|
The usual instruments are Vina, flute and drum or Nagara. As the dancers wear masks, their individuality, sex and appearance are covered by the masks. The Chau dancer has to rely on his or her skill to evoke any sentiment feeling. Hence it is objective and universal in appeal. The movement begins with foot work, then the body movement and finally the whole body is used to express the story or the situation. The mask plays a vital role in this because each mask depicts a definite character as in Kathakali make-up. There are masks depicting human beings, animals, birds etc. Long ago these masks were made of wood; but now they are made of bamboo, pumkin, cloth, paper and clay and they are coated profusely with pleasing paints.
|
