Buddhist Culture: Yangchenma Arts & Music Hosts Four-Part Online Series on Himalayan Dance Traditions

Yangchenma Arts & Music will host a four-part live lecture series on the ancient dance traditions of Himalayan cultures in March with the theme “Documenting Sacred Dance in the Himalayas: A Journey Through the History and Culture of the Himalayan dance traditions. This hands-on series, presented by Core of Culture, will feature Professor Lindsay Gilmour of the University of California, Irvine and Joseph Houseal, director of Core of Culture and BDG columnist.

“Documenting Sacred Dance in the Himalayas” will be broadcast live on March 7, 14, 21 and 28, with special guests Newar tantric priest Prajwal Vajracharya, nature expert and cinematographer Nathan Whitmont and Ladakhi cultural activist Dr. Thinles Dorje.

Core of Culture, a non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding intangible global culture and continuing ancient dance traditions, with emphasis on Himalayan cultures and Buddhist ritual arts. It seeks to educate the public, practitioners and academics about the disappearance of cultural heritage; safeguard intangible global culture; and contribute to the continuity of ancient dance traditions.

Each installment of the four-part series will focus on a distinct aspect of documenting these ancient and sacred traditions:

Part one: Archival documents (7 March)
Second part: Museum exhibits (14 March)
Part three: Production of documentary films (21 March)
Fourth part : artistic films (28 March)

Click here for more details and to register

“Each of four 90-minute sessions will explore different approaches to documenting sacred Himalayan traditions and reveal the evolution of fieldwork, dance research and digital documentation over the past 25 years,” explained Yangchenma Arts & Music. “These rare and endangered dances are hundreds, if not a thousand years old, and stretch across the spiritual landscape of Kashmir, through Zanskar and Ladakh, extending to Himachal and Arunachal Pradesh in India; and in Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Japan, China and Tibet. (Yangchenma Arts and Music)

Yangchenma Arts & Music is a community organization that aims to preserve, promote and celebrate the richness and diversity of human cultures through traditions of artistic and musical wisdom that are kept alive through the connection and shared experience of people across the world. whole world.

“Seven days before each session, additional video content will be released for participants to watch at their own pace,” observed Yangchenma Arts & Music. “This content includes rare archival footage, documentary films, museum films and film festival selections. » (Yangchenma Arts and Music)