_____________ is a type of mask dance that tells mythological stories via ferocious martial moves, popular in Odisha.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. Chhau
- It is a semi classical Indian dance with martial, tribal and folk traditions, with origins in eastern India.
- It is found in three styles named after the location where they are performed, i.e. the Purulia Chau of Bengal, the Seraikella Chau of Jharkhand, and the Mayurbhanj Chau of Odisha.
- The stories enacted by Chhau dancers include those from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Puranas and other Indian literature.
- The dancer impersonates a god, animal, bird, hunter, rainbow, night, or flower. He acts out a short theme and performs a series of vignettes at the annual Chaitra Parva festival in April.
- In another form of Chhau, practiced in the Mayurbhanj district of Orissa, the actors do not wear masks, but through deliberately stiff and immobile faces they give the illusion of a mask. The style of their dance is vigorous and acrobatic.