[gp]

Originally Posted by gp

Thanks to Ariel and his shaska topic which gave me the idea for this topic.

First it brought me back to my own pencak silat days. With Pencak Silat each student has to prove his graduation for each degree by fighting against a virtual opponent AND move in sync on Indonesian music. The latter being imperative. Below an example by a friend of mine in NL
Followed by 2 exhibition performances from Indonesia as performances are also accompanied by music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_WlJ9D29FQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQTw..._radio=1&t=116
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2wQ..._Iu_7Y&index=3

Back to the shaska:

First let me explain about a very interesting traditional dance in the Caucasus : the Lezginka.

Interesting because it is not only cross-border but also cross religion and centuries old. You name it ( Dagestan, Chechnya, Ossetia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, the Cherkess and Georgia), they all dance it
It is both slow and fast in which the female stands for grace and purity, hency portrays a swan gliding across the water in her dance movements.
Whilst the male is the protector, ruler of the sky and claims the territory and portrays an eagle. Powerfull and fierce.

A nice example is this one :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEW8bDQTBBg
As with all dances it developed / evolved from a wedding dance to an identity dance to show strenght and pride (remember the eagle...) and became a seperate or single male dance as well
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIkO9E_Wyc0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sYGTpaacA

but the Caucasus has also strong women, so some don't dance like a swan but...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUKpJz6Tk6o
(poor husband...)
or look at this lady at 0:53
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhAUnH1tvyQ


as for the shaska: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvORvTfCDH0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CtAH1utQ8w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOEmMbiKNrs

nice touch in the present days....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn-WBYV3KLo