On
the boundless pasture in North China, there
live the Chinese herdsmen -- the Mongolian ethnic minority. They love the
grassland, love dancing and singing. The Mongolian people created a lot of
dances and music, of which the most famous one is Andai Dance.
Andai is also called "jumping white
hawk". There was a legend about the origin of the Andai. It is said that
once upon a time, there were a father and a daughter. The daughter was sick and
stranded in a swamp. The father danced Andai that moved the God and saved
his daughter.
In the past, women got depressed because of
the restraint in love and marriage. Then their families would invite Shaman to
dance Andai. Singers and masses were also invited. Together with them
were young men and women from nearby. No musical instruments accompanied
Andai Dance, but there were fixed rhythm and libretto.
Some dance movements were composed
impromptu, which were simple and standard. Led by Shaman, the masses would
circle the singer and dance around her. In this way, they tried to console the
patient. They sang such sentences as "Spread out your black hair, Ah, Andai!"
"Your friends have all been here, Ah, Andai!" or "Whom are you missing? Speak it
out and you will be fine!" With the speeding rhythm, people begin dancing
wildly. The patient was therefore stimulated and then got better.