Along with hat boi<\/i>, the court also developed ceremonial dances imitating the practice of the Chinese imperial court. In other parts of Southeast Asia the poses and hand gestures of almost all the main forms of court dance reflect a more or less direct Indian influence, whereas Vietnamese court dances, in their slow ceremoniality, echo ancient Chinese prototypes. Dances were often accompanied by large instrumental ensembles. The main dance types included the so-called dances of fabulous animals, which included mythical beings such as the unicorn and the phoenix.<\/p>\n
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