Georgian culture is a unique phenomenon. The country's geographical position between East and West has affected the eclecticism of the culture that is being formed here. The Silk Road passed through Georgia, which largely determined its historical development as a trading power.
In Georgian culture itself, you can find elements of Anatolian, European, Persian, Arab, Ottoman and Far Eastern cultures.
This eclecticism also had an impact on Georgian dance traditions.
It is important to emphasize that the influence of neighboring cultures on the regions of Georgia has been of varying intensity. For example, in remote mountainous areas, due to their certain isolation, most of the original unique traditions have been preserved.
It is appropriate to recall such a thing as a “dance dialect”: different regions of Georgia have their own special way of performing dances. This is how Kakhetian, Kartli, Rachin, Svan, Gurian, Adjarian, Mtiulian dances, etc. differ.
The question of what causes dance is central to modern dance theory. There are many different theories: natural, playful, magical, biological, socio-cultural, psychological, etc.
Natural theory is based on the idea that dance appeared because people imitated everything they saw: the movement of animals, birds, etc. Johan Huising defines dance as “the purest form of play” as part of game theory. Biological theory, on the other hand, says that dance is a motor-rhythmic expression of sexual energy. A prominent supporter of the psychological approach was K. Sacks, who defined dance through the psychophysical characteristics of its performers. He believed that movement was determined by the nature of an individual's nerve impulses.
You can engage in long debates about which theory is closer to the truth, but one thing is certain: by a certain point, dance had become a necessity of human nature.
It is one of the oldest manifestations of culture. People started dancing before they even learned to speak.
Of course, ancient forms of dance were significantly different from modern ones. It took millennia to develop the art of dance. Over time, aesthetic values were accumulated and dance developed.
At the very beginning of its birth, dance did not come into everyday life “for fun”. The most important concerns of primitive man were food and clothing. Some of the first ritual dances were hunting dances. They were performed before hunting, reproducing images of animals and animals. Thus, they appeased the spirits and physically prepared for the upcoming event. There were also post-hunt dances describing the vicissitudes that occurred during the hunt.
The emergence of agriculture formed the basis for labor dances, the content and nature of which reflected labor processes: harvesting, cultivating land, etc.
In primitive society, social games were also an integral factor in life. Among them, combat games and military competitions were important. Such games contributed to the development of human physical and dance abilities.
As thinking developed, totemic ideas became more complex, turning into a religious cult. During this period, dance became the main factor in ritual performance, part of rituals, mysteries, and agricultural and ritual games.
We find some of the oldest descriptions of Georgian dances in the records of Greek and Roman writers of the 6th and 1st centuries BC by the writer and commander Xenophon, geographer Strabo and others.
The texts of these authors mainly describe how ancient Iberian pagans before the fight, lined up proportionally and symmetrically and symmetrically and performed various ritual songs, dances, and even entire pantomime performances in honor of their almighty gods.
perhuli
As soon as three elements — dance, music and singing — came together, a new form of dance art appeared — round dance or “perhuli”.
The round shape of the round dances suggests that our distant ancestors could subconsciously seek a spiritual connection with the universe by leading astral dances that reflect the movement of celestial bodies and planets.
Since ancient times, round dances have been the main and constant decoration of holidays and folk entertainment in Georgia.
Proof of the ancient origin of perhuli is an archaeological find made by Academician B. Kuftin. This is a silver bowl found in Trialeti in 1938 in the burials of local tribal leaders. The bowl dates back to the first half of the 2nd millennium BC and features twenty-two figures wearing animal masks and fox tails dressed in tunics. Holding cups in their hands, they perform a religious dance and round dance, a rite of praise in honor of one of the gods. The bowl combines fantastic anthropomorphic creatures with real representatives of the animal world. The high technical performance, expressiveness and clarity in the lines of movement of the figures attract attention. The festive mystery in front of the central image of the sacred tree indicates a connection with the ritual of worshiping the god Telepia — Melia.
As for the origin of the term “perhuli” itself, it is etymologically related to the word “perkhi”/“pekhi”, which translates as “leg”, according to D. Chubinashvili.
Perhuli are divided in form and meaning.
By form:
Meaning:
During execution, the pace of the perhule changes from slow to very fast, and the tripartite size sometimes becomes dicotyledonous. Perhula is characterized by intonation and rhythmic variation in the melody. The sequence of choreic and iambic rhythmic figures is typical.
Ritual perhules are usually three-lobed, have a syncopated rhythmic pattern, and the oldest specimens have a non-square structure. However, there are also square perhules with an even number of phrases. Squareness is usually a sign of later layering. Dance perhules have a bipartite meter and a square structure.
Both ancient and modern Georgia has a variety of regions. The peculiar division into dialects is clearly reflected in round dances: Gurian, Adjarian, Megrelian, Meskhet-Javakheti, Imereti, Rachin, etc.
In 324 (326), thanks to the educational activities of Saint Nino of Cappadocia, Christianity became the official religion of Georgia. Since the advent of Christianity, many pagan rituals have been preserved, but have undergone changes. Gradually, the religious content of dance was lost; it became independent and became an integral part of everyday life. Iconic round dances dedicated to deities have lost their original meaning and have become a form of entertainment.
