{{Short description|Turkish folk dance}} {{other uses}} [[File:Horon karadeniz.jpg|thumb|300px|upright=1.3|Horon with kemenche]] thumb|300px|right|Children from Turkey perform folk dance
'''Horon''' ({{langx|pnt|χορόν|khorón}}) is a group of traditional folk dances from the Eastern Black Sea Region in Turkey.
==Name== ===Etymology=== The term ''horon'' derives from Greek ''choros'' ({{langx|el|χορός|khorós}}, see chorus), which means "dance." The earliest instance of its usage in a Turkic language is in Codex Cumanicus from 1303.<ref name = "Nişanyan">{{cite web |last1=Nişanyan |first1=Sevan |title=horon |url=https://www.nisanyansozluk.com/kelime/horon |website=NişanyanSözlük |access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref>
In the provinces of Ordu and Giresun, the term ''horan'' is used instead of ''horon''.<ref name = "Gazimihal">{{cite book |last1=Gazimihal |first1=Mahmut R. |title=Türk halk oyunları kataloğu |date=1991 |publisher=Kültür Bakanlığı |isbn=978-975-17-0920-2 |page=152 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GfYrAAAAIAAJ&q=horan+ordu |access-date=7 November 2022 |language=tr}}</ref>
===Variants=== Over 50 variations of horon have been identified in a single region.<ref name=AAT>{{Cite web |title= Horon Folk Dance |website= All about Turkey |url= https://www.allaboutturkey.com/horon.html |access-date= 2023-09-22}}</ref>
== Distribution ==
=== Anatolia === In The Black Sea Region from the border of Samsun to Georgian border, this dance is performed often in weddings, engagement ceremonies, highland festivals, military send-off ceremonies with kemenche, clarinet, tulum (bagpipe), alongside with davul-zurna. Depending on the variation, the dance may be performed by only mens (male horon), only womans (girl horon), mixed male-female groups (karma horon). The music is either accompanied by türkü, or with just instrumental accompany.
==Origin== ''Horon'' or ''horonu'' is the Turkish equivalent of the ''serra'' war dance of the Pontian Greeks, resembling the ancient Greek ''Pyrrhic'' armed dance.<ref name=PW>{{cite web |title= The Serra (Horon) |date= 22 February 2017 |website= PontosWorld |url= https://pontosworld.com/index.php/music/dances/586-the-serra |access-date= 12 February 2024}}</ref>
== Dance == The horon is typically performed by a group of men or women in a line or semicircle. This dance form involves fast shoulder shimmy (Greek: Τρέμουλο, tremoulo), trembling of the entire body, and sudden squats.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top 9 Turkish Culture, Customs and Etiquette |url=https://toplist.info/top-list/turkish-culture-customs-and-etiquette-8098.htm |access-date=2023-09-22 |website=toplist.info |language=en}}</ref> Horon dances require speed and agility in a dancer.<ref name="AAT" />
==See also== ;Associated category *Pontic Greek folk dance *Laz folk music ;Similar dances *Dabke, Levantine folk dance *Khigga, Assyrian folk dance *Tamzara, folk dance from the Armenian Highlands
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Greek dances}} {{Turkish dances}}
Category:Greek dances Category:Turkish folk dances Category:Circle dances Category:Pontic Greek dances