The Role of Dance in Ossetian Culture

Dancing has always been an essential part of all folk festivities in Ossetia. It is a reflection of the country's ancient culture, which has a close connection to early pagan and later Christian ceremonies and beliefs.

Ossetian dances are closely connected to fertility rituals. Sir J.G. Frazer, the famous researcher of magical and religious beliefs, once noted that all across Europe dancing and high leaping served as a "patent homeopathic medium" that allegedly brought good crops.

Ossetian dances can be slow, with the figures smooth and flowing, or impetuously quick and performed in a highly accentuated way. Often, the dances are performed on the toe, requiring extreme strength and agility. The male and female roles are very distinctive.

The female performance in both slow and quick tempo dances is characterized by the smoothness of the dance step, and soft and expressive movements of the arms. The emphasis for female dancers is on subtle gracefulness, which is similar to the dances performed by women in Eastern cultures.

For men, the emphasis is on diverse sharp turns, sequences, and leaps together with smooth movements; legs play the lead role and the arms are subordinate.

The most outstanding feature of Ossetian folk dancing is the movements of a dancer's legs, characterized by the detailed performance techniques. Among these movements are simple steps, steps on demi-pointe, on toes, steps with sliding movements, and with the varying accent of the left and right leg; interchangeable kicks with light circular movements of the right leg to the right and left leg to the left; springy leaps with an interchangeable "heel-toe" landing of both the right and left legs, and leaps in the same style called "scissors" with a deliberate heel twist.

The arm movements are also very diverse. In the female role, the arms usually don't rise above the dancer's head, and the most active part of the arm is from the forearm to the hand, with the hand being uniquely open and its movements accentuated. In the male role, there is the increasing use of sharp and angular arm movements.

All Ossetian folk dances are accompanied by hand clapping. This is used to stabilize the rhythm of the dance and to smooth out the performance. At the same time, in the early mythical worldview, those handclaps were meant to fend off "demons" which could interfere with the performance and prevent its successful completion.

There is a plethora of various dances and dancing rhythms in the Ossetian choreographic arsenal that are traditionally played by a harmonica. Over time, dancing has lost some of its sacred and ritual meaning, and has become more popular culture. It is also a favorite way of entertaining on weddings, family celebrations, and public festivities.

For example, a very old dance called "Tsoppai" was closely connected to the pagan beliefs of Ossetians. "Tsoppai" was usually performed around the dead body of a person struck by lightning. It was not customary to mourn such a victim, for according to the old belief this person was "chosen" by God's "Heavenly fire". This dance has become a legend, and now draws only ethnographic interest.

The ancient group dance known as Simd is very popular nowadays, and many professionals classify it as a masterpiece of the choreographic art. In the old days there were several types of Simd, most of which are now forgotten. But the original epic image structure and certain distinct choreographic fragments of the old Simds are saved in the contemporary versions.

Throughout the history of Ossetian choreography, dances have included both group dances as well as dances performed just by one or two couples. Among the latter, there is a slow and smooth dance-invitation called Honga Kaft, and the quick and energetic Zilga. Traditionally, those two dances were usually performed one after another, and all the elements of the male and female choreography were present in them.

Traditional Ossetian Dances

Simd of Narts: Group Dance

Simd of Narts is an old Ossetian two-tier male dance, one of the early varieties of Simd. It was usually performed around bonfires by the strongest men, ages 35-40, in the days leading up to the New Year celebration.

Performers on the lower tier, holding each other by the waist, clasped each others arms and formed a circle. They lunged forward with their right leg so that the upper tier performers could easily get on their shoulders and position themselves by twisting arms in the same way. Singing the song, this life tower started its rotation around the bonfires, first to the right, than to the left; with the upper tier performers finishing their couplet by addressing the lower tier performers, saying "Pray to us," and the lowers responding, saying something like "let you fall down." The dance usually continued in this manner, with both parties changing their places.

In ancient times this male circle dance was endowed with a sacral meaning: it was a dance of service to the cult of the sun, fertility, and the male power, performed slowly in a very dignified manner. It was a culmination point of all significant festivities and folk celebrations with the whole community from several villages participating in it, and the number of performers sometimes reaching two hundred.

The circle, the symbol of the sun and the moon endowed with magical meaning, is the most common variety of all Ossetian group dances. The clock-wise movement of the circle dance gives us another piece of evidence about its cult function. In Ossetian choreography, like many other nations, the leftward movement was believed to bring bad luck.

The name "Simd" is a very old one, its roots are originated in the remote archaic ages of the Iranian and, wider, Indo-European cultural world. The old Indian root sam-, or sim- means to "fervently perform a cult action, which involves sacrifice."

There were other types of Simd in Ossetia and, unlike the one described here, all of them were performed by both men and women.

In 1938, a South Ossetian state singing and dancing company was formed and named Simd. This group performs at national and international festivals and venues, helping to tell the story of the Ossetian land and its people, and preserving the ancient traditions of Ossetian folk dancing.

Zilga Kaft: Circular Pair Dance

Zilga Kaft is another popular dance, which is performed by a man and a woman, and its name implies that the couple dances within the circle of other female performers ("kaft" in Ossetian means circle). This is a complex dance that requires a high level of choreographic skills, dexterity, and performance technique.

