1 digital video file (16 min.): digital, stereo., H.264 file.
Summary
Meeting of five different groups from the Peling tradition at the palace consecrated to the remains of Pema Lingpa. This was a special demonstration performance of Cham Chen in front of the other Peling Champa groups by one of the only monks to know the steps for this dance in the country.
This was the first time that a general meeting of the various groups belonging to a single tradition had ever been held in Bhutan. Held at the request of Core of Culture Dance Preservation, the Meeting took place at Yungdrung Choeling Dzong - the seat of the mummified remains of Pema Lingpa himself - and hence a very auspicious venue.
Programme for the Peling Champa Meeting: Yungdrung Choeling Dzong, Third Day (May 21, 2007): Phag Cham ; Peling Ging Chen by the lay dancers of Dramitse, Mongar ; Phag Cham by a lay dancer from Yungdrung Choeling.
Several Days later - because of the auspicious nature of the occasion and because many of the local people also wanted to attend some of the dancers occurring - Ashi Kelsang (the keeper of the Dzong) organised another day s of dancing, even though some of the participating groups had already returned, to which all the local people were invited. Sadly, because of needing to interact with guests during the three days the normal Ore of Culture policy of two-camera shooting was not able to be fulfilled - so many of these dancers were only shot by one camera, or, in some cases, not recorded at all.
Access (note)
Open.
Event (note)
Videotaped in performance at the Yungdrung Choeling Dzong, in Trongsa, Bhutan (lower balcony looking along the diagonal sinister), on May 21, 2007.