National dances are our moral heritage

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Published on Wednesday, 11 April 2018 16:45

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Azerbaijani folk dances have a very ancient history. Based on historical information, dance art played an important role in people's lives throughout the Bronze Age, almost a few thousand years before our era. So, rock paintings and dance figures about ancient dances in Gamigaya, near Noah's land, and Gobustan, near Baku are a clear proof of this. This finding is expressed in a source so: "The artist of ancient time draw this painting about eight or ten thousand years ago".

People's living conditions and their outlook were reflected in the oldest forms of dance art. Since the early Middle Ages, folk dances have begun to form from different ceremonial dances. Folk dances are rich in theme; these dances have labor, ceremonies, household, heroism and other types. They differ in their rhythms, melodies, richness and diversity of rituals.

According to their rhythm, Azerbaijani dances are divided into three groups: slow, "Mirzayi", "Turaji", "Uzundara"; cheerful - "Tarakama", "Jeyrani", "Brilyant"; quick - "Gaytaghi", "Gazaghi", "Khanchobani". Some dances are called related to the exact movements: "Suzma", "Kasma", "Atlanma", "Cholaghi" and so on.

Female and male dance are also different. In women's dance, special national costumes determine the smooth movement of the feet, and the dancers' all attention is focused on the movement of hands and the upper parts of the body. The main element of men's dance is the movement of feet. The dancer stands on his toes, knocks his knees on the ground quickly. Female dance expresses restraint, plasticity, soft harmony and lyrics ("Vaghzali", "Nalbaki", "Jeyrani", "Turaji", "Innabi" etc), while male dance expresses quickness, bravery and power ("Gazaghi", "Gaytaghi", "Khanchobani").

Our national dances are an integral part of our rich culture and are one of the oldest values ​​of our people. The song and dance ensemble of the Nakhchivan State Philharmonic preserves and promotes these values ​.

We talked to the Honored Artist of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Zeynalabdin Babayev, art director of the song and dance ensemble of the Philharmonic, about the way and activity of this 59-year-old ensemble since its foundation. The song and dance ensemble started functioning in 1959 under the name "Araz" for the first time in Nakhchivan. Creation of such an ensemble was a necessity. In 1983, the Nakhchivan State Philharmonic began functioning on the base of that ensemble. Thus, a new musical institution was established in the ancient Nakhchivan.

My interlocutor notes that "Araz" Song and Dance Ensemble served to the development of musical art in the autonomous republic, the training of young staff. Nakhchivan singers, musicians, dancers, composers have been trained in this art center and have enhanced their mastery. There was a great deal of services of Honored art worker of Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, composer Mammad Alakbarov, prominent tar player, cultural figure Akram Mammadov and others in the creation of song and dance ensemble.

Talented young people were attracted to the collective during these years, talented musicians, singers, dancers were trained. Chingiz Akhundov, Elman Aliyev, Tamerlan Baghirov, Gariba Hasanova and others have gained popularity by their talents and abilities.

Today, the Nakhchivan State Philharmonic that combines a great singing collective enjoys its glorious, joyful days. There are a folk instruments orchestra, a chamber orchestra, a song and dance ensemble, a variety orchestra in the philharmonic that gather talented youth around it.

My interlocutor added that the composition of the ensemble is based on talent in young people. We attract the talented youth of the Nakhchivan Music College and the Faculty of Fine Arts of Nakhchivan State University to the ensemble and orchestra. Today, Sarkhan Abdullayev, Nurlan Nuriyev, Mahir Mammadov, Mahammadali Babayev, Ilkin Abdullayev, Nuray Nazarova and dozens of talented young people are presenting our autonomous republic everywhere.

The folk dances of Azerbaijan such as "Gazaghi", "Heyvagulu", "Lala", "Gizilgul", "Innabi", "Shalakho" are in the ensemble's repertoire. "Uzundara", "Toy ragsi", "Yuzbiri", "Novruzu", "Khanchobani", "Naz elama", "Gaytaghi", "Shan rags", "Mazali rags", "Nalbaki", "Agh chichek", "Injalik" and other national dances are a collection of indispensable, musical and emotional moves that delight people.

Yalli which inspires people to unity, inspires feelings of purity in their hearts, and empathizes patriotic feelings, is one of the most popular dances of the ensemble. These include "Kochari", "Tanzara", "El", "Gobustan" and "Sharur". Said Rustamov's "Azerbaijan suite", Akram Mammadov's "Nakhchivan suite" shows the collective's musical talent and technical capabilities, its expressive and high level of ensemble culture.

Using written sources, it brings new life to our forgotten national dances, benefiting from the memories of older generations. These are the dances of "Gavalla", "Uch gul" and "Sari Galin". These national dances were restored and added to the repertoire. It is respect for the past and a gift to our future.

The collective paying great attention to the variety of repertoire, always performs folk and composer songs, tasnifs, mugham and folk dances in autonomous republic and different countries. The successful performances of the collective in various events and festivals held in Kazakhistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Turkey, Georgia, Poland and other countries are the examples of it. The soloists of the ensemble perform Azerbaijani songs and dances skillfully in a professional way. They widely promote our national mughams, folk and composer songs, dances, demonstrate our centuries-old history of national values ​​and spirituality.

My interlocutor said that we are proud of today's activity of the collective that served in the field of national music and propagation of the art, had a special place in the development of Nakhchivan culture. Nakhchivan State Philharmonic is a manifestation of care and attention that the Philharmonic building, training rooms, concert hall have been tastily renovated, the financial and technical base has been strengthened, provided with modern sound equipments, and soloists were awarded honorary titles.

As the great leader Heydar Aliyev said, the main characteristic of each nation is its national-moral values, and each nation is distinguished ​​for these values. In this sense, "a nation without national-moral values ​​cannot be a true nation, a real people". Therefore, we must do our best in promoting and preserving folk dances, one of the cultural heritage that promotes a nation as a nation. It is our duty to preserve and hand down our culture the next generations!

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