Unfortunately, there is very little information that would allow us to judge the state of dance art until the 18th and 19th centuries. This is largely due to the difficult situation in the country, which is forced to wage constant wars with neighboring Empires.
However, based on the descriptions that have come down to us, we can conclude that dance was not only popular among the people, but was also part of palace entertainment.
According to I. A. Javakhishvili, “until the first half of the 14th century, Lamproba and Mrgvali, that is, round dances with singing and dancing (shairebi), were so firmly rooted in the royal court that they did not spare even the fisted and stingy rulers and, during the Shairob, mocked and cursed them.”
From the information that has come down to us about the development of theatrical (and therefore dance) art at the Court in the 16th and 17th centuries, we can mention the records of Teimuraz I, Sulkhan-Sab Orbeliani, the tsar-poet Archil, the French traveler Chardin and others. For example, Archil has the lines “Tamashobda tulovansa” (i.e. “tulovani dancer”) covering folk shows in Trialeti.
The gradual revival of Georgia began after the unification of Kartli and Kakheti in 1762. In 1783, the St. George Treaty was signed between Russia and Georgia. And a new period has begun, both in the history of Georgia and in its culture.
According to N. Urushadze, a lot has begun to change in the cultural life of the Georgian public since the beginning of the 19th century. “All these phenomena have also been reflected in the daily life of society. In addition, when Georgians were, there was a centuries-old tradition of family gatherings, dinner parties and feasts. During the feast in Georgia, it was possible to show verbal elegance. It was a kind of spectacle where speech, music and dance intertwined...”. I would like to add that it was at these family-wide festivals that dance demonstrations were held.
According to the information that has come down to us, we can safely say that Georgian dances are performed at balls.
For example, in the diary of Mikhail Vorontsov (the tsar's governor in the Caucasus), we find the following entry: “It's a holiday. The Empress's name day. The ball was great. We danced Lezginka and Abkhazian dance”;
In the late 18th and early 19th century, women's solo dance called Lezginka was very popular. It was sometimes referred to as “Lekuri” or “Dance with Daira”.
You can read about Lezginka, Lekuri and the confusion that arose in the names during this period here...
This is mentioned by A.S. Pushkin, M. Y. Lermontov, Georgy Eristavi, Grigol Orbeliani, Grigory Gagarin, Niko Pirosmani, Paul Franken, Yakov Polonsky, Alexander Roinishvili and many others.
Over time, dance culture began to develop more and more. The late 19th and mid-20th centuries marked a turning point in the development of folk dance.
The first stage performances appeared, and professional groups were created.
There are several important individuals who have made a great contribution to this process.
In 1885 Lado Agniashvili creates a vocal and instrumental ensemble in Tiflis. He is later joined by 12 top dancers. On the basis of this group, an Eastern Georgian Song and Dance Ensemble was later created. A similar ensemble existed in Western Georgia under the direction of Kitsi Gegechkori. On January 11, 1940, both ensembles merged and were awarded the title of Georgian National Song and Dance Ensemble (later Erisioni).
Another important figure - Aleksi Aleksidze (1874-1934) In 1887, at the age of 13, he became the first Georgian folk dancer on stage.
Georgian dances have also begun to be popularized outside Georgia. In 1895, A. Aleksidze performed at the Russian Ethnographic Exhibition in Paris, where he was awarded a large gold medal. He also created the first choreographic studio in 1902, which would produce many famous students, including Iliko Sukhishvili, who later founded the Georgian State Folk Dance Ensemble (today: Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili).
At the beginning of the 20th century, folk dance was increasingly entering the stage. An important stage is the emergence of Georgian dances in national ballets (for example, V. Chabukiani included Kartuli, Khorumi, Samaia, mountain dance, perhuli, etc.) in his ballets.
We also find Georgian dances in operas Z. Paliashvili Abesalom and Eteri (1919) and Daisi (1923) and in the opera by V. Dolidze “Keto and Kote” (1919).
He made a huge contribution to the development of Georgian folk dance David Javrishvili (1894-1971). He was a professional gymnast. In 1928, he directed the ancient Greek sports and acting play “In Hellas” to Shalva Taktakishvili's music, the libretto of which he wrote himself. While working on the play, David Javrishvili came up with the idea to stage an artistic and gymnastic performance with elements of Georgian folk music. A long phase of collecting materials has begun. D. Javrishvili together with historian Yves. Javakhishvili organizes expeditions to different parts of the country to study local folklore.
As a result of the expeditions, a large amount of information was collected and structured, which eventually led to Javrishvili's creation of the first method of teaching Georgian dance, as well as to the development of a system of symbols for recording Georgian choreography.
At Javrishvili's initiative, a choreographic studio was established in Batumi in 1928, to which a vocal group was soon added. This tandem formed the basis for Adjara's first song and dance ensemble.
Another highlight of this period took place in 1935. Georgian dancers led by Javrishvili are participating in the World Festival of Professional Folk Dance Performers in London. This was the first major opportunity to present Georgian choreography in Europe.
