Khorumi
Encyclopedia
The Khorumi is a war dance
that originated in the region of Adjara
, which is located in the southwestern region of Georgia
. The dance
was originally performed by only a few men. However, over time it has grown in scale. In today’s version of the Khorumi, thirty or forty dancers can participate.
Although the number of performers changed, the content of the dance is still the same. The dance brings to life the 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. Afterwords, they call the army
onto the battle
field. The exit of the army is quite breathtaking. Its strength, simple but distinctive movements and the precision 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. Since Georgia has seen many war
s throughout its history
, Khorumi is a call from the past and reminds us that in order to have peace
, we must be ready for war.
) and the bagpipe (chiboni) are two key instruments to accompany Khorumi. Another unique element of Khorumi is that it has a specific rhythm, based on five beat meter (3+2).
is
War dance
A war dance is a dance involving mock combat, usually in reference to tribal warrior societies where such dances were performed as a ritual connected with endemic warfare....
that originated in the region of Adjara
Adjara
Adjara , officially the Autonomous Republic of Adjara , is an autonomous republic of Georgia.Adjara is located in the southwestern corner of Georgia, bordered by Turkey to the south and the eastern end of the Black Sea...
, which is located in the southwestern region of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. The dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
was originally performed by only a few men. However, over time it has grown in scale. In today’s version of the Khorumi, thirty or forty dancers can participate.
Although the number of performers changed, the content of the dance is still the same. The dance brings to life the Georgian army
Military of Georgia
The Georgian Armed Forces , is the name of the unified armed forces of Georgia. The Georgian military is a defence force consisting of the Georgian Land Forces, Georgian Air Force and a paramilitary organization Georgian National Guard...
of the past centuries. A few men who are searching the area for a campsite
Campsite
A campsite or camping pitch is a place used for overnight stay in the outdoors. In British English a campsite is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using tents or camper vans or caravans; this British English use of the word is synonymous with the...
and enemy camps perform the initial "prelude
Prelude (music)
A prelude is a short piece of music, the form of which may vary from piece to piece. The prelude can be thought of as a preface. It may stand on its own or introduce another work...
" to the dance. Afterwords, they call the army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
onto the battle
Battle
Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign...
field. The exit of the army is quite breathtaking. Its strength, simple but distinctive movements and the precision 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. Since Georgia has seen many war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
s throughout its history
History of Georgia (country)
The nation of Georgia was first unified as a kingdom under the Bagrationi dynasty in the 9th to 10th century, arising from a number of predecessor states of ancient Colchis and Iberia...
, Khorumi is a call from the past and reminds us that in order to have peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
, we must be ready for war.
musical features
Unlike the bulk of Georgian traditional dances, which are usually accompanied by choral polyphonic singing and clapping, Khorumi is traditionally accompanied by instruments, and is not accompanied by clapping. Drum (doliDoli
Doli is a fictional character in Lloyd Alexander's fantasy series The Chronicles of Prydain. Doli is one of the "fair folk", a nation of faeries, and other magical beings who live in an extensive underground kingdom that spans the entire country of Prydain.-Profile:Doli is described as a short,...
) and the bagpipe (chiboni) are two key instruments to accompany Khorumi. Another unique element of Khorumi is that it has a specific rhythm, based on five beat meter (3+2).
External links
- Khorumi at sukhishvili.com.
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEijCIw2QaU Khorumi performance by the Georgian National Dance Company Sukhishvili.
is