Shalakho

Dance in the Caucasus From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Shalakho (/ʃæləˈkoʊ/ sha-luh-KHAW)^[a] is a folk dance performed throughout all of the Caucasus. It's distinguished by its ⁶
₈ time signature and fast-paced, upbeat style.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]

Azerbaijani Shalakho

First cover of Shalakho dance in Azerbaijani style.

Azerbaijani Shalakho 2

Second cover of Shalakho dance in Azerbaijani style.

Armenian Shalakho

A cover of Shalakho dance in Armenian style.

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Native nameArmenian: շալախո or շալախոյ
Azerbaijani: Şalaxo, Şələxo, Şələqoy or Şələküm
Bezhta: Шалахо
Georgian: შალახო, კინტოური or ბაღდადური
Hunzib: Шалахо
Tsakhur: Шалахо

EtymologyUnknown

GenreFolk dance

Time signature⁶
₈

Quick facts Native name, Etymology ...

Shalakho
Shalakho dance performed by an Armenian dance ensemble "Masis", based in Argentina
Native name	Armenian: շալախո or շալախոյ Azerbaijani: Şalaxo, Şələxo, Şələqoy or Şələküm Bezhta: Шалахо Georgian: შალახო, კინტოური or ბაღდადური Hunzib: Шалахо Tsakhur: Шалахо
Etymology	Unknown
Genre	Folk dance
Time signature	⁶ ₈
Tempo	allegro, allegro moderato
Instrument(s)	barrel organ, clarinet, accordion, garmon, duduk, balaban, zurna
Inventor	South Caucasus
Origin	Caucasus

Name

Armenian sources

Per Karine Hayrapetyan, from Pan-Armenian International Academy of Sciences the name Shalakho (Armenian: շալախո) derives from Shalakhoi (Armenian: Շալախոյ) with the y-semi-vowel falling. She further argues, that the name is related to the Armenian totems and the Shirak Plain.^[12] Additionally, she draws a parallel between the name and the word shalax (Armenian: շալախ, lit. 'apricot, precocious').^[12]

Azerbaijani sources

Per Azerbaijani composer Afrasiyab Badalbeyli, in his Explanatory Monographic Musical Dictionary (Azerbaijani: İzahlı Monoqrafik musiqi lüğəti) the term Shalakho derives from Shalakum (Azerbaijani: Şələküm), which is an elision of the phrase shala yukum (Azerbaijani: şələ yüküm, lit. '(my) heavy load').^[5]
Azerbaijani philologist Aliheydar Orucov, in his Explanatory Dictionary of Azerbaijani Language (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycan Dilinin İzahlı Lüğəti) marks the word as a Georgian loanword.^[4]
According to Aynur Talıbova, in her Get Closer To Azerbaijan (Azerbaijani: Azərbaycana daha yaxın olaq) the name Shalakho owes its origin to the moment when clowns and entertainers in Zaqatala would put a piece of wood on an animal's back during their performance, thus alluding to a bundle of logs, then singing a song where lyrics contained multiple use of the word shala (Azerbaijani: şələ, lit. 'a burden, load').^[6]
For the name Shalaqoy (Azerbaijani: Şələqoy) compare Azerbaijani phrase shalani qoy, gal doyushak (Azerbaijani: şələni qoy, gəl döyüşək, lit. 'put your burden, let's fight'), which could have influenced it.^[13]

Georgian sources

In Georgian the term Kintouri (Georgian: კინტოური, romanized: K'int'ouri, lit. 'Kintoian') is equivalent to kinto (Georgian: კინტო, romanized: K'int'o, lit. 'kinto, the entertainers who lived in Tbilisi') + -uri (Georgian: ური, romanized: -uri, lit. '-ian'). The term is used interchangeably with Shalakho (Georgian: შალახო, romanized: Shalakho) and Baghdaduri (Georgian: ბაღდადური, romanized: baghdaduri, lit. 'Baghdadian').^[7]^[9]
The Georgian term Baghdaduri (Georgian: ბაღდადური, romanized: baghdaduri, lit. 'Headscarfian') is equivalent to baghdad (Georgian: ბაღდად, romanized: baghdad, lit. 'headscarf') + -uri (Georgian: ური, romanized: -uri, lit. '-ian'). The term is used interchangeably with Shalakho (Georgian: შალახო, romanized: Shalakho) and Kintouri (Georgian: კინტოური, romanized: K'int'ouri, lit. 'Kintoian').^[7]^[8]

