Dances from Afghanistan are primarily based on gestures that mimic certain feelings and emotions The dancer’s movements express the daily activities of the Afghan people such as sewing, embroidery, field work, preparing tea, sowing seed, picking fruit and flowers or kneading bread. The music played mainly on the rubab (Afghan plucked string instrument) and tablas unite musical timbres or neighbouring India and Iran. These dances draw strength from the earth through the continuous whirling but the subtlety and delicacy derive from gestures mimicking the aerial realm. They are the culmination of multiple influences of numerous Central Asian cultures and the people who inhabit the various regions. The dance of the nomadic Baluch peoples is war like, in Herat the Attan dance is a mystical ode—an endless trance… According to Afghan legend because of the power and the speed of the dance transforms the dancer into a “flying doll” the name given to the decorative kites made from silk fabrics. Another legacy of the dance pays tribute to the legendary Silk Road trade route and the joyful acrobatic dance expresses tea ceremonies and is a constant improvisation between the musicians and dancers. In the Logar valley (Afghan river) a unique tradition involves musicians and dancers who move together, which presents a difficult challenge through the dialogue the musicians attempt to mislead the dancer with sudden stops, creating a maddening series of ruptures and accelerating melodies.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Nov 2014 13:38:18 +0000
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