# Ardah

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{{short description|National dance of Arabs}}
{{title language|ar}}
{{expand Arabic|topic=cult}}
{{Infobox dance
| name        = ''Ardah''
| image       = Jenadriyah 27 (12).JPG
| alt         = 
| caption     = ''Ardah'' at [Jenadriyah](/source/Jenadriyah)
| native_name = العرضة
| etymology   = 
| genre       = Folkloric group dance 
| signature   = 
| instruments = 
| year        = 
| origin      = [Arabian Peninsula](/source/Arabian_Peninsula)
}}
{{Infobox intangible heritage
|ICH=Alardah Alnajdiyah, dance, drumming and poetry in Saudi Arabia
|State Party= Saudi Arabia
|ID=01196
|Region=AST
|Year=2015
|Session = 10th
|List=Representative
}}

'''''Ardah''''' ({{langx|ar|العرضة}} / [ALA-LC](/source/ALA-LC): ''al-‘arḍah'') is a type of [folkloric](/source/folkloric) group dance in the [Arabian Peninsula](/source/Arabian_Peninsula), in most countries located in the [Gulf Cooperation Council](/source/Gulf_Cooperation_Council). The dance is performed with two rows of men opposite of one another, each of whom may or may not be [wielding a sword or cane](/source/sword_dance), and is accompanied by drums and spoken poetry.<ref name="urkevich1" />

[[File:Donald Trump with ceremonial swordsmen on his arrival to Murabba Palace, May 2017.jpg|thumb|King [Salman of Saudi Arabia](/source/Salman_of_Saudi_Arabia) and U.S. President [Donald Trump](/source/Donald_Trump) dance the Najdi ardah at the [Murabba Palace](/source/Murabba_Palace) in [Riyadh](/source/Riyadh), 2017.]]

Originally, the ''ardah'' was performed only by males of tribes of the Arabian Peninsula before going to war, but nowadays it is done at celebrations, weddings, and national and cultural events by males of all tribes. There currently exists various types of ''ardah''  across the [Arabian Peninsula](/source/Arabian_Peninsula).<ref name="urkevich1" />

It was inscribed on [UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity](/source/Intangible_cultural_heritage) in 2015 as ''Alardah Alnajdiyah''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists|title=UNESCO - Alardah Alnajdiyah, dance, drumming and poetry in Saudi Arabia|website=ich.unesco.org|language=en|access-date=2019-02-07}}</ref>

==Variations==
The term ''ardah'' (عَرْضَة) is thought to derive from the [Arabic](/source/Arabic) verb ''ard'' (عَرَضَ) meaning {{'}}to show{{'}} or {{'}}to parade{{'}}. It was so named because its purpose was to publicly display the fighting strength of a tribe and boost morale before an armed engagement.<ref name="urkevich1">{{cite book|last=Urkevich|first=Lisa|title=Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gy-cBQAAQBAJ|format=Google Play|page=131/689|chapter=5|publisher=Routledge|date=19 December 2014|isbn=978-0415888721}}</ref> Although there are regional variations of the particular rendition of ardah, the purpose it serves is nearly identical throughout the Arabian Peninsula.<ref name="urkevich1"/>

===Nejdi ''ardah''===
''Najdi ardah'' is the most common variant of ''ardah'' in [Saudi Arabia](/source/Saudi_Arabia). It is also the most practiced and highly televised male folkloric dance in the entire country. The Saudi government changed its name to {{'}}Saudi ''ardah''{{'}} in the 21st century. However, there are numerous variations of ardah distinct from Najdi ardah throughout the country, notably in the regions of [Najran](/source/Najran_Region), [Asir](/source/'Asir_Region) and [Jizan](/source/Jizan_Region).<ref>{{cite book|last=Urkevich|first=Lisa|title=Music and Traditions of the Arabian Peninsula: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gy-cBQAAQBAJ|format=Google Play|page=133/689|chapter=5|publisher=Routledge|date=19 December 2014|isbn=978-0415888721}}</ref>

==See also==
* [Middle Eastern dance](/source/Middle_Eastern_dance)
* [Mizmar](/source/Mizmar_(dance))
* [National symbols of Saudi Arabia](/source/National_symbols_of_Saudi_Arabia)
* [Yowlah](/source/Yowlah)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.mcm.asso.fr/site02/music-w-islam/articles/Urkevich-2007.pdf Ardah, Conference on Music in the Islamic World/Urkevich]

{{Saudi Arabia topics}}
{{Portal bar|Saudi Arabia|Visual arts|Music|Society}}

Category:Arab dance
Category:Group dances
Category:Middle Eastern dances
Category:Arab culture
Category:Culture of Saudi Arabia
Category:Dance in Saudi Arabia
Category:Dance in the United Arab Emirates
Category:Dance in Bahrain
Category:Dance in Qatar
Category:National symbols of Saudi Arabia

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ardah](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardah) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ardah?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.