Other languages

Bezhta term shalakho (Bezhta: шалахо, romanized: šalaxo), Hunzib term shalakho (Hunzib: шалахо, romanized: šalaxo) and Tsakhur term shalakho (Tsakhur: шалахо, romanized: shalakho) are thought to be a borrowed from Georgian.^[10]^[11]

History

The Shalakho dance developed in the urban centers of the South Caucasus, particularly in Tiflis (now Tbilisi), which in the 19th century was an important cultural hub with a significant Armenian population active in music and dance.^[14] The city was ethnically diverse, and various communities participated in public performances and entertainment, including Shalakho performed with duduk, barrel organ, and other popular instruments.^[15]

These performances were part of popular urban entertainment, often including comedic acts and animal displays, such as bears or monkeys. The performing groups were ethnically mixed, including Romani entertainers.^[16]^[6]

In this cultural environment, Shalakho was performed by local musicians and dancers, with the majority being of Georgian and Armenian origin.^[17]^[18]

In records

The melody was first recorded and arranged for piano by the Armenian composer Nikoghayos Tigranyan in 1895 and was published later in 1900.^[19]

In 1937, Azerbaijani composer Said Rustamov would publish the notation of the Shalakho dance in his Azerbaijani Dance Melodies^[20]

Since 1938 the dance has been a part of a repertoire of Tatul Altunyan's Armenian National Song and Dance Ensemble (Armenian: Հայկական ժողովրդական երգի-պարի անսամբլ, romanized: Haykakan zhoghovrdakan yergi-pari ansambl).^[19]

The dance was performed in a 1940 Azerbaijani ballet Maiden Tower (Azerbaijani: Qız Qalası) by Afrasiyab Badalbeyli.^[21] In 1942, it was performed in an Armenian ballet called Gayane (Armenian: Գայանե, romanized: Gayane) by Aram Khachaturian.^[22]

Music Notations
Notation of the dance from Said Rustamov's «Azerbaijani Dance Melodies» (Baku, 1937)
Notation of the dance in Tatul Altunyan's «Armenian folk dances and melodies» (Yerevan, 1958)
Notation of the dance from «Azerbaijani Folk Dances» (Baku, 2002)

Performance

In a broadly spread version, two men dance in order to win the favour of a woman. The dance can be performed by one or more dancers, men or women, in a free, Caucasian style of performance. Motions of women can be slow and lyrical. Music of the dance is rapid, which is reflected in the expansive and energetic motions of men.^[1]

References

Notes

[a]
Armenian: շալախո, romanized: Shalakho or Armenian: շալախոյ, romanized: Shalakhoi; Azerbaijani: Şalaxo; pronounced [ʃɑɫɑχˈɔ] ^ⓘ, Azerbaijani: Şələxo; pronounced [ʃæɫæχˈɔ] ^ⓘ, Azerbaijani: Şələqoy; pronounced [ʃæɫæˈɡoj] ^ⓘ or Azerbaijani: Şələküm; pronounced [ʃæɫæˈcym] ^ⓘ; Bezhta: шалахо, romanized: šalaxo; Georgian: შალახო, romanized: Shalakho; Georgian pronunciation: [ʃaɫaχo], Georgian: კინტოური, romanized: K'int'ouri; Georgian pronunciation: [kʼintʼouɾi] or Georgian: ბაღდადური, romanized: Baghdaduri; Georgian pronunciation: [bɑɣdɑduɾi]; Hunzib: шалахо, romanized: šalaxo; Tsakhur: шалахо, romanized: shalakho

