Mongolian Dance - "Young Girls" Shawuerdeng 少女沙吾尔登

Mongols in Xinjiang have a unique traditional dance called "shawuerding" which is a dance accompanied by the instrument "tuobuxiuer", along with music in various rhythms, the dancer changes the steps. The characteristics of "shawuerdeng" are that the range of the dancing steps is rather small, the rhythm under feet is slow with few actions in the lower part of the body,while actions from the upper body are rich and colorful, graceful in the posture and excellent in expression.

There are many kinds of "shawuerdeng"; according to what have been gathered, there are 39 kinds of "shawuerdeng" musical dance with different rhythms, and almost every one of them has its own story.

Mongols folk musical dance "shawuerdeng" has originated from Mongols "Oyrat" formed by the four tribes of "Torgut", "Dorbet", "Jungar" and "Khoshut". Time for the origin is long ago. Now the dance has been fery well maintained in Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in Xinjiang. The term "shawuerdeng" is combined with "shawuer" (human being's hands or animals' forelimbs) and the imitative word "deng", namely, hands sway like animals' forelimbs and dance with the rhythm of "hei dengdeng, hei dengdeng". The hands and arms' actions for the dance"shawuerdeng" are unique and changeable.Both hands usually make counter-direction turning around, with wrists raising or pressing,the upper body leaning forward or backward,may move or shake the shoulder, steps mostly are large with movement with half squatting on heels or with dragging steps. Contents of the dance are mostly imitating eagles, horses,goats or combing hair and taking a mirror, etc.

Based on the Mongols traditional folk dances, Xinjiang Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture Singing and Dancing Troupe has created and rehearsed "shawuerdeng" series dances, and the registration and licensing procedures have been completed now.

"Shawuerdeng" series dances have become the most featured famous arts brand in Xinjiang Bayangol Mongol Autonomous Prefecture.

SOURCES : Aboutxinjiang (http://www.aboutxinjiang.com/Culture_...)