Persian dance
Persian dance refers to the type of dancing from Iran. Persian dance is very sensual, circular and slow which makes it a dance that is unique to Iran amongst all other Middle Eastern dance forms.
Persian dance is almost entirely performed to 6\8 time signatures and is the only dance that is performed and known by all Iranians regardless of ethnicity, the dance itself is highly individualistic and also heavily relies on solo improvisation performances much like all other Iranian art forms such as music, etc.
Other Iranian dances include regional folk dances which are always performed in group settings whereby men and women dances are performed in group based ensemble settings.
Usually in Persian dance the upper body motion is emphasized, with hand motions, hip undulations and facial expressions being points of attention. Although often compared to Arabic dance, Persian dance is actually very distinct, due to its signature hand movements, slow and sensual circular hip movements as opposed to the rapid hip movements used in bellydance. As the Muslim rulers at the Mughal courts invited many Persian dancers during their rule of the Indian subcontinent, some elements of Persian dance were absorbed into Kathak, a North-Indian classical dance style.
Often, Persian dance will be performed at relatively informal gatherings, such as family meetings, where everyone will sit in a circle (especially on rugs) and a couple will dance in the middle, sometimes accompanied by a Persian drummer playing beats. Persian dance is also used more formally at various social events, like weddings.
Persian dance appears in American pop culture in the 2004 film Alexander performed by the eunuch Bagoas at the ceremony where Clietus dies.
Iran has also Bandari dance, mostly in the South and belly dance itself Raqs Sharqi.
Among most notable ensembles of regional Iranian folk dance is Afsaneh Ballet. Among notable dancers are Jamilah, Azar Shiva, Foroozan, Farzaneh Kaboli, Mohammad Khordadian.
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[edit] Styles
- Baba karam: Is a male Persian dance which is nowadays also performed by women, the dance derived from a Sufi story whereby a servant at the court of the king falls in love with one of the harem girls and sings this song out of grief of not being able to be with her.
- Bandari: A kind of fast dance with energetic music. The dance is special for cities in the south of Iran.
- Bojnurdi dance
- Classical Persian court dance
- Haj Naranji dance
- Kereshmeh
- Khaliji Dance
- Kharman dance
- Khorasani dance
- Latar dance
- Lezgi dance
- Luri
- Matmati
- Mazandarani
- Motrebi dance
- Qasemabadi A local dance for northern Iran (Caspian region). Women performing the dance usually wear a special costume consisting of long puffy colorful skirt, black pants, a white scarf, and a black vest. Dancers demonstrate rice cultivation.
- Raqs-e Choobbazi
- Raqs-e Parcheh
- Ru-Howzi
- Shamshir dance
- Shateri dance
- Tehrani dance (Tehrooni)
- Vahishta
- Zaboli dance
- Zargari dance
[edit] See also
[edit] References
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[edit] External links
- A Brief About Persian Dance
- The Exquisite Art of Persian Classical Dance
- Persian dance style
- Persian dance in Tajikistan (in Persian)
- The History of Persian Dance
[edit] Sources
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