The Drametse Ngacham, or Dance of the Drums, is the most popular mask dance in Bhutan dating back to the 16h century. Originating as a celestial dance meditation to show appreciation for and call on the blessings of Guru Rinpoche (Padmasambhava) to defeat evil. It is said that Guru Rinpoche performed this dance to rid the land of evil spirits.
The concept of peaceful and wrathful deities is a key allegorical idea in the sect of Buddhism practiced in Bhutan. The human body is seen as a metaphorical collection of 108 deities which represent our thoughts and reactions to situations in life. The wrathful deities teaching us through difficult lessons and peaceful deities guiding us to calm, serene happiness.
During the Drametse Ngacham, soft choreography represents the peaceful deities, and sharp, accented movements represent the wrathful deities.
