Yarkhushta (Armenian:Յարխուշտա (modern orthography) or Եարխուշտայ (classical/traditional orthography),pronounced[jɑɾχuʃtɑ]) is anArmenian folk and martial dance[1] associated with the highlands of the historical region ofSasun inWestern Armenia.[2][3][4] Yarkhushta belongs to a wider category of Armenian "clap dances" (ծափ-պարեր,tsap parer).[5] The dance is performed by men, who face each other in pairs. The key element of the dance is a forward movement where participants rapidly approach one another and vigorously clap onto the palms of hands of dancers in the opposite row.
Yarkhushta is believed to have its origins in theearly Middle Ages as it is mentioned in the works ofMovses Khorenatsi,Faustus of Byzantium, andGrigor Magistros.[1]
Yarkhushta has traditionally been danced by Armenian soldiers before combat engagements, partly for ritualistic purposes, and partly in order to cast away fear and boost battle spirit for more effectivehand-to-hand combat.[6]
The tune of the dance is played intentionally very loudly by twozurna orpku (Armenian:պկու) hornpipes and one or more double-headedbass drums, each struck with a mallet and a stick from opposite sides of the drum's cylinder.
It has been demonstrated that the combination of hornpipe's high-frequency tone and the bass drums' deep, low-frequency beat create a combination of sounds with wide peak-to-peak amplitude that is capable of placing the dancers in the state of euphoric trance. This factor amplifies the effect of adrenaline/epinephrine rush that the dancing of yarkhushta usually produces.[7]
In modern-dayArmenia, yarkhushta is popular in settlements populated by refugees fromSassoun after theArmenian genocide, especially in villages around the towns ofTalin,Aparan, andAshtarak.
The dance was popularized in the late 1930s by Srbuhi Lisitsian who taught at the Yerevan Dance College.[4] In 1957, the dance underwent further choreographic refinement by folk culture enthusiast Vahram Aristakesian and was performed by a folk dance troupe from the village ofAshnak.[8]
The dance was revived in the 1980s by the folk group Maratuk and, later, by the folk ensemble Karin. There are attempts to introduce yarkhushta into curriculum of dances and songs of theArmenian Army.
There are several poems and samples of visual art that touch on the theme of yarkhushta. Among them is the poem "Dance of Sassoun" («Սասունցիների պարը») byGevorg Emin published in 1975.[9] Yarkhushta also features prominently in the filmsMen («Տղամարդիկ», 1972) andYarkhushta (2004),[10] produced by Gagik Harutyunyan.[2]
«Յարխուշտան» սասունցիների եւ մշեցիների մեջ տարածված ռազմական պարի անուն է: Գ. Հարությունյանի առաջին գեղարվեստական ֆիլմն է:
«Յարխուշտա» ռազմական խաղ-պարը տարածված է եղել Սասունում:
ծափ-պարեր (Յարխուշտա, Ծափ-խաղ)
