There are many mask dances, folk dances and classical dances the newars perform. A number of mask dances are also performed once in every twelve years. In general, these all types of dances can be classified into three categories
Mahakali Dance
This is one of the most popular masked dances of the Newars. It is based on the religious story from a Hindu Puran Called 'Mahakali Mahalaxmi'. According to this , the three goddess Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Kumari (three of the eight deities that protect the eight directions of Kathmandu Valley and have different ghost followers. These mother goddesses were practiced by Eighty four sidhhas to gain mystic power) came down to heaven to vanquish the demons who spread great misery and hardship among human beings. So the almighty Goddesses waged a great war with the demons and defeated them, thus stabilizing peace and order on earth. This dance shows the great joy and happiness after the great victory over the demons.
Lakhey dance
This is one of the classical dance of Nepal. Once in a year during the festival of Indrajatra which is celebrated for nearly a week during the end of September or first part of October. According to people's belief, Lakhey are man eating demons living in the dense forest. They hunt animals and people passing through the jungle. Whenever they have a good meal they dance with jog. Previously Lakhey dancers used to select victims for human blood sacrifices.
Monkey dance
it is performed by the teenagers wearing traditional customs and sticks in their hands. The Nepalese still pay great respect to the sacred myths and legends. According the religious epic Ramayan, the dance was performed by the monkeys to express their joy and happiness to their Lord Ram and his wife Sita after their victory over the demon king Ravan of Sri Lanka.
Khyak Dance
Khyaks are supernatural beings. They are believed to be followers of Goods and goddess. They were visible to the people before electricity arrived. They are quite harmless. They simple used to frighten people at night. What the dancers perform is just the expression of Khyak's naughty nature. They perform dances to entertain Gods and Goddess.
Kawan (Skeleton) Dance
According to people's belief, kawans are the evil spirits to be seen mostly at street-crossing and cremation-grounds. They accompany the Gods and Goddess during their adventures. Sometimes they trouble people, causing stomach pain. But one can get rid of it easily by making some offerings, following the advice of a witch doctor.
Devi Daitya Sangram (The battle of Goddess and Demon)
This is dramatic dance form, here the hand some brave demon sees a beautiful girl and immediately falls in love with her. Then he proposes to marry her, but she answers that she will only accept one who can defeat her in a battle. the egoist demon gets very angry and tries to catch her. But it is not possible. They start battling. The demon sees her in every where as the furious. Goddess kali and collapses on the ground with fear. Then the goddess, one who is the universal power stands on him.
MANJUSHREE:
Manjushree is the oldest bodhi of the Bodhisattvas and his worship confers on the devotee wisdom, retentive memory, intelligence and eloquence. He is the patron of those who preach the Dharma. in Nepal. According to the Buddhist legends it is Manjushree who came from Mahachina, worshipped the self existence flame at the age of the lake which covered the valley, and then drained the valley by cutting through the ridge at its rim with his flaming sword thus making the valley fit for human habitation. The famous Swayambhu Maha Chitya marks the place of the self resistant flame on to the west of the Chaitya is an important shrine of Manjushree.
BAJRAYOGINI:
According to the Buddhist tantric tradition, there are four Yoginis (tantric goddesses) in the Kathmandu Valley. Bajrayogini, one of the ancient classical dances of Nepal. The goddess, Bajrayogini is depicted as greatly pleased with her devotees for their prayers and thereupon showering blessings on them. The particular importance of the dances are the symbolic movements of hands and fingers skillfully timed with the general body movements and the facial expressions. The dance demonstrates a beautiful blend of enraged feelings and peaceful emotion, with the suggestions at the same time a strong sense of the protection and preservation. It is performed particularly in the Buddhist temples on special occasions through the rituals.
ARYA TARA:
The worship of the female principal was introduced into Buddhism in the form of deity Tara. She is believed to wipe out fear and lead people across the ocean of sorrow.
PANCHA BUDDHA:
The Pancha Buddha (five Buddha's) shows five transcendental Buddhism. According to Vajrayana teaching, original consciousness, usually symbolized by Vajrasattva or Vajradhara, is radiated into these five Buddha's:Vairochana {"The Brilliant one") Akshobhya ( "The unshakable"), Ratnasambhava (" The matrix of the jewel"), Amitabha ("The infinite light"), and The Amoghasiddhi ( The infallible realization). Each has their particular pose, color and direction. Four of them are situated at the prime points if the stupa with the fifth Vairochana considered to reside in the center. Never the less they are not conceived as separate deities, but as the five constituents of personality (Skanda), which reside in each man.
BHIRAB-KALI:
This is one of the classical dances of Nepal, popular in the Kathmandu Valley where it has originated. As the name implies, it is a form of the god Shiva and Kali, his companion, the goddess Durga. It is believed that the creation of the universe is is the cosmic union of Bhairab and Kali. Therefore, Bhairab is the father and Kali, the mother of the universe. The responsibility of protecting the universe goes to Bhairav and Kali.
Lakhey dance
This is one of the classical dance of Nepal. Once in a year during the festival of Indrajatra which is celebrated for nearly a week during the end of September or first part of October.
According to people's belief, Lakhey are man eating demons living in the dense forest. They hunt animals and people passing through the jungle. Whenever they have a good meal they dance with jog. Previously Lakhey dancers used to select victims for human blood sacrifices.
Monkey dance
it is performed by the teenagers wearing traditional customs and sticks in their hands. The Nepalese still pay great respect to the sacred myths and legends. According the religious epic Ramayan, the dance was performed by the monkeys to express their joy and happiness to their Lord Ram and his wife Sita after their victory over the demon king Ravan of Sri Lanka.
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