Horon (Pontic: χορόν, romanized: khorón; Laz: oxoronu ) is a group of traditional folk dances from the Eastern Black Sea Region in Turkey.

Horon with kemenche
Children from Turkey perform folk dance

Name

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Etymology

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The term horon derives from Greek choros (Greek: χορός, romanizedkhorós, see chorus), which means "dance." The earliest instance of its usage in a Turkic language is in Codex Cumanicus from 1303.[1]

In the provinces of Ordu and Giresun, the term horan is used instead of horon.[2]

Variants

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Over 50 variations of horon have been identified in a single region.[3]

Origin

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Horon or horonu is the Turkish equivalent of the serra war dance of the Pontian Greeks, resembling the ancient Greek Pyrrhic armed dance.[4]

Dance

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The horon is typically performed by a group of men or women in a line or semicircle. This dance form involves fast shoulder shimmy (Greek: Τρέμουλο, tremoulo), trembling of the entire body, and sudden squats.[5] Horon dances require speed and agility in a dancer.[3]

See also

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Associated category
Similar dances
  • Dabke, Levantine folk dance
  • Khigga, Assyrian folk dance
  • Tamzara, folk dance from the Armenian Highlands

References

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  1. ^ Nişanyan, Sevan. "horon". NişanyanSözlük. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  2. ^ Gazimihal, Mahmut R. (1991). Türk halk oyunları kataloğu (in Turkish). Kültür Bakanlığı. p. 152. ISBN 978-975-17-0920-2. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Horon Folk Dance". All about Turkey. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  4. ^ "The Serra (Horon)". PontosWorld. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Top 9 Turkish Culture, Customs and Etiquette". toplist.info. Retrieved 2023-09-22.