Traditional Emirati Men's Dance
by Andrea Anderegg
Title
Traditional Emirati Men's Dance
Artist
Andrea Anderegg
Medium
Photograph
Description
For reasons of religious modesty women and men usually dance separately, the dancing is in formation either lines or circles unlike what you may be used to seeing in the west when male and female couples dance together.
Some of the most popular traditional UAE dances which visitors are likely to see are those danced by large groups of men telling the story of a battle.
Ayyalah is one of the most familiar war dances where swords (wooden sticks are used these days) are drawn in rhythmic turn and two lines of men form opposite each other while poetry is recited over the music. There is sometimes an adjacent group of women separately dancing in colorful garb.
Harbiya is similar but with repeated phrases rather than poetry. Liwa is danced to loud drum beats to get the troop's spirits up; Haban (Khamiri/Khayali) is another example of this tradition and Mated is a dance which celebrates the birthday of Mohammed.
Other UAE music used to be performed to give a moral boost to workers while they were diving or working at a well. On these occasions a "song leader" (Nahaan) would begin the singing and the laborers would join in.
Uploaded
April 30th, 2013
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