Tibetan Reba Dance (Reba Dance of Dengqen County in Qamdo)

热巴舞（丁青热巴）Tibetan Reba Dance (Reba Dance of Dengqen County in Qamdo)

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Reba dance is a kind of dance performed by Tibetan “Reba” artists. Reba is a comprehensive art form featuring tambourine and incorporated with rap music, Xie (song and dance), acrobatics, Qigong (Chinese breath exercise) and Reba play. It is performed by groups of traveling artists who make a living as performers (normally, a family is the basic unit). According to historical records, Reba is founded by Milarepa, the second patriarch of the Kagyu sect of Tibet Buddhism in the 11th century. Reba is inherited from the “witchcraft” and “Totem Dance” of Bon, a Tibetan primitive religion. It enjoys long history, abundant contents, unique style, excellent skills, interesting lines and fancy mask and absorbs essences of ancient Zhangzhung Culture, religious culture and folk art. Therefore, it is a treasure among brilliant ancient culture and art of Tibetan and possesses high artistic value and research value. Reba Dance is distributed in Qamdo, Gonpo and Nagchu of Tibet and such Tibetan inhabited regions as Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu.

Dengqen Reba is a kind of drum dance and a comprehensive art form incorporated with rap music, song and dance, acrobatics and Qigong (Chinese breath exercise). Originated from Khyungpo Dengqen, Dengqen Reba is said to be created by Khyungpo Mila Thopaga, or Milarepa. It is said that Qamdo enjoys a tropical climate where elephants roamed. People killed the elephants and spread their skin onto the ground. They then danced on the elephant skin as a form of god worship, and from this Reba dance was born. Dengqen County can be seen as the cradle of Reba dance.

There are three schools of Reba dance: Gacuo Reba, or “Sezha Reba”, prevailing in Sezha, which has a history of over 500 years; Wotuo Reba prevailing in Jue’en, which has a history of over 940 years; Dongluo Reba, or Kangsha Reba, prevailing in Sangduo, which has a history of over 300 years. The most famous school is the Wotuo Reba in Khyungpo Dengqen. Wotuo Reba features superb and intricate movements, such as pole climbing skills, breaking rocks on the stomach and revolving with knife held. Kangsha Reba is one of the most important Reba schools active on the stage in Qamdo. Its traditional programs include the 1-beat drum, 3-beat drum, 6-beat drum, 9-beat drum, etc., with interludes like Xianzi Dance, Zhuo Dance and male and female dialogue (similar to cross talk). The three schools of Reba are essentially the same with minor differences. All of them are world-famous for bold and unrestrained moves and intricate postures. They feature bright, exciting, bold and smooth music and contents for disaster prevention, harvest celebration and wishes for auspiciousness.

As a traditional dance with multiple schools and superb skills, Dengqen Reba is a unique variety of Tibetan folk dances. Although the number of Reba artists has been reducing since the liberation, literary and art workers of different levels have been going deep among the masses and learning from folk artists. Their efforts have helped to inherit the traditional Reba. Moreover, with the reform of performing skills and costumes, the traditional Reba has been better adapted to the stage. Today, Reba dance has risen to the domestic and international stage and become popular among audiences. In 2002, Dengqen County was named the “Town of Reba Art” by the People’s Government of Tibet Autonomous Region.

Reba Dance [Photo/Internet]

Relevant Inheritors: Ga Niao, Sonam Chodron, Tenzin Chotang

Relevant Description:

Reba dance is a kind of dance performed by Tibetan “Reba” artists. Reba is a comprehensive art form featuring tambourine and incorporated with rap music, Xie (song and dance), acrobatics, Qigong (Chinese breath exercise) and Reba play. It is performed by groups of traveling artists who make a living as performers (normally, a family is the basic unit). It has a set of fixed procedures consisting of 12 programs. The whole performance takes 5 hours.

In the past, Reba dance is a highly technical and complex dance performed by professional folk artists. Normally, a Reba group is made up by one or several families, ranging from 4 or 5 people to 20 people. They are all talented artists who are good at singing and dancing. Xianzi (a three-stringed plucked instrument), Erhu, drum and small bell accompany the performance. The performance is complete and precise with diversified and in-depth contents relating to drama and sports. It is a Tibetan folk sport dance that is good for body building. “Reba” has spread far and wide to Qamdo and Gongpo in eastern Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan, Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Qinghai and the overseas regions.

