georgian culure is so interesting. georgian dances are fantastic!

1. Georgian dance

2. Kartuli (ქართული)
The dance Kartuli many times reminds the audience of a wedding . Kartuli is a truly
romantic dance. It is performed by a dance couple and incorporates the softness
and gracefulness of a woman and dignity and love of a man.

3. It shows that even in love,
men uphold their respect
and manners by not
touching the woman and
maintaining a certain
distance from her. The man
focuses his eyes on his
partner as if she were the
only woman in the whole
world. He keeps his upper
body motionless at all
times. The woman keeps
her eyes downcast at all
times and glides on the
rough floor as a swan on
the smooth surface of a
lake. The utmost skill, which
is necessary to perform
Kartuli, has earned the
dance a reputation of one of
the most difficult dances.

4. There were only a few great performers of Kartuli.
Some of these are Nino Ramishvili, Iliko Sukhishvili,
Iamze Dolaberidze and Pridon Sulaberidze.

5. khorumi(ხორუმი)
This war dance has originated in the region of Achara, which is located in the
southwestern region of Georgia. The dance was originally performed by only a few
man. However, over time it has grown in scale. In today’s version of Khorumi, thirty
or forty dancers can participate. Although the number of performers changed, the
content of the dance is still the same.

6. The dance brings to life
Georgian army of the
past centuries. A few
men who are searching
the area for a campsite
and enemy camps
perform the initial
"prelude" to the dance.
Afterwards, they call the
army onto the battlefield.
Its strength, simple but
distinctive movements
and the exactness of
lines create a sense of
awe on stage. The dance
incorporates in itself the
themes of search, war,
and the celebration of
victory as well as
courage and glory of
Georgian soldiers.

7. Since Georgia has seen many wars throughout its history,
Khorumi is a call from the past and reminds us that in order
to have peace, we must have war.

8. Acharuli (აჭარული)
Acharuli has also originated in the region of Achara. It is where the
dance gets its name from.

9. Acharuli is distinguished
from other dances with its
colorful costumes and the
playful mood that simple
but definite movements of
both men and women
create on stage. The
dance is characterized
with graceful, soft, and
playful flirtation between
the males and females.
Unlike Kartuli, the
relationship between men
and women in this dance
is more informal and
lighthearted. Acharuli
instills the sense of
happiness in both the
dancer and the audience.

10. Khevsuruli (ხევსურული)
This mountain dance is probably the best representative of the Georgian spirit. It unites love,
courage, and respect for women, toughness, competition, skill, beauty, and colorfulness into one
amazing performance. The dance starts out with a flirting couple. Unexpectedly, another young
men appears, also seeking the hand of the woman. A conflict breaks out and soon turns into a
vigorous fighting between the two men and their supporters. The quarrel is stopped temporarily
by the woman’s veil. Traditionally, when a woman throws her head veil between two men, all
disagreements and fighting halts.

11. However, as soon as the woman leaves the
scene, the fighting continues even more
vigorously. The young men from both sides attack
each other with swords and shields. In some
occasions, one man has to fight off three
attackers. At the end, a woman (or women)
comes in and stops the fighting with her veil once
again. However, the final of the dance is "open" –
meaning that the audience does not know the
outcome of the fighting.

12. As a characteristic of
Georgian dances,
Khevsuruli is also very
technical and requires
intense practice and
utmost skill in order to
perform the dance
without hurting anyone.

13. Svanuri (სვანური)
Svan culture survives most wonderfully in its songs and dances. Svanetia boasts arguably
the most archaic three-part polyphonic singing. Most of their songs are connected to round
dances, are performed very loud and are full of dissonant chords

14. Mtiuluri (მთიულური) Mtiuluri is also a mountain dance. Similar to Khevsuruli, Mtiuluri is also based on
competition. However, in this dance, the competition is mainly between two groups of young men. It is
more like a celebration of skill and art. At first, groups compete in performing complicated movements.
Then, we see girl’s dance, which is followed by individual dancer's performance of amazing "tricks" on
their knees and toes. At the end, everyone dances a beautiful final. This dance truly reminds us of a
festival in the mountains.

15. At the end, everyone
dances a beautiful
final. This dance truly
reminds us of a festival
in the mountains.

16. Kintouri (კინტოური) (Armenian: Շալախո Shalakho)(Azerbaijani: Şələqoy, Shalakhou)
Kintouri is one of the city dances portraying the city life in old Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. The
dance takes its name after "Kintos" who were small merchants in Tbilisi. They wore black outfits
with baggy pants and usually carried their goods on their heads around the city.

