What do you think about Georgian Traditional Dances?

[Anonymous]

Georgia is a country in Caucasia, between Europe and Asia and our dances are the mix of both of these culture - with the distinct Georgian character.

My favorite Georgian Dance is a Sword Dance,

I was a teenager, when I had concerts, standing in backstages to wait for my turn to dance and watched breathtaking Georgian sword dancers.

I still remember the fear mixed excitement I felt, when I saw the sparkles made of their swords clashing with each other. It was strangely beautiful and powerful.

Here are just my favorite ones,

Georgians have a lot more varieties of traditional dances.

[BoopBoopBeep]

I liked the first one a lot. It had flavor of medieval and irish dancing mixed with a third cousin of the turkish dancing i saw when I was with nato. Because of that last little bit it had a nice nostalgic vibe to it for me.

I liked the second one because it had a great energy to it. Reminded me of when I went to the Great Egg (aka The Big Dumb Egg) in Beijing. Don't remember what I saw there. You should check them out if you haven't though, should you find yourself in Beijing anytime soon.

The last one... holy crap my knees hurt just watching it. I'm sure they have padding and whatnot, but every time that knee hit the slate-looking floor my leg twitched.

[Asker]

My father was a lead dancer, he has outstanding stamina and I think that’s what saved him many times.

But yeah, I know it hurts imagining.

I want to know your opinion, what do you think the character of a stereotypical Georgian person is, judging our dances?

[BoopBoopBeep]

With focus on courtship and conflict, I'd say they have a love of life. They likely value the warrior class and revere their war heros, which are seen as coming from a noble profession (all that soviet occupation will do that to ya). They value deep romantic connections and put emphasis on the relationships you have to fight for (the Romeo and Juliet effect). They are proud of their cultural heritage and how their history has shaped their culture. Courtship seems important and tragedy is romanticized more than mourned, which likely developed as a way to deal with the inevitable recurrence of "lost battles" in life (lost love, death of a loved one, separation from war).

The flashiness of the men's dancing likely would support the notion that friendly competition is prevalent and peacocking is not uncommon, and veneration of it's cultural icons/historic legends are high (whoever your version of Jason and the Argonauts or Dan Daly or Hercules are), not just for having won battles, but for their larger than life personas.

The repeated spinning likely indicates they like zig zag racing.

...

Okay I totally pulled that last one out of my butt.

[Asker]

I thought I replied on this one.

It was an amazingly precise observation, I am in awe. 👏🏻👏🏻

How could you tell of these from just looking at the dance? 😊

I was watching it and thinking the exact same thing about peacocking, in Georgia men love impressing women, women just lean back and enjoy the show.

I don’t know if you know but in the myths of Argonauts, Medea is actually originally Georgian, coming from an ancient Georgian tribe. Just because you mentioned.

And yeah, I probably got that zigzag spinning from the genes 😄😄

by the way, I have started walking! Slowly and with crutches but It’s a good beginning, soon I’ll get rid of those and will graduate to a cane and then will walk without a cane too.

[BoopBoopBeep]

Thank you, thank you.

The way that they dance, the way that they fight (hand to hand), their tactics in war, and the way they make love tells a great deal about a culture. I did NOT know that about the argonauts, how utterly fascinating. Probably why you folks make such good wine. Gotta have something to drink when you get home and recall those stories together.

Congrats on your recovery! How long ago was the injury? It seems like only yesterday (though I'm sure much longer to you). At this rate you'll be better tomorrow. It is science... or something... ;)

Your hard work in PT is proving valuable. I'm happy for, and proud of you.

[Asker]

Thank you 🥰

11 weeks ago,

For this type of injury, It is usually Non weight bearing for 12 weeks. And the recovery takes 4-6 months. Because it’s a spiral break, which is one of the more serious types of breaks - you don’t want to mess with. Plus, I had two breaks, one at the ankle and another at the tibia shaft, that’s why I was not allowed to walk for a long time. Some people with simpler fractures were able to start walking after 6 weeks.

My range of motion is wonderful, I can do everything with my leg, I put 20 kg of my body weight on that leg when walking and it doesn’t hurt at all.

I think I can do more, but I want to raise weight gradually.

The PT here in China seems stupid, he told me all the exercises that I have already been doing. Nothing challenging at all.

I am about to find a new one.