I. Origin

According to historical records, Reba is created by Milarepa, the second patriarch of the Kagyu sect of Tibet Buddhism in the 11th century. Some believe Reba dance is inherited from Buddhism scholar Padampa Sangyey. Padampa Sangyey’s master and monk of the Karma sect Ala Gojue said the spell “Karma Baqing” when he saw the Demon King prosecuting the people; he also says the bell whenever he notices that someone is suffering.

The stories about Reba’s origin are widespread among the folks. Legend has it that the ruler at the time gathered people to build a nine-storey monastery at the confluence of Soza, Meili and Shenggua Rivers. Milareba, one of the founders of Karma, organized five men and five women to perform in the spare time and hold a dance event every time a floor was built. After several years of construction, the monastery was built; meanwhile, more drumbeats were added to the Reba dance with more diverse dance movements.

Reba Dance [Photo/Internet]

II. Art Features

Reba dance is a large-scale dance accompanied by drums (cymbals) and gongs. It raises high demands for dancer’s skills – the dance movements are first light and elegant and then powerful and rough with passions.

Reba dance was originally performed as a prayer to the Buddha for the safety, prosperity and harvest of the villages. The artists responsible for the singing, dancing, instrument and costume parts are allowed to participate after a long time of training and practicing.

Reba dance consists of 12 sections. Before each section, the performers will read an ode to extol the sun, the moon, the nature and the bodhisattva. The performance contains at least nine programs: Ode to Heaven and Earth and Worship Four Gods, The Sun, the Moon and Stars, The Drumbeat and Peace, The Deities and Buddha Dance with us, Physic Battle between Master and Apprentice Jiyou and Mila, The Bragging Crow, Jiyou and Mila Come down the Holy Mountain, Nibuli the Hero Defeats Duniaba the Demon and Send off Deities, Buddha and Distinguished Guests.

Reba dance boasts elegant and highly complex dancing movements to attract the audiences, which are similar to acrobatics and martial arts in Baixi (acrobatics in ancient times). The lead dancer plays the main part with an equal number of male and female performers. Accompanied by the sound of tambourine, performers jump, spin and roll to determine the boundaries and attract the audiences. Then the male and female performers enter the stage. During the performance, male performers shake the bells and female play the drums. They all dance to the rhythm and the drumbeats. Three-colored or five-colored wool and cowhair braids (similar to a skirt) tied to the dancers’ waists dance around as the dancers make powerful and highly complex dancing movements. It is powerful yet tender, with an easy grace. The performers are particular about single-leg spin and various kinds of jump and rolling movements. For example, “rolling with drums”, “cat-jump roll”, “clockwise and counter-clockwise rolling”, “playing the drum in high and low spots” performed by female dancers. The movements are diversified with great passion. The skill performance of the male dancers is more thrilling, which fully displays the simple, enthusiastic and tough heroic spirits of the Tibetan people. For example, “bunny hop” (imitate the rabbit), “twisting jump”, “hair-brushing” and “crouch-walking”; “millstone-shaped leg”, “single-leg spin” “crouch-spin when ringing bells” or “flat-on jump” that showcase the skills and techniques; “wrestling and tumbling”, “turtle climbs on the sand”, “human pyramid”, “roll in the pot” that display entertainment and sports competition skills; “dagger in the belly”, “spin with knife”, “roll on the tip of a horn” that present the Qigong movements. Reba dance fully displays adept skills, exciting rhythm, dynamic facial expressions, and unrestrained emotions, as well as rough and masculine charms. It is solemn, elegant with diversified dancing postures and a complete performance including dumb show, acrobatics and Qigong. It is highly artistic and entertaining and good for body building. Thus, it is very popular among the Tibetan people.

Tambourine is an important part in Reba dance. The dances vary with the nine different drumbeats of the tambourine. During the performance, the males hold the tambourines and females hold small drums (Reba dance is therefore also called “tambourine dance”). They go around in circles and dance. The tambourine boasts distinctive rhythm which varies with the tune and emotion – When the drumbeat is slow, it sounds like deep and remote sound coming from streams in the mountains or shepherds ringing the bells in the plains; when the drumbeat is rapid, cymbals and drums ring together and it sounds like racing torrents and snow slide on the mountains. As the climax comes, the males spin on one leg and jump like flying tercels; females spin their bodies and dance with one hand holding drums over their heads like a peacock spreading its tail.

