What is the Georgian war dance with weapons called?
Parikaoba, khorumi and where to see them.
Short answer
The Georgian war dance with real swords is called parikaoba, an ancient dance with extremely complicated acrobatic steps. Another war dance, khorumi, has its roots in Ajara and is performed only by men.
Why
- Parikaoba is an ancient war dance with real swords, the cries of men and extremely complicated acrobatic steps.
- Parikaoba also has a romantic version, called Khevsuruli parikaoba.
- Khorumi is a war dance with roots in Ajara: only men perform it, and as many as fifty dancers may be on stage.
Details
Parikaoba is an ancient war dance that has taken on romantic themes over time (Khevsuruli parikaoba). Khorumi, a war dance from Ajara, is performed only by men, sometimes with as many as fifty dancers at once. Other dances are covered here: what assa means and which Georgian dances exist.
You can find live performances in Tbilisi: where to see Georgian dances and hear polyphony.
Tip
Ask the box office or show organisers whether parikaoba or khorumi is in the programme, as ensembles choose different numbers.
What may differ
Transliteration of the names varies between languages, and the set of numbers depends on the ensemble and venue.
Common misconception
Parikaoba is a modern stage invention.
What actually happens
No, it is an ancient war dance; modern performances have also given it romantic themes (Khevsuruli parikaoba).
People also ask
- What is the Georgian sword dance called?
- What is parikaoba?
Sources
This answer is for reference. The name of a specific dagger dance is not officially confirmed, and numbers and spellings may differ between ensembles.
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