But with every new day, I do more and more, so I am excited I am heading to the point where I’ll be able to do better.

[Asker]

But that might be because my orthopedic doctor told me I am already much more flexible than any people at my timeline after this injury.

Maybe that’s why they don’t give much exercises.

I am still doing things at home before the next appointment.

[BoopBoopBeep]

Wow I didn't know it was a spiral fracture. Those can be nasty. I knew an officer that got one once and she just used it as an excuse to get out of shape. Good on you for picking a more mature path.

[Asker]

After I can start walking wi the my full weight hot and properly, I’ll be so proud of myself too,

I got injured myself pretty badly, and recovered almost all alone,

In the group of broken bones, people posted how they tried taking pills because of depression post injury, even though they were living with family and they had the full support of them.

I feel much more respect to myself, realizing that I have been through this all by myself, and handled it all myself, learned carrying myself with my own shoulders literally and basically recovered dancing almost everyday.

Makes me appreciate myself and hope it will serve as a reminder to me in my hard days in future, that I am far stronger than I think I can be.

[Asker]

And yep, spiral fractures are nasty,

Those are the ones that take one of the longest to heal,

But I am healing well. 🤩

[Asker]

Oops sorry for typos, I don’t know why it wrote “hot” hahaha

[Asker]

It will also remind me not to race with high heel boots next time, especially not in zigzag 🤣🤣

[Asker]

My right leg was my dominant one, I relied on it greatly, now my left one is a badass, the muscles I’ve got on it, can carry a buffalo 🤣🤣🤣

[BoopBoopBeep]

I broke my hand in junion high, and again in high school. As a cello player, a cast is pretty much a whole new level of difficulty. Fortunately it was the right hand which holds the bow, so not as rough as my fingering hand, which I wouldn't have been able to spread enough to use all the fingers. Unless you are a professional athlete about to lose a contract, I can't imagine being so depressed about a broken bone that you have to turn to pills.

People are stronger than they want to be, IF they want to be. Thank you for not taking the chump way out through this.

[Asker]

Wow! How nice! I didn’t know you were a Cello player!

Do you still do it?

I can’t imagine either, so I was surprised myself how this injury seemed to affect some people mentally. Especially that none of those people were alone while recovering.

When I’ll recover totally, I’ll take myself to drink a glass of nice red wine and cheer to me.

For now, I’m not allowed to drink 😄 Not for 2 more months at least. Interferes with bone healing, but I think one little glass will not hurt anything. Just to celebrate when I am totally back to myself.

Still 1-1.5 months to go I think.

[Asker]

“Thank you for not taking the chump way out through this.” - Have no idea what this means, could you translate to me? You know English is my 3rd language 😄

[BoopBoopBeep]

the chump way out... turning to pills and whining about... whatever... instead of doing what you did and facing facts as they were then finding a way to improve where you were

[Asker]

Yep, I think we should take life as it comes and not allow it to knock us out. 😊

[Asker]

Breaking leg is nothing, I am thankful it wasn’t anything worse.

[Asker]

How’s your hand doing years later?

[BoopBoopBeep]

Gets sore when the weather changes, but I fractured it another half dozen times over the years and there's the fatigue from all the vibrations of war. To be fair most of me gets sore when the weather changes so nothing I'm not used to ;)

[Asker]

On a good side, you’d make a good weather predictor

[Asker]

How are you recovering from Covid? 😊

[BoopBoopBeep]

We'll find out for sure this afternoon. Going out for a training 10k with Carol. Needed to get some miles in before the race on Sunday. I'm sure my time is going to suck, but hopefully it won't suck as much as last weekend. I feel stronger than I did, but not as strong as normally. Probably going to drop the weight down to 25 or so.

[Asker]

Good luck and hope it goes great!

Take it slowly.

[BoopBoopBeep]

And no, sadly I don't play cello anymore. One of the TBIs wiped my memory pretty good. I don't know how to read music any more. I was apparently quite good. I've listed to old tapes. Maybe when I retire I'll have time to take it back up.

[Asker]

I’d love to listen to your old tapes.

I am sure you were really good at it.