Citations

[1]
Katherine St. John; Lloyd Miller; Mahera Harouny (1987). Radif-e raqs: collection of dance sequences of the Persian tradition. — Society for Preservation and Propagation of Eastern Arts.
SHALAKHO is a 6/8 dance popular throughout the Caucasus. The folk versions varied, in some areas being a woman’s solo dance, and in others a man's solo. The most well known stage version depicts two men competing for a woman's favors. It can be performed with one or more dancers, male or female, dancing freestyle in the Caucasian manner. The movements for women can be soft and lyrical, and include little grapevine steps and hand gestures typical of the solo dance. The actual music is fast and spirited, and the male dancing reflects this, being expansive and vigorous.
[2]
Ճէրէճեան, Գնէլ; Կ. Տօնիկեան, Փարամազ; Տէր Խաչատուրեան, Արտաշէս (1992). Հայոց լեզուի նոր բառարան [Armenian Language's New Dictionary] (in Armenian). Beirut: Կ. Տօնիկեան եւ Որդիք Հրատարակչատուն. p. 422.
1. կովկասեան արագ պարի տեսակ մը:
2. ասոր պարեղանակը:

[1. a type of Caucasian fast dance.
2. an Assyrian dance style.]
[3]
ელერდაშვილმა, ალექსანდრე (2006). უნივერსალური ენციკლოპედიური ლექსიკონი [Universal Encyclopedic Dictionary] (in Georgian). Tbilisi: ფანტაზია (Fantasia).
იუმორისტული ხასიათის ქალაქური ცეკვა;
სრულდება მამაკაცთა მიერ.
[A humorous urban dance.
It is performed by men.]
[4]
Orucov, Əliyehdər (1966). Azərbaycan dilinin izahlı lüğəti [Azerbaijani Language's Explanatory Dictionary] (in Azerbaijani). Vol. 4. Baku: Şərq-Qərb. p. 188. ISBN 978-9952-34-023-5.
ŞALAXO is. [gürc. ] İti oynanılan şən oyun havası.

[SHALAKHO noun [georgian borrowing] Cheerful dance tune which is performed rapidly.]
[5]
Bedelbeyli, Afrasiyab (1969). "ŞALAXO". İzahlı Monoqrafik Musiqi Lüğəti [Explanatory Monographic Musical Dictionary] (in Azerbaijani). Azerbaijani SSR: Elm. pp. 124–126.
Şalaxo

– Azərbaycan xalq oyun havası. Sözün etimologiyası bu şən, nəşəli və qıvraq rəqs musiqisinin mənşəyini aydın surətdə bəlliləşdirir: Şalaxo – şələküm (daha doğrusu, şələ yüküm) sözünün illər ərzində çox işlədilərək təhəvvül və təhrif olunmuş bəsit şəklidir.

Məlum olduğu kimi, hələ qədim zamanlardan bəri, azəri xalq oyunbaz və masqaraçıları, o cümlədən ayı və ya meymunoynadanlar şəhər və kəndləri gəzərək heyvanlarına öyrətdikləri müxtəlif hərəkətləri (mayallaq aşmaq, qabaq pəncə üzərində duruş və yürüş, ətinə bir çomaq atıb sürü otaran çobanı yamsılamaq və s.), həm də bir neçə çubuq bağlısından ibarət odun şələsini dalına alıb odunçunu təmsil tərzində də öz bacarıqlarını tamaşaçılar qarşısında nümayiş etdirmişlər.

[SHALAKHO

— Azerbaijani folk dance tune.
The etymology of this word directly makes clear the origin of this lively, cheerful and agile dance: Shalakho is a simplified form of shalakum (to be more precise, shala yukum), which has evolved and has been getting distorted in the course of years being used a lot.

As it is known, since ancient times, Azerbaijani clowns and entertainers, including bear or monkey entertainers, would travel from cities to villages demonstrating people their abilities by showing the tricks they have taught their animals (such as doing a somersault, standing and walking on their front paws, imitating a shepherd herding a flock with a stick on its body, etc.) and also by putting a bundle of sticks on the back of an animal, alluding to a lumberjack carrying logs (Azerbaijani: şələ).

