Tibetan dances are mainly divided into tibetan opera (lhamo) and tibetan dance (Zerou). The Tibetan opera (lhamo in the Tibetan language) is an important cultural ingredient in Tibetan social life and is very popular in Tibet, provinces of Sichuan, Qinghai and Yunnan and so on where Tibetans gather densely. This artistic form had strong characteristics of Tibetan Buddhism in terms of expression techniques and contents.

The Tibetan opera originated from a ceremonial dance performed by the Lamaists in exorcism created by Padmasambhava, one of the founders of Tibetan Buddhism in the 8th century, at the Samye Monastery. It is said that Tang Dongjiebu, a monk of Kagyupa (one of the sects of the Tibetan Buddhism), once attempted to build bridges over many rivers of Tibet in the 15th century to serve the masses. He spent 3 years in raising funds without too much success. Later, he found that among his devout followers, there were seven pretty and clever girls who were also good at dancing and singing. Thus, he established a theatrical troupe with the seven girls as the main actresses. The theatrical troupe transformed the Buddhism stories into simple-plotted song-and-dance dramas, and gave performances of the stories in various places in order to raise money and educate people. This is the embryonic form of the Tibetan opera. After the 17th century, the Tibetan opera finally established its own unique form of art.

Tibet, the ridge of the world, is famously known as the'Ocean of Songs and Dances' . Nearly every Tibetan can sing and dance. They sing anytime for any event and dance at festivals, weddings, and gatherings as well as during their spare time. A history of over several thousand years has witnessed the development of many kinds of folk dances in Tibet, including the religious dance called 'Qamo' .

The areas inhabited by Tibetans boast a great diversity of folk songs and dances. Here, you will be introduced to some of the major dances popular with Tibetans:

1.Guozhuang dance

Guozhuang is a group dance popular in rural areas of Tibet. The participants dance hand in hand and sing in rotation. The dance is often seen in villages and on open squares and threshing grounds. The dancers mark the rhythm by stamping their feet. At festivals men and women stand hand in hand in two lines around a big vat of highland-barley wine placed on open ground. The two groups first sing and walk from left to right in a circle. When they finish singing, the xieben, or organizer of the dance, leads in shouting, 'Xiu, xiu, xiu, xiu' , and starts the dance with rhythmic steps. This rhythmic shouting is followed closely by quick-tempo singing and dancing.

2.Love Song (Layi)

Layi is a Tibetan word means love. Tibetan love song is a kind of poem that mainly describes the affection between young men and young girls in Tibet and has obtained an important status in Tibetan poems. Because of the special history of development and religious tenets of the Tibetan Buddhism, love songs became an important component of the history of the Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan society. The uniqueness of artistic presentation, forms, structures, metaphors, language usage and other aspects contributed a lot to the long-lasting popularity of these songs among people generation after generation.

3.Xianzi Dance

The Xianzi Dance, also called Xie or Ye, is danced to the accompaniment of a Tibetan-style two-string instrument. In the hinterland of Southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region it is called Kangxie (dances from Kang). The Xianzi Dance is an excellent example of Tibetan culture and has survived for hundreds of years. It is popular in Tibetan inhabitant regions such as Batang, Chamdo, and Gyangze in Tibet, areas in northwest China's Qinghai Province, and Southwest China's Sichuan Province. At festivals and on outings in the Linkas (parks) in Batang and Mangkang, men and women dance face to face in two lines. A person, playing a stringed instrument made of ox horn, usually stands at the head of the two lines, directing the dancers. Girls wear long-sleeved silk gowns when dancing. The movements of the Xianzi Dance are gentle and implicit, seemingly expressing a longing for love and nature. Lyrics are in four parts each comprising six words in precise but flowery language.

4.Monastery dance

Monastery dance is called 'Qiangmu' in Tibetan. This festival is held in Jan of Tibetan calendar in large monasteries, including Luohantang, Gongba, Tiewa Monastery. On that day, monks wear special clothes to pretend evils, animals and etc. People shake their bodies left and right and circle at the same time. The movement is bold and generous.