Hits: 8563

article

Added on: Jun 01, 2002 | Hits: 8513

Through the wit of the mask dance, visitors can relieve themselves from the stress of modern life at this festival. Compare and view the various types of Korean mask dance and mask dances of other nations. Visitors can make masks at the festival, learn to do folk dance and enjoy cultural exhibitions

Added on: Dec 28, 2000 | Hits: 8443

We can not predict the time at which this play was launched in China, but at least we guess it might be performed before Ch??unchu period. At the first stage, it was a kind of ritual for driving out sundry evil spirits and plagues, after that it has been developed as mask drama which contains dance, music and lots of entertainments. There are so many kinds of ??Nahi?? in various regions of Chinan now. Among them, Kuijusong has the most numerous Nahi

Added on: Oct 11, 2002 | Hits: 8406

Guatemala is one of the Central American countries that preserved the Indian culture well. As the meaning of Guatemala, the land of trees, the half of the land is covered by thick rain forest. It neighbors the pacific ocean and hosts the civilazation of the anciant Maya. Guatemala city, the capital city of the Country, shows the harmony betweem the traditional indian culture and the classical spanish archtecture. Guatemalan folk dance is a mixture of the ancient Maya civilazation, the Caribbean culture, the African culture and the European culture. The dance of deer, which is part of the performance, is a religious dance to console the spirits, thanking for the hunted animals. The dance of burning the evil spirit has been handed down from the ancient Maya civilazation and it means that fire burns all the impurity of man. The dance tries to communicate that the fire and flame will keep the evil spirit away from the world and cleanse the world.

Added on: Jul 20, 2002 | Hits: 8252

Masked Dance, Yoruba Peoples Ede, Nigeria Photograph by Eliot Elisofon, 1970 This see-through drawing (right) shows the dancer inside an Egungun costume. A long, narrow board is attached to a donut of fabric, which the dancer places on his head. Layers of fabric suspended from the board hang down to conceal the dancer. To balance the board when he moves rapidly, the dancer may reach up and hold it on each end. He looks out through the loosely woven, horizontally striped face panel.

Added on: May 11, 2002 | Hits: 7968

Old Tradition of Performing Arts for the Deities and People Delight Some of the dances are considered holy and magical. Barong and Rangda for instance, the origin of this sacred masked dance-drama is not clear. For exorcist function, this dance may have an origin before Hindu period, but there is also a possibility -like some example of modern dances above- that this play created in much later time.

Added on: Jun 01, 2002 | Hits: 7947

Very short info about the traditions and the masks

Added on: Dec 28, 2000 | Hits: 7863

( script ) Eunyul talch'um, which uses 14 masks in its complete version, originated three centuries ago in Eunyul village, Hwanghae Province now belonging to North Korea. the earliest Eunyul ensemble was made up of village farmers who performed Talch'um in their leisure hours. It was performed to commemorate special events such as Buddha's birthday and Tano Rice planting Festiv, and to honor the spirits of desd ancestors. Performances which lasted from dusk to dawn, were held in an open field lit by blazing bonfires. Before the play, the performers traditionally staged a formal procession in full costume, followed by a ritual to honor the guardian deities of the performance.

Added on: Jan 12, 2001 | Hits: 7836

This is a classical Middle Javanese maskdance, danced in the style of the Susuhunan Court in Surakarta (Solo, Indonesia).

Added on: Jan 08, 2001 | Hits: 7771

The Bongsan Mask Dance-Drama is a masque representative of Hwanghae Province, located in what is presently north Korea, which was originally performed in Kyongsu-dae in Bongsan township. After around 1915, when the county administration office was moved to Sariwon and the Seoul-Shinuiju rail line was opened, the Bongsan masque was performed at the foot of Mt. Kyongam in Sariwon.

Added on: Jan 12, 2001 | Hits: 7736

photo

Added on: Mar 27, 2003 | Hits: 7357

Samples recorded of Korean maskperformance

Added on: Apr 13, 2001 | Hits: 7204

Bali Dances History Bali Dances and It's Religion Movement in Balinese Dance List Of Balinese Dances - Part 1 List Of Balinese Dances - Part 2 List Of Balinese Dances - Part 3 List Of Balinese Dances - Part 4 Bali Dances Schedule

Added on: Mar 27, 2003 | Hits: 7125

MASKMAKERSWEB cannot find the english version...maybe it isnt there - But nice photos...

Added on: Jan 12, 2001 | Hits: 6980

This particular Kwakiutl dance mask, was used in winter ceremonies. It represents Hokhokw, a man-eating bird. There is a hinge on the long beak. Ceremonial dancers would leap up and snap the beak closed with a loud clap. This particular mask was made in the late 19th century. Today, carvers create modern versions that are used in performances of the traditional dance.

Added on: Jan 27, 2001 | Hits: 6774

Photos to be inspired by. Artist Statement: "Concept Art become the important part of human life. The ideas of art have to point to the peace and make all human being live together with understanding each other. Those push me invol-ving in every object which is shot. It is natural, if I have been involved in so many art activities that I can more undestand and take comprehension about the ecology, social and the deepest sense of art. "

Added on: Jan 11, 2001 | Hits: 6139

Kerala is famous for its folk dances, particularly those associated with temple festivals. Kummattikali is one of them. This is a mask dance that is associated with Devi temples in Palghat district and is a secular art form in Thrissur district.

Added on: Dec 28, 2000 | Hits: 6107