17. When a customer chose
goods, a kinto would take
the silk shawl hanging
from his silver belt and
wrap the fruits and
vegetables in them to
weigh. Kintos were known
to be cunning, swift and
informal. Such
characteristics of Kinto are
well shown in Kintouri.
The dance is light natured
and fun to watch.

18. Khanjluri (ხანჯლური)
Historically, Georgians tend to strive for excellence. This trend is portrayed in our folk
dances. Thus, many Georgian dances are based on the idea of competition. Khanjluri is
one of those dances.

19. In this dance, shepherds, dressed in red chokhas
(traditional men’s wear) compete with each other in the
usage of daggers and in performing complicated
movements. One performer replaces another, and the
courage and skill overflows on stage. Since Khanjluri
involves daggers and knives, it requires tremendous skill
and practice on the part of the performers.

20. Rachuli – (რაჭული)
The dance music from Racha region is slow in the beginning, gradually becoming faster and
faster and more and more rhythmic, so rhythmic that it is difficult to just sit and listen to it. Both
girls and boys participate in the dance dressed in the everyday clothes used in Racha in olden
times. Dresses are long, made of calico, with pinafores. Boys are in old Georgian style trousers
and suits. They dance in a circle very harmoniously.

21. Samaia (სამაია)
The dance Samaia is performed by three women and originally, was considered
to be a dance of Pagan times. However, today’s Samaia is a representation of
King Tamar and her glory.

22. King Tamar in many sources is
mentioned as a Queen of
Georgia. However, she was
considered to be the king of
the United Kingdom of Georgia
in 12th-13th centuries and was
the first woman king in
Georgia’s history. There are
only four frescos that keep the
much-revered image of King
Tamar. Simon Virsaladze
based the costumes of Samaia
on the King’s clothing on those
frescos.

23. In addition, the trinity idea in
the dance represents King
Tamar as a young princess, a
wise mother and the powerful
king. All these three images
are united in one harmonious
picture. Moreover, the simple
but soft and graceful
movements create an
atmosphere of beauty, glory
and power that surrounded
the King’s reign.

24. Jeirani (ჯეირანი)
This dance is built on the hunting episode on a doe and is beautifully
choreographed by Nino Ramishvili. The dance incorporates not only classical
ballet movements but also paints a picture of a hunting scene. Everyone who
saw Jeirani performed by Nino Ramishvili cannot forget the beautiful body
movements, unique dance steps and the dancing spirit charged into the
audience (The Georgian National Ballet)

25. Partsa, (ფარცა)
Partsa has its origins in Guria (another region in Georgia) and is characterized by its fast pace, rhythm, festive
mood, and colorfulness. As a performer, I can say that during a partsa performance, a dancer feels like a bird
in the sky, flying across the stage barely touching the floor. Partsa mesmerizes the audience with not only
speed and gracefulness, but also with "live towers." This dance creates a mood and a desire to party.

26. Simd and Khonga (Ossetian: симд, хонгæ) (სიმდი და ხონგა) – They have much in common but are
also significantly different from each other. The costumes in both dances are distinguished with long
sleeves. In addition, the headwear of both the women and the men are exceptionally high. However, in
Khonga or Invitation Dance (Ossetian Wedding Dance) men dance on point, which is particularly
difficult but is a beautiful sight. Khonga is performed by a few dancers and is characterized by the
grace and softness of the movements.

27. On the other
hand, Simd is danced
by many couples. The
beauty of Simd is in
the strict graphic
outline of the dance,
the contrast between
black and white
costumes, the
softness of
movements, the
strictness of line
formations, and the
harmony created by all
of the above.

28. Parikaoba (ფარიკაობა)- A warrior dance from the far northeastern region of Khevsureti.
A girl enters, looking for her beloved. He appears only to encounter others, precipitating
an energetic battle with sword and shield. When the girl throws down her headress, the
men must stop according to tradition, only to renew their battle soon after

29. Abkhazuri
(აფხაზური)
Abkhazia is an
autonomous territory
in northwestern
Georgia, south of
the Caucasus
mountains on the
Black Sea. Despite
the fact that
Abkhazia is
occupied, Georgians
still retain them
traditions.