RHYTHM OF THE SOUL

They say that joy and grief go together. That is probably why the art of dancing is not just an ode to joy, creative art and victory, but also a manifestation of grief, sadness and melancholy. Dancing is an art that expresses a person's feelings and their love of life.

This art has an immense history. It was not by chance that the ancient peoples of the world possessed the most rich and varied art of dancing. And Azerbaijan is no exception. Two-three thousand years ago dancing occupied an important place in everyday life and in the customs and traditions of our forefathers. In Azerbaijan the art of dancing existed before even the most basic of popular musical instruments. Researchers have concluded that the first dances of the forefathers of today's Azerbaijanis were performed to the accompaniment of spectators clapping to the rhythm. Engaged in hunting and other practical arts, the ancient tribes expressed their strength and boldness through dances that consisted of plastic movements.

The rock paintings in Qobustan [Gobustan] have provided us with information not only of the way of life, customs and traditions of the ancient inhabitants of Azerbaijan, but also of their dances, thereby confirming that the various forms and genres of the art of dancing originate from folk dances, one of the branches of folklore. 

In the primitive communal system people danced to shared their joy of victory over hunger, nature and wild animals. Mankind could not have evolved without its dances. After the emergence of a class society dancing began to use representatives of the ruling classes for its entertainment. Special dancers were kept in the palaces for this purpose. But even in those times the art of dancing preserved its true essence. The feelings of the people - joy, compassion, subtle humour, customs and traditions - are reflected in Azerbaijani folk dances. The struggle of the people against alien invaders and their inflexible will have also been the theme of many of our folk dances.

In Soviet times new dances devoted to heroes of labour and the picking of grapes and cotton emerged in Azerbaijan.

Tahir Eynullayev, international prize-winner, choreographer and teacher at the Azerbaijani Choreography School, says that dances emerged from the most varied movements and gestures linked with emotions born of labour and the environment. "The movements changed gradually, being subjected to artistic generalization, and as a result the art of dancing - one of the most ancient manifestations of people's creative art - was formed. Based on dance traditions, the language of choreography, plastic expression and the correlation of movement and music, each people developed its own dancing paths," Eynullayev says.

Dances that are most varied in character and content and numerous types of dance movements have existed in Azerbaijan since ancient times. Here, each region and each village has its own dances and dance traditions, and for many important reasons folklore occupies an important place in Azerbaijani dances.

Handed down from generation to generation, Azerbaijani folk dances have lived and developed among the people. Along with such dances as "Qazagi", "Heyva gulu", "Lale", "Qizil gul" and "Innabi", there are also dances that have perpetuated geographical names such as "Asxabadi", "Gars", "Darbandi", and so on. Many Azerbaijani folk dances have proved to be timeless, maintaining their original forms even today. But the names of others have changed. For example, although the name of the cheerful, rhythmic dance "Salaxo" was derived from the word "Salakum", or more precisely, "Salaka yukum", later it received its present sound.

And this is how Eynullayev explains the names and the essence of a number of celebrated Azerbaijani dances. The dance "Tarakama" relates to the period of nomadism. The dancer, spreading his arms wide, moves forward with head held proudly. In this dance the feeling of freedom and vast space is dominant. The "Tarakama" is widespread in Azerbaijan and has many variations, regional peculiarities and details, but is invariably performed with great vigour. This solo dance is performed by both men and women.

The "Innabi" comes from the name of a tree. It is performed by one, sometimes two girls. The dance has a simple and primitive content. In it the dancers try to express a playful female coquettishness. One girl starts the dance and then, as it were reluctantly, in protest, the second one joins her. Very soon the friends find a common bond and start to dance in a cheerful, frolicsome style.

"Ceyran-bala". The ceyran is a handsome, gentle animal. The dance emphasizes the lightness of its movements and the harmony and symmetry of its figure. It is performed by both men and women.

The "Yalli" is a collective dance, one of the most widespread and popular in Azerbaijan. Its roots lie in ancient customs. Over 240 types of the "Yalli" are known, of which only 120 have survived. The dancers form a circle, holding each other with open arms or entwining their little fingers. The dance consists of two parts. It begins solemnly with loping steps. Gradually the tempo increases, ending with rapid, technically complex "jumping" movements. One person holding a scarf - a "yallibasi" - follows at the head of the dancers. He is the initiator in the dance. It is performed by men and women, either separately or together. 

The "wedding dance" is performed exclusively at solemn occasions. The dancers put thimbles on their fingers and carry saucers. The girl dancer taps on the saucer with her thimble as though accompanying herself. The man appears with a tray of glasses. The second group of performers each carry two glasses. In the lyrical part of the melody a girl appears carrying four glasses. The glasses are usually filled with sherbet. 

The "Cangi" is a typical collective warriors' dance. It is a kind of illustration of a battle and is performed with sword and shield. For example, the battle scene in the third act of the opera "Koroglu" by Uzeyir Hacibayov, the scene in the first act of the ballet "Seven Beauties" by Qara Qarayev, and so on. It is performed by men.

The "Zorxan" is also an ancient warriors' dance, performed with the use of a club.

The song and dance "Yalli" is an example of a collective dance. It is an all-in-one vocal and choreographic form. "Working", playful and eulogistic forms of the "Yalli" exist.

The "Vagzali", which has traditionally been the closing, valedictory dance of the bride at her wedding, occupies a special place among Azerbaijani folk dances. That said, it is performed by both the newly-weds.  Today the touching melody is also performed as the bride's procession leaves her father's house.

In Azerbaijani ethnic dancing, male and female dances differ significantly from one another. As a rule, slow, smooth dances are performed by women, and the rapid, temperamental dances by men.

"The Azerbaijani ballet theatre is also becoming enriched with the development of folk art. In the new ballet productions the Azerbaijani folk dance is organically interwoven with the classic Russian school of ballet," Eynullayev says.

Thanks to the indefatigable work of such eminent representatives of Azerbaijani culture as Amina Dilbazi, Roza Calilova, Afaq Malikova, Alibaba Abdullayev, Boyukaga Mammadov, Tahir Eynullayev, Kamil Dadasev, Tarana Muradova and other professionals of this art. Azerbaijani folk dances have become famous worldwide.

In conclusion we would like to point out that the Armenians, who are striving to acquire the cultural values of their neighbours, continue to present as Armenian folklore such Azerbaijani dances as the "Vagzali", the "Yalli", the "Uzundara", the "Tarakama", "Innabi", "Khan Cobani" and "Salaxo", and such folk songs as "Sari Galin", "Xan Baci" and "Dali Ceyran". They even declare as Armenian the works of the Azerbaijani composers - the world renowned operettas by Uzeyir Hacibayov "Arshin mal alan" and "O olmasin, bu olsun", the songs of Emin Sabitoglu and Alibaba Mammadov, and try to "Armenianize" our ancient ethnic musical instruments such as the qaval, the balaban, the nagara, the tutak, the ney, the tar, the kamanca and the oud. But this is by no means all. That is why the preservers of the traditions of the Azerbaijani dance face such great tasks.