In addition to string dance and Guozhuang dance, the dancing movements take in some acrobatic skills, such as “flat-on spin”, “flat-on hop”, “forward and backward waist twist”, “trail-leg spin” and “plat-on jump”.

The Reba dancing groups are subject to frequent and complicated changes. In addition to forming a circle, they sometimes form “a dragon wiggling its tail” or “double-flower arrangement”. The dancing postures are elegant with distinct rhythm. The dance features moving ones’ arms and legs on the same side synchronously and emphasizes on the gestures on the legs. It is sometimes similar to “walking in an Eight-Diagram Position” and sometimes like dragons flying, intertwining and forming a circle shoulder by shoulder.

Though the formation varies a lot, a group of nearly100 amateur performers are able to deliver a unified and orderly performance. The imposing manner and intense emotion will certainly leave an indelible impression on you if you ever have the chance to see it.

III. Inheritance Significance

Reba is inherited from the “witchcraft” and “Totem Dance” of Bon, a Tibetan primitive religion. It enjoys long history, abundant contents, unique style, excellent skills, interesting lines and fancy mask and absorbs essences of ancient Zhangzhung Culture, religious culture and folk art. Therefore, it is a piece of treasure among brilliant ancient culture and art of Tibetan and possesses high artistic value and research value. Reba Dance is distributed in Qamdo, Gonpo and Nagchu of Tibet and such Tibetan inhabited regions as Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai and Gansu.

IV. Main Categories

(I) Reba Dance – Dengqen Reba

Applicant: Tibet Autonomous Region

Dengqen Reba is a kind of drum dance and is a comprehensive art form incorporated with rap music, song and dance, acrobatics and Qigong (Chinese breath exercise). Dengqen Reba prevailing in Dengqen County, Qamdo, Tibet, is a unique dance different from those of other Tibetan regions. Dengqen County is located at the northeast of Tibet, the northwest of Qamdo and the upper reach of Nujiang River which is one of the Sanjiang Rivers of eastern Tibet. Dengqen County was formerly called as “Qiongbo” which means “great hawk” in Tibetan, so “Dengqen Reba” is also called as “Khyungpo Reba”.

Originated from Khyungpo Dengqen, Dengqen Reba is said to be created by Khyungpo Mila Thopaga, or Milarepa. It is said that Qamdo enjoys a tropical climate where elephants roamed. People killed the elephants and spread their skin onto the ground. They then danced on the elephant skin as a form of god worship, and Reba Dance was thereby invented. Dengqen County can be seen as the cradle of Reba Dance.

Reba Dance [Photo/Internet]

1. Origin

It is believed by the public that the father of Reba Dance is the Buddhist master Milarepa (1040–1125 AD) who created the Milarepa Song. Milarepa was born in a place named “Qiongxie”. Dengqen has been called as “Khyungpo Dengqen” since ancient times, so it is widely believed by local people that Milarepa was born in Dengqen. Therefore, Dengqen is praised as the “Hometown of Reba”. It is said that Milarepa killed an elephant when he was young. The elephant skin was spread onto the ground and Milarepa danced on it as a form of worship, thereby Reba Dance was born. Now, props and ornaments used by local people in Reba Dance also originate from the legend of killing elephant for worship. In the legend, Milarepa took the big rib of elephant to make drum stand, the thin skin under belly to make drum leather, the small rib to make drumstick and intestine to make mesh dress lace. This legend adds mystical color to folk Reba Dance and gives a direct introduction to the development of this dance art from primitive altar to the folk.

It should be mentioned that the origin of Reba Dance is much more ancient than that of “Founding Legend of Milarepa”. Reba is inherited from the “witch dance” and “Totem Dance” of Bon, a Tibetan primitive religion before Buddhism was introduced into Tibetan regions. Dengqen is an important place to spread Bon. 40 km away from Dengqen County, Tsedrup Monastery is the largest Bon monastery and also the one where rites and sadhana drubtab of Bon are reserved best in the whole Tibetan region. Experts think that Bon arose from Ngari of Tibet. The first milestone for Bon spread had been the Tsedrup Monastery in “Khyungpo Dengqen”. Then Bon had spread to the region near Benri Mountain in Nyingchi. Therefore, after a long history, ancient witch dance of Bon had spread to the folk and there are sufficient conditions and reasons to create Dengqen Reba Dance.

