Assyrian/Syriac Folk Music - Assyrian Dances

Assyrian Dances

Assyrians are proud people and one thing they master from a young age is dancing, these are few dancing that have survived to-date and you will see them danced in any Assyrian function. No one knows what their names means or who found them, but with some exceptions on few.

• Shekhani Dance: It describes the scene depicting the commander of the army returning from a war. Ashur, the second in command has spoken to the army about the victory of their commander. He has given them good tidings, thus the armed forces world then start dancing Shekhani, which then start a well esteemed dance by the Assyrians.

Some say the word comes from Bshkhana (getting warm), Assyrians before going on a hunt or battle they would dance on this beat to get warm. Much of the Assyrian original homeland was in snow-peaked mountains of Ashur, Assyria.

• Tawlama Dance: The Assyrians of Iran, when they celebrate the wedding of a groom, and at the time when the groom is being shaved while sitting on a chair with the barber standing over him, the best man would shout at the barber and ask him why isn't his razor shaving well, and would give him money to then reply "Yes", best man, now my razor is really shaving well. It is running like fire. The best man shouts "come on boys and girls let us dance Tawlama in front of the groom".

Among the oldest Assyrian dances, rarely performed these days. Due to the decline of new Assyrian songs on this beautiful beat.

• The Sword and Shield dance: The Youth of two villages are gathered in one place. Two young men are contesting their strength to lift up a rock, to find out who is stronger. Soon after this contest was over, the two youth would be handed a sword or a dagger and made to dance the sword and shield dance. Each one had to strike the other's armour and flick it away. He who succeeded would be declared the winner.
• Beriyo Dance: It can be visualised this way: Girls are sitting on a rag placed on the field near the herd of sheep. After the sheep have been milked, one of the girls says to the others – "Sisters, we are through with milking, so let us call the shepherd to play us the tune of Bereek, meaning Beriyo". This tune of Beriyo was created by Assyrians to coincide with that moment of time when our grownup boys and girls were at the sheep fold to milk the sheep.
• Semiramis Dance: As the armed forces of the Assyrian Queen Semiramis, are returning from a War, having conquered their enemies, the commander of the army would arrange a celebration in honour of the victory. In the same palace that the Queen would set up quarters, young men and women would be made ready to dance in her honour the famed dance of Semiramis.
• Khegga: One of the most commonly danced, maybe because it is very simple to dance and also it is the first beat that is played in welcoming the Bride and Groom to the reception Halls, at least in the East Assyrian tradition. Some of these, dancing such as Khegga also have other sub-styles like 'heavy Khegga' or 'Normal Khegga'. Heavy simply means the same dance beat but slower. Another style and interesting move with Khegga is instead of taking steps forward they would actually step back, so they would be dancing but will be moving back, Khegga d'Suria, found among Assyrians of Syria.

Belatee:

• Chobe: A modern dance found around an Arabic-Iraqi folk beat, after many Assyrian singers began singing Arabic-Iraqi Chobe songs, Assyrians had to find a way to dance. Although Arab Iraqis already had a Chobe dance, but Proud Assyrians found their own line dancing on the beat of Chobe.
• Shora: A beautiful dramatic Assyrian of Syria Dance. The name means a (Battle!). I find this dance to be among the most interesting and dramatic dancing to watch.
• Sas kanee: A Fast and interesting dance found mainly in Nineveh among the Catholic Assyrians of Alqush and surrounding villages.
• Six Eight 6/8: A dance of Assyrians of Urmia driven from the beat timing of 6/8, which is also found among the Persians themselves.

Among other dances are those western influenced styles such as, Slow dance, waltz,…etc.