Boy monks dancing Guardians of the Charnal Grounds at Yungdrung Choeling Dzong

Report to
The Board of Directors,
Core of Culture Dance Preservation
Bhutan Dance Project
2004-2006

The years 2004, 2005 and 2006 were dedicated to expeditionary work throughout the Kingdom of Bhutan. A total of 24 months were spent on the ground in Bhutan.

Expedition Leader: Joseph Houseal
Technology Director/Cameraman: Gerard Houghton
Director of Production in Bhutan/Cameraman: Karma Tshering
9 Production assistants, drivers and cooks.

Primary activities included:

2-camera High-Definition documentation of dance festivals

Developing, teaching and applying preservation strategies

Formulating Dance Manuals and recording individual dances, step-by-step

Conducting methodological ethnographic observations

Creating a Bhutan Dance Database

What follows below in summary form are data from these activities.

In every case, the data presented is conservative. In fact more was accomplished than listed here. ALL photos click to enlarge.

The Chokkor Nyip, Dance Master of the Drukpa Kagyu

CoC has worked 23 Festivals at 15 Locations:

Punakha

Trashiyangtze

Paro

Dzongdra

Ura

Nyimlaung

Chizhi Goenpa

Tamzhing

Thangbi

Jambay Lhakhang

Nga Lhakhang

Nabji

Yungdrung Choeling

Thimphu

Korphu

This includes these types of festivals:

6 Tsechu

2 Drubchen

2 Kora

1 Yakchoe

1 Trenda

1 Phyala Choetpha

1 Mani

8 Drup

1 Rabnay

CoC has:

filmed 2-camera documentation of entire festivals at 15 places.

Managed 6 festivals at 3 places

Modeled local organization at 5 places

Documented with danced demonstration, 17 Chams Yig(dance manuals) at 2 places, Tamzhing and Thimphu

Translated 12 Chams Yig

Photographed 6 Chams Yig

A Chams Yig in translation produced by CoC A typical production diagram, marking the camera and performance positions

CoC has commissioned:

1 essay (from Lam Pemala)

1 thangka (from Trongsa Khilkor Lopon)

31 carpets

1 Chams Yig (from Ngangbi Zhey dancers)

CoC has produced:

500 hours of High-definition footage

10,000 photographs

800 Database entries

11 Ethnographic notebooks

CoC has:

visited and made accounts of 7 healers, including late Je Khenpo Nizer Tulku, and a Village Oracle, the Bon Pawo Dorji who was also filmed.

CoC has worked with 5 communities in the Model Cham Program:

Nga Lhakgang

Thangbi

Jambay Lhakhang

Tamzhing

Ura

The Peling Nga Cham, an animal headed visionary dance by the great Saint Pema Lingpa; danced here by a combined group of monks, lay monks and villagers at Yungdrung Choeling Dzong

CoC has conducted 5 community meetings with government officials, police, dance masters, dancers, and village organizers:

2 at Jambay Lhakhang

2 in the Model Cham Program

2 in Nabji

Lopon Sangay Tshering pioneering Lama Cam; you can see the camera between the skull diadems of his mask

CoC has introduced:

Non-invasive production techniques at 15 festivals

Police at 3 festivals

Photography Bans for Naked Dances at 2 places

Festival Stewards who were also trained

LAMA CAM - a camera fitted to a monk's mask

CoC has given:

4 computers

2 fully outfitted HDV cameras

1 still camera

1 round-the-world production training trip to Karma Tshering

1 full time job to Karma Tshering

6 part time jobs to PAs and cooks

Amy Christenson and Gerard Houghton plan a shot

CoC has provided:

4 Production workshops, 2 by Linda Burns. 1 by Amy Christenson, one by Houseal and Houghton

1 cross-country technical scouting

CoC has brought in during the expedition period:

$73,500 ($60K from JRC; $10K from JQH; $2.5K from GY; $1K from MS)

CoC has donated:

$12,000 ($6K in consultant fees; $6K in gifts from JQH)

this includes a tent and a 2 courtyards

$7500 for 1/2 of a car

technical assistance to the Royal Academy Archive

CoC has set up:

1 apartment in Thimphu

1 Field Office in Bumthang

G5 editing suite in Chicago

7 terabyte RAID storage system in Chicago

and erected 2 CoC Sign Boards in Thimphu and Bumthang

CoC has built/produced:

Festival signage for 5 festivals (Thimphu, Ura, Tamzhing,Thangbi and Jambay Lhakhang)

Festival Programs for 3 festivals (Thimphu, Jambay Lhakhang, and Nga Lhakhang)

CoC has trained:

1 cameraman from Royal Academy

4 Production Assistants

9 festival stewards

1 professional performance troupe, Khuju Luyang, and arranged for their first paid professional performance series in Taiwan.

CoC has brought in:

9 Foreign Production Professionals (Joseph Houseal, Gerard Houghton, Andrew Gordon, Linda Burns, Amy Christenson, Pat Morrow, Roger Vernon, Rupin Dang, Vikram Singh) for a total of 23 trips to Bhutan.