2. Art Features

The Dengqen Reba Dance is a type of drum and bell dance, as well as a comprehensive performance art integrating dialogue, singing, dancing, acrobatics and Qigong. Reba Dance is world-famous for bold and unrestrained moves and intricate postures. It features bright, exciting, bold and smooth music and contents for disaster prevention, harvest celebration and wishes for auspiciousness.

The Dengqen Reba Dance is characterized by its roughness, boldness and religious characteristics. According to the legend, when main hall of the Riwoche Monastery which was the Holy Land of Nyingma of Tibetan Buddism was built, the hall laboriously built by workers during the day was destroyed deliberately by demons at night. So the eminent monk Sangye Wente of Riwoche Monastery invited Khyungpo Dengqen Reba dancers to perform Reba Dance at the construction site. They miraculously “knotted rope in the sky and built Mandala on the water” and confused demons with their exquisite skills and strong artistic charm so as to gain time for workers who finally built the magnificent hall of the Riwoche Monastery.

Reba Dance [Photo/Internet]

3. Major Genres

There are three genres of Dengqen Reba Dance. According to word-of-mouth inheritance, Wotuo Reba prevailing in Kyangngoin of Dengqen has a history of over 900 years. Wotuo Reba features superb and intricate movements, such as pole climbing skills, breaking rocks on the stomach and revolving with knife held. Kangsha Reba is one of the most important Reba genres active on the stage in Qamdo. Its traditional programs include the 1-beat drum, 3-beat drum, 6-beat drum, 9-beat drum, etc., with interludes like Xianzi Dance, Zhuo Dance and male and female dialogue (similar to cross talk). Wotuo Reba is a performance of Acrobatics and Qigong, but it is almost lost and rare to see its authentic performance. Gacuo Reba, or “Serca Reba”, prevailing in Serca of Dengqen has a history of over 500 years. It features crossover performance of Xianzi and Reba in which performers dance and play the self-made Erhu. The dancing posture is beautiful. Gacuo Reba perfectly integrates bold and unconstrained Reba with beautiful Xianzi. The dancing posture is beautiful and melody is songful. Such artistic style has been absorbed by many literary and artistic groups. Dongluo Reba prevailing in Sandu also enjoys a history of over 300 years. Dongluo Reba has various performance styles, but the main form is also traditional drum and bell dance. Funny and humorous dialogues and other performances are also shown together with the dance. At present, Dongluo Reba still spreads over the semi-farm semi-pasturing Jiongxiu Village of Sandu in the form of family inheritance. During each year’s Reba Art Festival of Dengqen County, those spreaders of ancient culture and art give superb performances and they also make a living with their families by performing Dongluo Reba during slack farming season.

The three genres of Reba are essentially the same with minor differences. All of them are world-famous for bold and unrestrained moves and intricate postures. They feature bright, exciting, bold and smooth music and contents for disaster prevention, harvest celebration and wishes for auspiciousness etc.;

4. Inheritance Significance

As a traditional dance with multiple genres and superb skills, Dengqen Reba is a unique variety of Tibetan folk dances. Although the number of Reba artists has been reducing since the liberation, literary and art workers of different levels have been going deep among the masses and learning from folk artists. Their efforts have helped to inherit the traditional Reba. Moreover, with the reform of performing skills and costumes, the traditional Reba has been better adapted to the stage. Today, Reba Dance has risen to the domestic and international stage and become popular among audiences. In 2002, Dengqen County was named the “Town of Reba Art” by the People’s Government of Tibet Autonomous Region. Among modern arts, that Dengqen Reba is enduring, forms its dance, song and history and has qualified successors mainly benefits from those folk artisans who love and devote themselves to Reba Art. Their efforts help this ancient culture and art acclaimed by people to be handed down from age to age and become better day after day.

As an ancient and bright national culture and art, Dengqen Reba shall be developed and inherited by relevant organizations at different levels and individuals according to the national protection policies.