Metro Classifieds View all

Sword dancing in the Middle East

The United Arab Emirates enjoys a strong tradition of music and dance which, through the ages, has played a vital role in many aspects of its people's lives. Songs were composed to accompany different tasks, from hauling water at the well, to diving for pearl-oysters out in the Gulf.

As the music was so important to the people, a professional song-leader was kept on the pearling dhows whose job it was to rally the men to work through music and song. The naha'an, as this person was known, would launch into song and all the sailors would join in as they worked. Each song had a rhythm for a particular task and, like the sea-shanties of western sailors, the music became an inspiration for good team-work.

In the evenings men would meet around a fire in the desert to exchange stories and recite poetry. Singing and dancing also took place during the celebrations and many of the songs and dances, handed down from generation to generation, have survived to the present day. Young girls would dance by swinging their long black hair and swaying in time to the strong beat of the music as men would re-enact battles fought or successful hunting expeditions, often symbolically using sticks, swords or rifles.

Al Yolla is the most popular battle scene dance in UAE culture. It's performed by a group of men using their sticks, swords or sometimes rifles. With rhythmic stepping to the beats of traditional musical instruments like the doumbek, which is made of ceramic and goatskin, and the oud - a string instrument.

The Yolla dance is still performed at weddings and special occasions where the men form two or four rows, alternating their forward and backward steps to symbolise victory and defeat.

The Aarda is the most typical of the dances seen performed by the Arab peoples and is practised with variations throughout the Arabian Peninsula. In the Emirates, however, the local version is called the Iyala. The Iyala is still organised to represent a battle, and is usually performed in groups of no less than 25 people. The battle formation can be expanded considerably, with up to 200 enthusiastic dancers participating. The more the number of dancers, the better, as the Iyala should ideally present quite a spectacle.

The variety of traditional dances in the United Arab Emirates demonstrates that the country possesses a great richness of heritage. The rapid modernisation of the nation does indeed threaten its traditions, but anyone who has witnessed the spontaneous and spirited traditional dances at local gatherings will know that the unique cultural heritage of the UAE will be preserved by its proud custodians for generations to come.

Comments

• Review
  • Metro Life |
  • Misc. |
  • Facebook chatter |
• People
  • Profile |
• The City
  • Dining |
  • Nightlife, the arts and music |
  • Listings |
  • Community |
• Life
  • Travel |
  • Home |
  • Gadgets, cars and tech |
• You
  • Fashion |
  • Health and Fitness |
  • Sport |
  • Well-being |
• News
  • Local News |
  • RTA News |