Kurdish dance

{{Short description|Group of traditional dances among Kurds}} {{Kurds}} [[File:Kurdish Dance - Kurdish Clothing - Kurdish Culture - Govend.jpg|thumb|Kurdish folk dance - Cizîre Botan, Northern Kurdistan]] '''Kurdish dances''' ({{langx|ku-Latn|Govend, Dîlan, Dawet, Helperkê, Şayî}}; {{lang|ku|دیلان|italic=no|rtl=yes}}, {{lang|ku|گۆڤەند|italic=no|rtl=yes}}, {{lang|ku|داوەت|italic=no|rtl=yes}}, {{lang|ku|ھەڵپەڕکێ|italic=no|rtl=yes}}, {{lang|ku|شایی|italic=no|rtl=yes}}) are a group of traditional dances among Kurds. It is a form of a circle dance, with a single or a couple of figure dancers often added to the geometrical center of the dancing circle. At times musicians playing on a drum or a double reed wind instrument known as a zurna, accompany the dancers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last1=Shwartz-Be'eri|first1=Ora|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Tf7G9nAXuIC&dq=Kurdish+dancers+dance+around+a+drum&pg=PA64|title=The Jews of Kurdistan: Daily Life, Customs, Arts and Crafts|last2=Yiśraʼel (Jerusalem)|first2=Muzeʼon|date=2000|publisher=UPNE|isbn=978-965-278-238-0|pages=64|language=en}}</ref> Often there are dancers twirling handkerchiefs who lead the half-circled group of dancers.<ref name=":0" /> The dancers, generally women, but also, on occasions, men, wear traditional Kurdish clothes.<ref name="kproj">{{cite web|title=Learn About Kurdish Dance {{!}}|url=https://thekurdishproject.org/history-and-culture/kurdish-culture/kurdish-dance/ |website=The Kurdish Project}}</ref> The Kurds dance on several occasions such as Kurdish festivals, birthdays, New Years, Newroz, marriage, and other ceremonies<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|last=Sabah Ghafour|first=Goran|title=Dance: A unique signature of Kurdish identity |url=https://www.24.krd/en/story/25653-Dance:-A-unique-signature-of-Kurdish-identity|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-25|website=Kurdistan24|language=en|location=Erbil|date=2021-09-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220223191029/https://www.24.krd/en/story/25653-Dance:-A-unique-signature-of-Kurdish-identity|archive-date=2022-02-23}}</ref> and the dances have several names which often relate to local names and traditions.<ref name=":1" /> Its noteworthy that these folkloric dances are typically mixed-gender which distinguishes the Kurds from other neighbouring Muslim populations.<ref>''Kurds, Kurdistan'', Part 4. "Dances and music", ''The Encyclopedia of Islam'', Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat, Vol. V, KHE-MAHI, Leiden, E.J. BRILL Publishers, 1986, 1263 pp. (see p. 477).</ref> On March 3, 2023, Iranian police shut down a sports centre over mixed-gender Kurdish dances.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://kurdistanhumanrights.org/en/news/2023/03/06/iran-shuts-down-sports-centre-over-mixed-gender-kurdish-dance/ | title=KHRN: Iran shuts down sports centre over mixed-gender Kurdish dance | date=6 March 2023 }}</ref>

==Types and styles== Kurdish dances are each performed with a specific melody and style, some of which are named as follows:

*Şêxanî *Bagiyê *Şamîranê *Til Mercan *Lorke *Evdîşo *Koçerî *Rewendî *Bêriyokê *Milanê *Axişte (Serhed Region) *Dim Dime (Urmia to Duhok)[[File:Kurdish dance (Kurdish Culture) رقص کردی govend هەڵپەڕکێ.jpg|thumb|Kurdish folk dance - Delal Bridge, Zaxo]] *Akmelî *Lo Mîro *Baso *Lê Gulê *Hicrokê *Navçeliyê *Çoxo *Eyşokê *Mîrkut *Geliyê Başkala (Suka Hewlêrê) *Zêrînê *Reyhanî *Sûrçiyanî *Herkiyanî *Hey Borî *Welato *Emer Axayo *Siyarkî (Swarkî) *Hoy Narê *Hey Dîlan *Meraan Axa *Kurtê *Helize *Nalbendan *Sê pê *Royne *Daxe *Geryan *Çepî *Sê car

==See also== * Middle Eastern dance * Kurdish traditional clothing * Armenian dance * Assyrian folk dance * Dabke (a form of Arabic dance) * Syrtos (Greek) * Turkish dance

==References== <references />

Category:Kurdish dance Category:Kurdish culture Category:Kurdish folklore Category:Asian folk dances