The annual Goshing Tsechu in Zhemgang is held on the 15th day of the 10th Bhutanese month. Finding dancers to perform at the festival used to be a daunting task, but not anymore.
A group of young women and men, who are all out-of-school youths, take care of it now. The women perform the dances, while the men stage mask dances. They came forward partly to keep the age old local festival alive.
Dancing is also something that everyone in the group enjoys. “Since childhood, I loved dancing and singing,” Namgay Lhamo, one of the dancers, shared.
“Also, it’s now our responsibility to keep the tradition alive.”
It’s a win-win situation for both the young performers and the festival. Their participation ensures the continuity of the festival, pacifying the village elders who worry over the disappearance of age old culture and tradition.
The dancers, on the other hand, get to do something that they enjoy. And they get paid for it. “We are paid Nu 215 per day and are happy with it,” Leki Choezom, another dancer, said.
“No matter where I am, I make it a point to come and perform at the festival.”
Most importantly, the performances by the young dancers add more excitement to the festival.
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