The dance is based on the story of a hawk, a male dancer, who tries to catch a dove , a female dancer) The dove deftly turns around and slips past the hawk, who by performing a series of sharp and unexpected turning movements stands up face to face with her, cutting off her route of escape. She literally gets into his clutches. The unskilled female dancer has no other choice but to retreat back to her fellow dancers, who are circling the performers. But a swift, light as a wild dove, and skillful dancer would anticipate every single movement of her partner, and would slip easily past him at the most dangerous moments, driving him to sheer exhaustion.

Not every lad was brave enough to perform this dance voluntarily, that's why sometimes he was recruited by the dance's attendant, usually the most popular man, in the middle of the circle. In the old days the most skillful performers, being wary of their reputations, strictly followed the rules of the dance. The slightest misstep could deprive the dancer of his fame and make him the subject of mockery from the whole village, and the"hero" of some hurtful couplets that would be composed the very next day.

This fear of a mistake would make the "victim" desperately resist dancing, while the female was already waiting in the circle. Finally he would be forcefully pulled into the middle. When finished dancing, the "hawk" would ask his friends to rate his performance. He would be anxious to know whether he let something slip, made a mistake and mixed different turns, or broke some other rule. And the rules required the following:

1. Not to let the female trick you on the turns.
2. Not to step impulsively on her skirt.
3. Not to turn with your back to her, but to stay half-face.
4. Not to let any single movement of the partner go unnoticed.

For a female dancer the main trick was the smoothness of her movements: she should float on her toes so that the movements of her knees would be unseen by others. Therefore, both the man and woman were forced to take their performance quite seriously; their faces were frozen with a grave expression and not a trace of a smile.

The Dagger Dance

The Dagger Dance is usually performed right after Zilga Kaft. This dance requires a virtuous mastery of the art of fencing with several daggers while performing on your toes, and nowadays it is an entertainment event performed only on stage by professionals. But up to the 1880s, this dance was popular among common people as an opportunity for men to demonstrate their dagger craft.

According to witnesses, in olden days the Dagger Dance was performed by two males simultaneously, and each one had a dagger in both hands. It usually started in a slow tempo, but as it progressed its pace quickened and slowed down several times. Every single movement of the dance had to be performed on the toes: it would have been considered a violation if the dancer stepped on his soles.

In the excitement of the dance, daggers would blur and shine in the hand of the performers. After the completion of a series of the most intricate fencing movements they slowed their pace to tuck the daggers behind their heads into the collar of the undertunic; at the same time spectators from the side would hand another two daggers to each performer. On completion of yet another series of fencing tricks they tucked the other two daggers into the collar from the front. Two more daggers were handed to them immediately. This way each performer would accumulate 12 to 14 daggers tucked under the belt, under the hat, and even clenched in the mouth; two of them would invariably be kept in hands. While dancing, performers would throw the daggers off, thrusting them into the ground in a staggered order.

Then, still dancing, they would maneuver among the daggers sticking out of the ground, trying in obedience with the rules of the performance to avoid touching them. Encouraged by others, the first couple finishes dancing, moving aside for the next one.

Chapena: Group dance accompanied by a singer

This male-only dance exists now as it was performed a long time ago. It is a game-dance full of humor and cheerful spirit, and it is usually performed at the end of a wedding reception. A long time ago this dance was used to celebrate the couple's fertility and child-bearing ability.

For this dance the dance leader was chosen- the good-tempered, inventive, and witty guy, who also had to be among the best singers. He would come out in the middle of the ground and shout "Chapena!" which was the signal of the beginning of the dance.

All the males in the party formed a big circle with the dance leader in the center. He started his singing and improvised movements, at the same time watching closely the movements of other performers, who had to abide by his commands unquestionably, and the chorus of the voices would shout, "Oh, oh! Chapena."

The dance finished in a quite unusual way: somebody from the circle would usually suggest replacing the dance leader, and the crowd would cheerfully support the idea. The next thing to happen would be a call to throw the current Chapena leader into the river, which would be immediately executed, unless the "victim" had already managed to quickly slip away from the crowd.

Chapena is a dance of joy and laughter.

The Contest on the Toes

This is another old traditional dance that was performed in Ossetian settlements until the beginning of the 20th century.

The contest on the toes was performed in the days of big folk or family celebrations by the best dancers from the area, both male and female. This dance combines flexibility, rhythmic precision, and a professional performance bythe most complicated figures on the toes.

Male and female participants usually stand together forming a semi-circle, and one dancer comes out and starts to dance in front of one of the girls. Having done several intricate steps, he invites her to the contest. She graciously raises a bit the lap of her skirt and enters the middle of the semi-circle. She repeats all the same dance steps that the male dancer had a done. Then the first dancer selects another figure, who is not supposed to leave the circle before the completion of all the elements of the dance. Both performers tried to show their best techniques and skills to surpass the other contestant. It took about 20 to 30 minutes to complete the contest, and during the entire period both dancers had to stay on their toes. In the end there was one last walk on the toes along the whole big circle and a last intricate figure. The contest was over.

Sources:

http://osradio.ru/culture/3724-osetinskaja-khoreografija.html
http://www.ossetia.ru/ir/page/6

Video:

Simd
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_YH6-YOl-c
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfumCjn7eLk

The Dagger Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA89TKpDlCk&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlcqlT8Zkhg&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7vHBEdUwfc&feature=related

Honga Kaft
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQgoPLHl6YU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YuQSIM5w44
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODL0xFqA7xs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5syAx_rLIhA&feature=related

Zilga
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRTu6ziVDSM

Other
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6G6LKUYZnl0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0A2ah84ysJM&feature=related