Khigga

Halay (Assyrian: "Khigga" ܚܓܐ, Greek: "Χαλάϊ", Kurdish: "Dilan", Turkish: "Halay", Zazaish: "Gowend") is a popular dance in the Middle East. It has been a symbol for the tempestuous way of life in Anatolia, its place of origin, since the times of Assyrian empire.Fact|date=March 2007

Halay is traditionally played on the zurna, supported by a davul, but in the recent years, electronic instruments have started to replace them. Typically, Halay dancers form a circle or a line, while holding each other with the little finger or shoulder to shoulder or even hand to hand with the last and first player holding a piece of cloth — usually called "mendil" (from Arabic).

The Halay has spread from Anatolia to many other regions, such as Armenia and the Balkans. It is a national dance in Turkey and ArmeniaFact|date=March 2007.

Khigga is the style of Assyrian folk dance in which multiple dancers hold each other's hands and form a line. There are multiple foot patterns that dancers perform.

Halay in weddings

In many Kurdish, Turkish, Turkmen, Assyrian, Arabic, Persian,Albanian and Greek weddings, people dance Halay for hours. Every region has its own style and forms.

Yalekhta

The head of the khigga line usually dances with a "yalekhta", or piece of cloth with beads and bells added to the sides so it jingles when shaken. A Yalekhta can have many different designs on the piece of cloth.

ee also

*Turkish dance
*Iranian dance
*Turkmen dance
*Greek dance
*Bulgarian dance
*Albanian dance
*Kurdish Dance
*Georgian dance
*Kochari
*Hasapiko
*Dabke
*Hora (dance)
*Kolo (dance)
*Horon
*Arcan (dance)
*Arkan (dance)
*Syrtos
*Ballo
*Ballos

External links

* [http://www.hasanyukselir.com/data/audio/goc/03.rm Derik Saçın Örmezler]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAF365Q8hJc&feature=related Hele yâr zalim yâr]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xaCb0WOcVs Huseyin Turan - Agri Dagindan Uctum and Karanfil Deste Gider]