Tapping the Toeshey

Toeshey is a genre of traditional Tibetan dance music especially popular in Lhasa, the capital city of the autonomous region, and the Shigaze prefecture, the second biggest city.

Toe means higher place. Tibetans consider the counties of Ngamring, Dingri, Lhaze, Sakya and the prefecture of Ngari in the upper side of the Yarlung Zangbo River as toe. Shey means song.

The dance reached other parts of Tibet, and it gradually included tap dance. People often refer to toeshey as the tap dance of Lhasa.

Traditionally, toeshey’s music contains religious overtones and love stories.

Toeshey can be divided into slow and fast. The slow version is dominated by singing, with simple dances.

The fast one is allegro, currently more popular.