Sounds like a nice plan to take it back up after retirement.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

That looks cool! I especially like the last one. It reminds me a bit of Lord of the Dance (despite being a very different dance style, I like the presentation):

https://www.youtube.com/embed/GKHt3y2-pdIhttps://www.youtube.com/embed/03rx2S6TVo4

I always preferred when people dance solo to group dancing. I like it when the spotlight is just on one person who takes the lead.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

Ooh, I like this one where the dancers are even carrying swords and shields:
https://youtu.be/WjGnWstCi94

[Asker]

Yep, that’s a great one as well! Gosh, It’s such a thrill to watch those sword dances in person.

If you like the are dances here we have one more type, Khorumi

m.youtube.com/watch

Oh and we have lots of group dances, we were always in wars, so we have pretty close-knit society.

[Asker]

Khorumi is a war dance.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

Nice! I always like battle-themed performances a lot. My favorite is usually when the group dancing is more in the background and the spotlight shifts to one person in the lead, maybe taking turns over who leads. I like when I can focus on just one person at a time that way doing superb dance moves.

I like both hyper-masculine themed performances focused on battle, conquest, power, hardness, and hyper-feminine themed performances focused on beauty, elegance, finesse, softness.

[Asker]

I agree, I like that as well. I also like the mix where it’s equal in both, feminine and masculine vibes.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

I tend to love all sorts of folk or folk-ish dances and music from around the world. It seems so rich in culture and history and sort of transports my imagination into a different time and place without going into pure fantasy. I want to learn the Haka! I think it's super badass:
https://youtu.be/BI851yJUQQw

[Asker]

Haha, yep. I like Rugby with Haka.

[Asker]

Well, Georgian folk dance is not that tribal though.

[GuyAnswersGirls123]

I like tribal, more civilized, all sorts. I think part of my attraction to a wide variety of folk music and dances is that I started off as an indie video game developer. I wanted to create worlds which were fictional but still seemed grounded to enough of a degree in actual history. So I was always drawn to history and especially with respect to the arts. Another example (14th century French music):
https://youtu.be/4NamIWw8U9c

[AviatorTom]

Very nice. I can see the European and Asian influence.

I was in Turkiye last year, and their dances have a similar mix of European and Asian cultures.

[Asker]

Glad you’ve enjoyed. Which part of it gives out European and which part of it gives out Asian vibes?

[AviatorTom]

@LaFemmeFatale_1 The twirling and exaggerated stepping seems Asian to me, while the fancy footwork (like an Irish jig) seems more European.

[Asker]

I have never seen twirling in Asian dances 😄 I think this is predominantly Caucasian dance trait.

[dynamicyandere]

They look pretty entertaining to watch!


I like how there’s so much energy and I also enjoy all the spinning movements.


The last video in particular was interesting to me because it looked like a cross between wushu and ballet.


I didn’t know Georgia had something like that. 🙂

[MarkDown]

First time I've seen any of them. Looks interesting.

[Asker]

Glad you found it interesting

[robhazelnut]

Please pardon any errors- I currently have a low blood glucose. Your favorites are a great demonstration of foot strength. If a trainer were to appear at my home right now and offer to teach, I would gladly go through their first lesson.

[Grond21]

I first discovered them several years ago and have liked them since

[Dargil]

The ones with Banjo music?

[Asker]

lol no

[KostasKouvalis]

I like the sword dance as well. I don't know how your bodies' move like that

[NathanDavis]

very intense...

very nice sounds too

[Asker]

Well, Georgian people are pretty intense.

[NathanDavis]

busy people... lol

[Asker]

Georgians are generally very loud, passionate, quick tempered and party animals 🤣

[Asker]

Hot headed. They are also mostly busy enjoying life 🤣

[NathanDavis]

lmfao... sounds a bit like Mexicans

[Asker]

Yeah, I guess. I knew one Mexican in China, she was an angel compared to me. I was the louder one 🤣 But maybe she was just introvert, was a nice girl though. She was 28, I was 23 and God at that time I thought 28 was so mature.

[Asker]

I was louder as in classroom, I was breaking the rules and she was very sweet and still liked me. I like to believe, I am no longer that loud either. From her, my impression on Mexican people is - they must be friendly and nice. Also, she was up to go anywhere with me. So, must also be adventurous.

[NathanDavis]

lmao... the loud usually starts as soon as two Mexicans meet, lol

then the party starts

and that's funny, how Mexicans can keep popping up everywhere and anywhere... ever met one at Georgia?

[NathanDavis]

most Mexican people are friendly and nice, well, a lof of them, yes... we do like fun, and fun people... so you must have been that

[Asker]

Nope, we met in China.

