West Bengal State Akademi of Dance Drama Music and Visual Arts, Rabindra Bharati University organized a six-day workshop on ‘Training and Preservation of Traditional Folk & Tribal Performing Arts of the Newar Community’ in collaboration with the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Government of India at Kurseong.

This workshop was conducted by Sanjay Pradhan, Rakesh Pradhan and Janina Joshi Pradhan. The focus of this workshop was on the Lakhey dance, one of the most popular dances of the Newar community. The main characteristics of the community are wild movements and loud music, with the performers wear colourful costumes and masks made of papier-mache with yak tails used for their hair. More than 15 persons took part in this workshop, most of them from various areas near Kurseong.

The workshop was held in collaboration with the Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre (EZCC), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and with the support and cooperation of the Kurseong Municipality, Darjeeling and the West Bengal Newar Development and Culture Board, Darjeeling.