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PERFORMING ART
Armenia has a rich culture, music, dancing and theatre. Since ancient times these three kinds of arts have been separated from each other and have developed as separate arts. In the national (folk) art these three kinds of art has survived together. In the works of Medieval writers we can find some facts which prove they there have been wandering and immovable local groups, the members of which were both singing and dancing and playing.
In the course of time dancing gradually separated from other arts and in this way it was saved in the folk culture.
ARMENIAN DANCE
Armenian dances have many traditions. That’s why Armenian dances can exactly characterize our national psychology, philosophy, emotional nature etc.
Armenian art of dancing has a long history. The following dances are distinguished.
- tightrope – walker’s dances
- mourning dances and funeral dances
- military dances
- folk dances, which were performed during the national and family ceremonies.
TYPES OF ARMENIAN DANCES
The bases of Armenian dances are spring movements. Armenian dances are divided into several components. First of all they can be divided into 3 great parts (groups).
1. song and dancing, which are associated with songs
2. second group which is accompanied by national instruments
3. the third group is the mixture of the first and the second group.
There are also different types of movements.
- everyday
- labour (working)
- expressive
- imitative
- descriptive
- symbolic
- conventional.
Collective and group dances differ from each other by the way of holding hands.
- with the little fingers
- with palms
- with crossed palms
- with shoulders
- from waist
The most important difference is the contact of dances and according to their contacts dances are divided into the following groups
- mythical
- epic
- lyric
- cultural
- dances for wedding party
- tightrope-walker’s
- ritual
- temporal
- labour
- military
- hunting
- childish
- mourning dances.
Dances also differ from each other according to the area.
ARMENIAN NATIONAL COSTUME
While speaking about Armenian dances we must also speak about the peculiarities of our national costumes. They are very different from each other. Each region has its typical costume.
Four colours are predominant in Armenian national costumes: these are dark, white, red and yellow. Yellow symbolizes wisdom, red symbolizes bravery and courage, blue symbolizes justice and white symbolizes purity.
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