]
[6]
Talıbova, Aynur (2009). "Zaqatala". Azərbaycana Daha Yaxın Olaq [Get Closer To Azerbaijan] (in Azerbaijani). Translated by Bragner, Robert; Ay, Dilek. Istanbul: Bakcell. p. 209. ISBN 978-9952-8008-1-4.
Bu, Zaqafqaziyada genis yayılmış, toylarda ən sevilən və ən qədim kişi rəqslərindəndir. Yaranma tarixi maraqlıdır. Keçmişdə kənd-kənd dolasan qaraçılar ayı və meymun gəzdirər, camaatın qarşısında onları oynadardılar. Heyvanları gəzdirən qaraçının qaval cala-çala oxuduğu yeknəsəq, sadə bir melodiya ahəngində ayı ya da meymun hoppanar, mayallaq vurar, oynardı. Bələdçi qaraçı onun kürəyinə bir agac parçası qoyardı. Guya ki, bir şələ çırpı yükləyib, işarə edərdi ki, tamaşaçıların qabağından keçsin. Özü isə oxuyardı. Oxunan mahnıda tez-tez "şələ" sözündən istifadə edilərdi ki, "şalaxo" sozü də bu kökdən törəyib. Xalq arasında "şələxo" deyirlər. Şalaxonu eyni vaxtda 2-3 adam oynayır, lakin onlardan birinin ifa etdiyi rəqsin şəkli digərinə oxşamır. Burada əsasən oynayanlar arasında bacarıq, məharət, ifa texnikası yarışı gedir.

[This is the oldest and best loved men's dance at weddings and is widespread across the Caucasus. It has an interesting history. Gypsies travelled around the villages and took with them monkeys and bears to put on shows for the local people. To the accompaniment of a simple melody on the tambourine the animals jumped, leapt and performed cartwheels and somersaults. The owner put a piece of wood on the back of the animal symbolizing a bundle of logs and ordered it to appear before the spectators. The word "shala" (Azerbaijani for "a burden, load") could often be heard in this song which led to the word "shalaxo". Popularly pronounced as "şələxo". Two to three people dance "shalaxo" at the same time but each of them performs a different dance. The dancers compete in skill, technique and artistry.]
[7]
Neiman, Alexander (1978). ქართულ სინონიმთა ლექსიკონი [Dictionary of Georgian Synonyms] (in Georgian). Tbilisi: განათლება.
[8]
Tsotsanidze, Giorgi; Loladze, Nana; Datukishvili, Ketevan (2014). "ბაღდადური" [Baghdaduri]. ქართული ლექსიკონი [Georgian Dictionary] (in Georgian). Tbilisi: ბაკურ სულაკაურის გამომცემლობამ.
[9]
Tsotsanidze, Giorgi; Loladze, Nana; Datukishvili, Ketevan (2014). "კინტოური" [K'int'ouri]. ქართული ლექსიკონი [Georgian Dictionary] (in Georgian). Tbilisi: ბაკურ სულაკაურის გამომცემლობა.
[10]
Khalilov, Madzhid (1995). Бежтинско-русский словарь [Bezhda-Russian Dictionary] (in Russian). Институт языка, литературы и искусства имени Гамзата Цадасы ДНЦ РАН. p. 284.
[11]
Khalilov, Madzhid (2004). Грузинско-дагестанские языковые контакты [Georgian-Dagestanian Language Relations] (PDF) (in Russian). Nauka. pp. 101, 177, 278.
[12]
Հայրապետյան, Կարինե (June 2017). "Հայոց պար/ Շալախո պարանունը Շալախոյ կամ Շարախայ անունն է, Շարայի դաշտավայրի Խոյ" [Armenian Dance/ The patronymic Shalakho is the name Shalakhoi or Sharakhai, the Ram of the Shara valley]. Wix (in Armenian). Retrieved January 3, 2025.
«Շալախոյ» ծիսական պարը կամ անունը գաղափարախոսություն է, այն ամփոփում է մի քանի դիցական գաղափարների միասնություն: Քանի որ պարը ծես եւ հանդիսություն է, ապա մեր դիցերը հանդես են եկել տոտեմներով: Շալախոյ պարը մի շարք տոտեմների միասնական ծիսակարգ պար է. Շահ առյուծի եւ խոյի, ցուլի, արտի արեւակիր տոտեմ խորհուրդների: Շալախո-ն Շալախոյ բառն է, յ-կիսաձայնի անկումով:

