Themes
tribal dance
Jabro Dance, ladakh
Jabro is an old traditional dance of Changpa nomad people of Changthang of eastern Ladakh with a flavour of Tibetan tradition. The dance was originally enacted in high-striding steps in honour of life at the grass-roots community, particularly in honour of Losar (New Year) and festive occasions. The dance then relaxed to coincide with the subdued Ladakhi folk pace of style. Performed by women and men standing in two ranks, it speaks for unity, communal living, and continuity in traditions.
The Changpa, a semi-nomadic tribe, inhabit the Changthang plateau in Ladakh. At home in the land of yak and pashmina-goat herding, their culture shows traces of Tibetan influence. Jabro and other such practices are essential to their communal life, during Losar and other gatherings. Their relation with Buddhism and Tibetan heritage is manifest through their dances, festivals, and life ethos. Changpa keep up with the old life ways while keeping an eye on modernity amid changes that are shaking up the socio-cultural blockade.
During the Jabro dance, all performers appear in traditional gonchas, long dresses of yak wool or pashmina sashayed with colorful belts. These woolen items are very important in shielding one from the harsh weather experienced by the region of Changthang. The dancers also have silver and turquoise jewelry in a very modest style adopted from Tibetan culture, which highlights the importance of functional yet beautiful dressing. Perfectly adorable costuming, the dance is very much into the spirit of performance considering the deep-rooted nomadic lifestyle of changapa.
The Jabro dance rhythmically bases itself upon the traditional Tibetan lute, the Dram-nyan, with its melodious tones matching the gentle moves of the dancers. In this deeply lyrical world of Tibetan domain, all its rhythmic patterns and minor scales are embraced. Other instruments such as flutes and drums also participate at times, enriching the dance and accentuating the celebratory
Performed primarily during key festivals like Losar and tribal celebrations, Jabro is an all-encompassing event. Men and women dance in two rows, perfectly synchronized with the melodies of the Dram-nyan in celebration of unity and happiness. The dance has been transformed from once being an energetic and vigorous celebration into something that now lives in accordance with the slow folk traditions of Ladakh. The current form enhances the cohesiveness of a community while keeping alive Changpa traditions in the broader view of Tibetan influences on the cultural scene in Ladakh.