A multidimensional introduction to rich culture of Mongolia: Music, song, dance, and art of calligraphy.
Part 2: A traditional folk dance highlights the intrinsic bond with nature
The Mongol Biyelgee is an ancient form of dancing that reflects the feelings and emotions of Mongolian herders. In 2009, UNESCO registered this traditional folk dance on the Red List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding.
The meaning of the folk dance that dates back several thousand of years is to show the renewal of man’s bond with the nature. The Mongol Biyelgee is more than a dance it’s a form of storytelling. The moves imitate wildlife, nature, and scenes of daily activities of the nomadic herder’s, such as riding a horse and milking the livestock. The dance is an expression of spiritual beliefs too. By moving his or her arms a certain way a dancer prays to the skies for rain, for good luck, or for safety of the livestock.
Mongolia stretching for more than 1.5 million square kilometres is populated by sixteen ethnic groups. The dance expresses their beliefs and unique characteristics of each ethnic group. The Khalkha dance, for instance, is performed by an ethnic group from Central Mongolia and is characterised by slow and elegant moves that express pride and dignity. By contrast, the dances of the Western Mongols feature quick and abrupt moves. The dancers gather in the moonlight to perform outside a yurt, the traditional round tent used by nomads made with poles, ropes, fabric, and felt. Masters of the art claim that one only needs to watch a dancer’s shadow to tell how good he or she is. Their expressive moves are accompanied by a morin khuur, the famous Mongolian horsehead fiddle, and other wide range of traditional instruments. Nowadays in Mongolia there are many traditional dance ensembles whose public performances highlight the origins of the nomadic culture.
• An independent, parliamentary republic in Central Asia nestled between Russia and China
• The country of the legendary Genghis Khan, the Silk Road, the Gobi Desert, rich in long-standing traditions
• The capital Ulanbaatar has five-star accommodation and direct international transport links
• Tourist highlights: horse trekking, excursions to visit nomads, dinosaur fossils, ancient temples and ruins, festivals