[The ritual dance or name "Shalakhoy" is an ideology, it summarizes the unity of several mythological ideas. Since the dance is a ritual and a celebration, our mythologists came up with totems. The Shalakhoy dance is a unified ritual dance of a number of totems: the sun-bearing totem councils of the lion and the ram, bull, and field. Shalakho is the word Shalakhoy, with the y-semi-vowel falling.]
Շալախո եզրաբառը հայերենում նշանակում է վաղահաս, կանխահաս. հայերենում Կարմիր ծիրանին ասում են շալախ ծիրան, շալախ են ասում սեխին, որը հայերենում ունի նաեւ շամամ անունը:

[The term shalakho in Armenian means early, premature. In Armenian, the Red Apricot is called shalakh apricot, and the melon is called shalak, which in Armenian also has the name shamam.]
[13]
Orucov, Əliyehdər (1966). Azərbaycan dilinin izahlı lüğəti [Azerbaijani Language's Explanatory Dictionary] (in Azerbaijani). Vol. 4. Baku: Şərq-Qərb. p. 208. ISBN 978-9952-34-023-5.

Şələni qoy, gəl dalaşaq (döyüşək) — heç bir səbəb olmadan dalaşmağa can atan adam haqqında.
[Put your burden, let's quarrel (fight) — about a person who eagerly picks a fight or quarrels without any reason.]
[14]
Suny, Ronald Grigor (1994). The Making of the Georgian Nation. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-20803-1. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
[15]
St. John, Katherine (1987). Radif-e raqs: Collection of dance sequences of the Persian tradition. London: Society for Preservation and Propagation of Eastern Arts. ISBN 978-0-900587-03-4. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
[16]
St. John, Katherine (1987). Radif-e raqs: Collection of dance sequences of the Persian tradition. London: Society for Preservation and Propagation of Eastern Arts. ISBN 978-0-900587-03-4. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
[17]
Suny, Ronald Grigor (1994). The Making of the Georgian Nation. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. ISBN 978-0-253-20803-1. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
[18]
Bournoutian, George A. (2006). A Concise History of the Armenian People. Costa Mesa, CA: Mazda Publishers. ISBN 978-1-56859-228-0. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
[19]
Khachaturian, J. (1982). "SHALAKHO". Հայկական սովետական հանրագիտարան [Armenian Soviet Encyclopedia] (in Armenian). Vol. 8. Erevan: Hakob Megapart Printing House. p. 413. Archived from the original on 2021-05-01.
[20]
Rustamov, Said (1937). Azərbaycan xalq rəqsləri [Azerbaijani Folk Melodies] (in Azerbaijani). Baku, Azerbaijani SSR: Azərnəşr. pp. 21–22.
[21]
Микеладзе, Галина (13 June 2009). "Композитор, дирижер, музыковед, публицист" [Composer, conductor, musicologist, publicist] (in Russian). Каспий.
– Бадалбейли в своем балете свободно развил композиторскую мысль и в то же время любовно и бережно использовал красоты народных мелодий. Особенной свежестью выделяются такие народные мелодии, как «Шалахо», «Ай бери бах», на основе которых созданы эмоционально насыщенные танцы…

[– Badalbeyli freely developed the composer’s idea in his ballet and at the same time lovingly and carefully used the beauty of folk melodies. Such folk melodies as “Shalakho”, “Ai beri bakh” stand out for their special freshness, on the basis of which emotionally rich dances were created…]
[22]
Ю. В., Келдыша (1972). История музыки народов СССР [Music history of the peoples of the USSR] (in Russian).
Genuine examples of folk music are widely represented in "Gayane": labor, comic, lyrical, heroic songs and dances. Among the folk melodies used by the composer there are such wonderful examples as "Pshati par" (in "Gathering cotton"), "Gna ari man ari" (in "Dance of the Cotton"), "Shalakho", "Uzundara" (in the fourth act), etc. ...

External videos
Shalakho
"Shalakho" dance performed by "Azeri Pearls" (Azerbaijani: Azəri İnciləri) dance ansamble on Youtube
"Shalakho" dance performed by Vanoush Khanamerian dance school on Youtube