CoC has initiated:

1 piece of Legislation (Cham Protection Act)

2 tourist-restricted Dance Sanctuaries (Yungdrung Choeling, Nabji)

The rare Lham-Goem dance at Namkha Lhakhang in Tang Valley

CoC has designated:

1 Dance Sanctuary at Yungdrung Choeling

CoC has distributed:

400 2007 Calendars

700 CoC logo patches

31 carpets

CoC has interviewed on tape, transcribed and translated:

Aku Tongbi (91)

Chakhar Lam (78)

Dasho Sithel Dorji (73)

Ap Dorji (83) who was also documented demonstrating a lost Pesling dance, Bep Chadrup.

Lopon Dorji of Trashiyangtze

Lopon Lado of Buli

Karchi Omze (ritual dance leader-musician)

An ancient text of ritual proscriptions for the Namkhai Samdrup tradition

CoC has restored:

Dorling Tercham (naked dance) of Jambay Lhakhang to its original setting and form

Peling Tercham (naked dance) of Korphu to its original form

CoC has worked with these Religious Orders:

Drukpa Kagyu at 4 places (Thimphu, Punakha, Mongar, Trongsa)

Karma Kagyu at Thangbi

Sakya at Chizhi Goepa

Nyingma (traditions of Pema Lingpa, Dorji Lingpa, Woogpa Lingpa, Sangay Lingpa, Namkhai Nyingpo, Namkhai Samdrup)

The Ura Gomchen rehearsing Drametse Nga Cham CoC staff with the Chakar Lam, his son Tenzin the Chakar Lam Jr, and the villagers of Chakar Lopon Phuntsho of Tamzhing working with Karma Tshering on Chams Yig at CoC's Field Office in Bumthang

CoC has worked with these Lay Orders:

Ura Gomchen

Thangbi Gomchen

Yungdrung Choeling Gomchen

2 places requesting GOMDEY: Ngangbi and Nabji

CoC has worked with these groups:

Zhey of Ngangbi (Dung Clan)

Pazaps of Punakha

Royal Academy Staff

Khuju Luyang Performance Troupe

CoC has worked with these villagers:

Trashyangtze, Dzongdra, Chakar Lhakhang, Ngangbi, Nabji, Yungdrung Choleing, Korphu

CoC has responded to requests for assistance in the revival of 9 endangered dances:

Chamchen of Tamzhing

Chamchen of Nyimalung

Bep Chadrup of Pesling

2 Phurba Cham at Pesling

Nabji Tercham

3 Sakya dances at Chizhi Goenpa

CoC has made scouting trips to:

Dang Chu

Nizergang

Gong Phu

Thangsibi

Shingkar

Mongar

Gom Kora

Tsirang

Pesling

Duntze Lhakhang

Nobgang

Trashigang

The young men of remote Korphu always return home to dance in the local festival

CoC has addressed:

all 20 Dzongkag Cultural Officers

CoC has received in-depth research assistance from:

Dasho Thinley Gyantsho, Director of the Royal Academy

Dorling Zimpi Khenpo Passang Tshering

Lam Pemala (Bhutan's foremost scholar)

Lopon Tengay (Scholar)

Lam Seten of Tamzhing (Abbott from Tibet 1960)

Lam Wangdi of Tsirang (fmr Dagchong ofthe Dratshang)

Lopon Sangay Tshering of Punakha (Top Monk Dancer)

Lopon Mindhu Tshering of Gasa (Mandala Master/Dancer)

Lopon Sonam Wangdi of Trongsa (Dance Master)

Trongsa Khilkor Lopon Sangay Rinchen (Mandala Master)

Lopon Sangay Yeshe of Yungdrung Choeling (Dance Master)

Karma Tserhing shows Lam Pemala a High-def camera Lam Pemala shows Karma Tshering an ancient text about Cham

CoC has met and had serious conversations with these Reincarnated Masters:

HH Je Khenpo

Dudjom Rinpoche

Baba Tulku

Namkhai Nyingpo

Pesling Tulku

Bakula Rangdol Nyima Rinpoche

HH Drikung Kyabgon Chetsang Rinpoche

Gangtey Tulku

Sungtrul Rinpoche

Tukse Rinpoche

And these luminaries:

The Hermit Kitu

Chakar Lam Dorji

Chakar Lam Jr Tenzin

Nabji Lam Chimme

Lam Pemala

CoC made history as the FIRST EVER:

foreigners in Korphu

foreigners to see the Nabji Tercham

to make any kind of record of the Nabji Tercham

foreigners to witness the Drukpa Kagyu Inner and Secret Dances, including the Khilkor Kora of the Thimphu Drubchen

foreigners to film the ThimphuDrubchen

foreigners to see and photograph the Thimphu Tsechu Gong Due Mandala

The Gong Due Ritual Dance Visualization Sand Mandala at Thimphu

CoC Director Joseph Houseal was appointed by the Ministry and Home and Culture to the Coronation Entertainment Committee, and will be responsible for staging both Bhutanese and International dancers.

CoC has spent

$271,717.86 in 2005 (included '04 work too and all original equipment)

$176,099.46 in 2006

$447,817.32 TOTAL since the project inception.

Joseph Houseal
Executive Director
Core of Culture
Dance Preservation
January 31, 2007
Chicago

Keepers of the Charnal Grounds at Thimphu