We both studied Chinese. We were classmates.

Haha, I guess you really are like Georgians a bit.
My Georgian friend and I, when we went to bars together last year, the biggest blast was wherever two of us were.

I am not that fun alone, she’s not either, but together we had a great time 😂

The similarities must have to do something that we are all kind of Southerners.

Georgia is South-Eastern extreme of Europe.

[Asker]

I do like Mexicans as well. I can imagine they are very fun to be around. Would love to come across one more Mexican somewhere in Shanghai.

[NathanDavis]

lmao... yes, that's how it usually works

whenever there's a World Cup or Olympics somewhere in the world... it does attract all the Mexicans living abroad, and once they all meet... Mexicans become the loudest and most fun, fans of these events, lol

[Asker]

Oh and families are the huge deal in Georgia as well. We have big families, I grew up in a household of 12 people, and have at least 14 close cousins that I can count.

[Asker]

I have never had a need to set an alarm to go to school. My grandma and grandpa spoke so loudly, even their simple conversations served like a pretty loud alarm clock.

[Asker]

But they like to say I am the least Georgian of them all, because I chose to live somewhere else and even had an Asian boyfriend, so in their eyes, I am too modern of a Georgian. 🤣

[NathanDavis]

lmfao... ours used to be like that as well

my mother is one of eight siblings... my father one out of six? I even forget, lol

so my cousins are around 40? I won't even try to count

but I was closer with a few of them

however, in my close family we were five... and most of my uncles and aunts had a lot less kids, it was just my grandparents and greatgrants that were trying to populate entire towns, lol...

and we're big on gatherings and family parties (=

[Asker]

It’s pretty difficult to live in China as a Georgian. As a way of greeting, we give a kiss and hug to even strangers. Here in China, cheek kiss is only allowed between spouses and god forbid, you hug someone, they might sue you for sexual harassment.

[Asker]

Oh, that’s so nice!!!

Big families are the best!

My grandma had 9 siblings, my grandpas had 6 or so.

But my mother has two older sisters and my father just has 3 brothers.

So, we are also less than our grandparents used to be haha.

[NathanDavis]

lmao... at grandparents snoring and sneezing, they're always loud at that

[NathanDavis]

I'm also the least Mexican of us... I don't eat hot spicy food, no avocados... among other things, lol

[NathanDavis]

I honestly can't imagine myself having six or seven children, lol...

two, would be more than enough for me

[Asker]

Two is nice, but we are two siblings, my brother and I, and I always asked my parents to have more children, but they were not financially in a good enough place to handle many children so they didn’t.

Now that I imagine how much I love my brother, wouldn’t it be better if I had 1 more like that?

But yeah 6-9 kids are too much 🤣

[NathanDavis]

we are three brothers in my family... and I can't imagine myself sharing rooms with more of them, lmao... I literally just had my side of the bed, and one drawer

as for kids of my own, max I would like to have could be four... there's a lot of twins in our family, both sides... so, you never know, lol

[NathanDavis]

and yes... getting along that well with siblings, one of the best things in life (=

[greenice27]

Caucasian dances are very beautiful

[Asker]

Glad you like Georgian dances.

[love_conquers_lust]

It’s like Irish line dancing with more gymnastics.

[ChefPapiChulo]

The fashion is so bad, it makes it unwatchable.

[Asker]

That’s not a fashion, that’s a very old style outfit.

[ChefPapiChulo]

I mean by definition, that is fashion. But okay, the outfits are so bad, it makes it unwatchable.

[Asker]

Cool. Regardless, good you commented, raises the engagement of the post.

[ChefPapiChulo]

Just a difference in taste. I prefer western fashion, since I live in the states n all.

[Asker]

Hey, I get that. No worries. I don’t like this outfit either, I don’t hang out wearing those haha, It’s old Georgian dancing outfit.

[ChefPapiChulo]

Looks like Eastern Roman fashion lmao. Not a fan.

[kingmaker21]

Boring asf when i don't able to get sleep i watch this dances in minutes i fall asleep.

[Asker]

Okay 👌🏻

[Anonymous]

Wish I could give a shit lmao

[Asker]

Yeah, probably sucks, try medicine, might ease your bowels

[Opinion Owner]

Aah so you respond to opinions, it has to be offensive I guess

[Anonymous]

Could't care less