Georgian dance and folk

Georgian dance is the best representative of the Georgian spirit. It unites love, bravery, and respect for women, durability, competition, skill, beauty, and colorfulness into one astonishing performance.

The dances show attitude between man and woman even in love, men uphold their respect and manners by not touching the woman and maintaining a certain distance from her. The man concentrates his eyes on his partner as if she were the only woman in the whole world. The display of respect for women reflects Georgian culture at its highest level. Traditionally, when a woman throws her head veil between two men, all discords and fighting stop. Historically, Georgians tend to strive for superiority. Many Georgian dances are based on the idea of competition. During dance, they will engage in vigorous battle with sword and shield, impersonating battle with an enemy. Since Georgia has seen many wars in its history, Khorumi (war dance) is a call from the past and reminds us that in order to have peace, we must have war.

Among Georgian folk dances the most famous are: Acharuli, Kartuli, Khorumi, Khanjluri, Mtiuluri, etc.

Georgian folk song is one of the objects of pride for the Georgians. It can be thought as Georgia’s most significant contribution in the world culture.

Folk song is still very famous among the Georgians – on stage and in the studio as well as in daily life, at the feast, when traveling, during labor process, at different celebrations and even when mourning.

Georgian song is primarily differed for its multi-part nature. Even within one song, one form of polyphony is alternated by another one, but Georgian song always maintains high level of organization.

Georgian folk song is mostly three-part. The two top voices are sung by one soloist each and the bottom voice is always sung by several singers. Though in Guria – a province in West Georgia, where folk polyphony reaches extreme contrapuntal complication, bottom voice is often performed by one singer, who easily joins the speedy improvisation of two upper voices. We meet also four-part in Guria-Adjarian folk songs called “Naduri”. The special interest is raised by the melody of figurative character – yodel as well as by the specific voices like “Krimanchuli” and “Gamqivani”, which bring particular flavor in Guria-Adjarian songs.

Georgian folk song is diverse in each part of the country. In Kartli and Kakheti soloists compete in musical ornamentation of long table songs on the background of bass drone; in Samegrelo songs are heartwarming and lyrical; archaic Svan songs have peculiar chord system, Gurian songs are laconic, with swiftly moving voices. Imeretian songs are full of enthusiasm; in Tusheti shepherds perform sad melodies; Achara is characterized with four-part work song; in Khevsureti epic ballads praising heroes are traditionally sung to the panduri accompaniment.