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U Shwe Yoe

U Shwe Yoe (aka U Ba Ga Lay) was a prominent Burmese Actor, Comedian, Dancer and Cartoonist. He was a Burmese muslim.

U Shwe Yoe and U Shwe Yoe dance

U Shwe Yoe dance was U Ba Ga Lay’s jolly joker dance sequence in, 1923 “Ah Ba Yae” (Oh Ah Ba. Ah Ba means old man or father in Burmese) which was one of the pioneer films of Burmese movie history about rural life. The dance is full of fun and joy and it appealed so much to the Burmese audience and is adopted as a dance for all festive occasions.

“Ah Ba Yae” movie was his second movie with Myanmar Asway (friend of Burma) company. The first was “Taw Myaing Soon Ka Lwan Aung Phan” (nostalgia effects of the jungle)in 1923. He later shoot another seven films with the same company.

With thick eye brows, long curved mustache, traditional Burmese headdress (Gong Baung), long muffler around the neck, traditional Burmese jacket (Tyke Pone), checked long sarong (Taung Shae Pasoe) and the small Pathein Umbrella. This became the trademark of U Shwe Yoe. Later the dancers easily copied his image by using special comical sunglass with artificial plastic nose and eyebrows.

The U Shwe Yoe dance has been an essential part of charitable and other ceremonies traditionally observed by the Burmese people. U Shwe Yoe dances to the music of the Ozi and Doebut troupes. He dances to the rhythmic sounds of the accompanying dobat or double-faced short drum, cymbals and bamboo clappers. U Shwe Yoe does a good job twirling his umbrella to make his performance more interesting. This dance is always performed to make amusement by village lads in procession at festival. This popular traditional Burmese dance is presented with delightful and humorous movements to please spectators. It is also an entertainment component at Pagoda festival, at Shinpyu ordination ceremony, and other festive occasions. Burmese folk dances developed together with folk music and songs. So they are inseparably linked with folk music and songs. These three performing arts are complementary and rural-based. The music is provided by ozi and dobat troupes.

Duet Dance of U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe Originally U Shwe Yoe was an individual dance performance, but over time the Daw Moe Dance was created and appended to the original version. Now the art form is popularly known as the U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe Dance. U Shwe Yoe dances with his comic moustache and comic movements trying to woo the spinster Daw Moe. The U Shwe Yoe Dance has been an essential part of charitable and traditional ceremonies. U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe are the comic characters. They sing, they dance and they flirt, and make the spectators (audience) laugh. The dance is presented with humour in order to make the spectators merry and gay. No religious procession is considered complete without the dance of U Shwe Yoe and Daw Moe.

Acting career

He acted in 18 movies during 12 years of his carrier. Fifteen were without voice and only three were with voice. His first movie “Taw Myaing Soon Ka Lwan Aung Phan” (nostalgia effects of the jungle) was from Burma Film’s first movie. Lead actor was Maung Nyi Pu (first Burmese actor) and actress was Ma Mya Nyunt. U Ba Ga Lay was a support actor, comedian. There was a scene in the movie, Daw Moe wanted to be splashed with water in the water festival but pretended not to be. He acted as a naive old man Shwe Yoe, trying to splash water with a short pump. In his second movie he rose to fame with his Shwe Yoe dance.

The full list of his movies

“Taw Myaing Soon Ka Lwan Aung Phan” (nostalgia effects of the jungle)1923
“Ah Ba Yae”(Oh Ah Ba. Ah Ba means father or an old man.) 1923
Pauk Kyine (Myanmar Folk tale) 1924
Ta Khine Lone Shwe (The whole bunch of gold) 1924
Ta Khine Lone Sein (The whole bunch of diamonds) 1924
Mhine Wai Wai. Hazy or foggy 1925
Pa Loke Toke Toke Sakya Shin 1925
Village boy Shwe Yoe 1926
Shwe Min Won 1926
Where is Shwe Yoe 1926
Shwe Yoe and San Phae 1927
Shwe Talay 1927
Khin Maung Gyi 1927
Honeymoon period 1929
Wai Lwin Lwin 1929
Mr Batchelor 1930
Love Triangle 1930
Shwe Pay Lhwar (Golden Message)

Personal life

U Ba Ga Lay was born in Bassein (now Pathein) in 1893 (9th waning of Tabodwe month 1254 Burmese calendar). His parents were Bassein High School teachers U Pho Thi and Daw Thae Mhone.

He had head and back injury when the kitchen of his house collapsed in June 1938. Treated for three months in Rangoon and later shifted to Bassein. His mental condition deteriorated and when Cartoon U Hein Soon visited him with the donations from the friends in Rangoon, he asked about the famous journalist Zawana.

Later because of the bombings, he shifted to Hinthada and again to Gambi town. He died at the age of 52, on 5th June 1945.