The landmark date is 1945., when through effort AND. Sukhishvili and N. Ramishlivi The Georgian State Folk Dance Ensemble was founded, which later became famous all over the world, made its country famous and has set the direction in the development of choreography to this day.
Taking into account the genre features of national dance folklore, Iliko and Nino turned to its expressive techniques. Using the components of dance material, they created theatrical performances in an abstract form with a certain national style that meets the new spirit of the times.
... We were well aware that, according to the laws of the stage, dancing should not be transferred to the stage in its pristine form. A director is required to be able to find harmony between folklore material and directorial production, or, in other words, dances for screening on stage must be theatrical”, — Nino Ramishvili.
The dances performed by the Georgian National Ballet for many years have become a tradition. Other ensembles began to work according to the methodology developed at Sukhishvili.
Moreover, it was this group that gave Georgian dances international recognition. In 1967, they performed at the Teatro alla Scala, the first and only time that a folk group was given the opportunity to perform there. The curtain was raised 14 times, which was a record. The previous record was held by myself Enrico Caruso: The curtains were raised 11 times.
Here is what newspapers wrote about the performances of the Georgian State Folk Dance Ensemble: “Georgian ballet dancers are perfect. It's not a dance, it's a flight. Storm on stage! Their dance defies the laws of gravity. The union of masculine bravado and feminine grace. An extravaganza of dancers flying into the air with kaleidoscopic geometry and military precision.”
Sukhishvili Ballet fans were John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Fidel Castro, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Pele, Frank Sinatra, Jean Gabin, Brigitte Bardot, Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin, and now Keira Knightley, Sting and many others.
Throughout its history, the Georgian National Ballet has performed more than 200 international tours, traveling to five continents and 88 countries, giving about 10,000 concerts for a total global audience of 50 million viewers. In 1988, their four-week Broadway tour was declared “the best show of the season”. In Australia, Georgian dancers have been hailed as the “eighth wonder of the world”.
Following the model of the Georgian State Folk Dance Ensemble, other professional groups have begun to appear.
Among them are State ensembles: Erisioni, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Abkhazeti, Batumi ensemble Arsiani etc.
All of them have made and continue to make a great contribution to preserving and promoting Georgian dance.
As we remember, Erisioni appeared back in 1885, but it was as an academic choreographic ensemble that it was finally formed and reached its peak at the end of the 20th century. In 1999, American Jim Loo and later Frenchman Pascal Jordan became the band's producers. As a result of this collaboration, there is Georgian Legend show (“The Legend of Georgia”), which, according to the world press, has become one of the most successful musical and choreographic shows in the world, along with the famous “Riverdance” and “Lord of dance”. The band's performances in Paris in 2002 were triumphant! The video and song “Shatilis Asulo” became a real hit.
Despite the fact that Georgian choreography has gained worldwide popularity, it has not stopped developing and has continued to search for new forms of self-expression.
Contemporary Georgian dance intends to create a new choreography that meets the spiritual needs of modern people. Because dance is an illustration of modern life, its transformation into the stage.
If we look at the history of world choreography, as we know, the 20th century is characterized by the breaking global choreographic tradition. Ballet critics are emerging who advocate freeing dance from conventions. Choreographers are beginning to study movement in a new way, and a completely new philosophy is also emerging. Surprisingly, the general trends in world choreography have also influenced Georgian folk dance. However, a little later.
The late 20th and early 21st centuries marked the beginning of a new period for Georgian choreography, which can be characterized by the emergence of plotless dances, experiments with vocabulary and music, and the modernization of productions.
The first production that largely set the vector of development was dance Zekari, staged in 1999 by the director of the Georgian National Ballet “Sukhishvili”.
This is an original, plotless dance. The music used for this production is also original. At the same time, both vocabulary and music are made in folk style.
Actually, we should pay tribute to Sukhishvili, because it was with their light hand and direction that experiments with folk choreography became possible.
The project was revolutionary ASSA PARTY, as part of which they created a kind of club version of folk dance. Later, the programs “Ramishvili” (a mixture of contest and folk choreography), “Transportation” (the heir to the ASSA PARTY project), “Artifacts”, etc. were presented.
But it is not only Sukhishvili that has experimented and is experimenting.
We could mention the show “GUDANI”, also supplied for clubs. This show is a mix of: Georgian dances, modern and Indian dance, and actobatics.
It should be noted that more conservative choreographers also tried new dance forms. An excellent example is the productions by the choreographer of the Mamuli ensemble, Zaur Papiashvili. Based on folklore material, he came up with something qualitatively new. A vivid example is dance “Rokva”. Which seems very traditional, but if you look closely, you can even find elements of Irish dancing.
The search for new forms continues to this day.
One of the latest exciting experiments is productions by Bachana Chanturia, artistic director of the Abkhazeti State Academic Ensemble. After a brilliant career at the National Ballet of Georgia, Bachana accepted the invitation to lead the ensemble and is now implementing all his most daring choreographic ideas.
To summarize, we can say that the national dance is not a museum piece or an object of excavation. This is a living, constantly updated structure.
And the entire history of Georgian choreography is a vivid confirmation of this thesis.
