Yarkhushta
Yarkhushta
Folk dance of the Armenian highlands
Yarkhushta (Armenian: Յարխուշտա (modern orthography) or Եարխուշտայ (classical/traditional orthography), pronounced [jɑɾχuʃtɑ]) is an Armenian folk and martial dance[1] associated with the highlands of the historical region of Sasun in Western 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 when participants rapidly approach one another and vigorously clap onto the palms of hands of dancers in the opposite row.