Shalakho

Not to be confused with Shalako, a Native American harvest festival.

Shalakho (Armenian: շալախո shalakho; Azerbaijani: Şələqoy; Georgian: შალახო shalakho) is a popular dance of the Caucasus.[1] A time signature of the dance is 6/8. The folk versions of the dance vary, depending on the region.[1]

In a broadly spread version, two men dance in order to win the favour of a woman. The dance can be performed by one or more dancers, men or women, in a free, Caucasian style of performance. Motions of women can be slow and lyrical. Music of the dance is rapid, which is reflected in the expansive and energetic motions of men.[1]

Composer Afrasiyab Badalbeyli used the melody of the dance in “The Maiden Tower” ballet composed by him.[2]


External video
Şələqoy (Şalaxo) dance
TV program «Azerbaijani Folk Dances» on shalakho
Dance music performed by accordionist Avtandil Israfilov
Dance music performed by clarinetist Sherbet Rzakuliyev
Shalakho dance - Azerbaijani and Georgian mix

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Katherine St. John, Lloyd Miller, Mahera Harouny. (1987). Radif-e raqs: collection of dance sequences of the Persian tradition. Society for Preservation and Propagation of Eastern Arts. p. 127.
  2. Микеладзе Г. (2007). Сын бека, потомок шаха. Азербайджанские Известия. p. 3.