From Shusha to Sakura: A Dance of Heritage and Harmony

Khoshnaw Rahmani, Jadetimes Staff

K. Rahmani is a Jadetimes news reporter covering culture.

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Image Source: Tofik Babayev

Introduction: A Cultural Debut in Wakayama

In August 2025, the Wakayama International Exchange Center hosted “Azerbaijani National Dance,” a three-part cultural showcase that brought the energy of the Caucasus to Japan’s Kansai region. Attendees explored Azerbaijani traditional costumes, music, and dance, from the communal circles of Yalli to the evocative steps of the Mountains of Shusha, and even savored Azerbaijani tea over vibrant discussions on heritage and identity.

The Wakayama Event Unpacked

Part I: Visual Journey Through Costume and Music

Guest speaker Minara Shukurova kicked off the event with a richly illustrated presentation on national attire—intricately embroidered garments that speak of regional identities—and the musical backdrop of tar and qanun that underpins every folk rhythm.

Part II: Seminar on Key Dances

Dance expert Lala Aslanur, streaming live from Baku, led an in-depth seminar on Yalli and Mountains of Shusha. She traced Yalli’s origins to ancient communal rites, demonstrated its circle-holding formation, and unpacked the syncopated footwork that symbolizes unity and collective strength in Azerbaijani culture.

Part III: Tea Culture and Intercultural Connections

Rounding out the program, Shukurova introduced participants to Azerbaijan’s renowned tea traditions. Guests sampled black tea brewed strong, paired with sweets and fruits, reinforcing the event’s ethos: dance and hospitality are inseparable threads in the fabric of Azerbaijani life.

A Comprehensive History of Azerbaijani Dance

Ancient Ritual Roots

Petroglyphs at Gobustan and Gamigaya, dating from the 4th to 1st millennia BCE, depict figures in dance-like poses, indicating that movement was integral to hunting magic and fertility rituals in the Caucasus. Ceremonial dances such as Samani (spring renewal), Khydir Ilyas (invoking rain), and Godu (harvest blessings) laid the groundwork for structured folk traditions.

Medieval to Early Modern Evolution

As trade caravans traversed the Silk Road, Persian, Arab, and later Turkic influences interwove with indigenous Caucasus customs. By the medieval era, circular and line dances flourished in village celebrations, weddings, and warrior assemblies, each region developing its own variations in tempo and dress.

19th and Early 20th Centuries: Codification and Diversity

The late 1800s saw choreographers like Alibaba Abdullayev formalize dances such as Asma Kasma, Mirzayi, and Chichekler, assigning them specific musical compositions and costume palettes. Regional masterpieces—Agir Karadagi from Shaki, Nalbeki with its saucers and cups, and Ceyrani the “gazelle dance”—demonstrated the breadth of female and male performance styles.

Soviet Era and State Ensembles

Under Soviet patronage, the Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble was founded to preserve folk forms while adapting them for theatrical tours. This period standardized group formations and expanded the repertoire with stylized interpretations of Lezginka, Shalakho, and modern ballets inspired by folk motifs.

UNESCO Recognition and Global Ambassadorship

Azerbaijani folk dance, including Muğam-inspired movements and circle dances, earned UNESCO intangible cultural heritage status in recognition of its living traditions and community value. Since then, state and private troupes have toured Europe, Asia, and the Americas, sharing dances that evoke the Caspian’s rhythms and the Caucasus’ steppes.

Yalli, Kurdish Dances, and Shared Caucasus Lineages

Yalli’s hallmark is its hand-in-hand circle, steady meter, and communal ethos—features it shares with Kurdish round dances like Halparke and Govend. Variants such as Kochari and Tanzara appear in both Azerbaijani and Kurdish repertoires, reflecting centuries of cohabitation and cultural exchange across mountain valleys2.

Turkic Migrations and Dance Adaptation

Turkic-speaking peoples began settling in the Caucasus around the 11th century CE, following waves of migration from the steppes of Central Asia between the 4th and 11th centuries. Although these newcomers brought distinct musical scales and instruments, they adopted preexisting communal dances—Yalli, Lezginka, and ritual forms—integrating them into their own cultural practices while preserving the dances’ ancient origins6.

Comparative Spotlight: Other International Dance Exchanges

While the Wakayama event marked Azerbaijan’s first major dance showcase in Japan, Baku itself hosted the VI International Folk Dance Festival “Friendship Bridge” in July 2025. That gathering assembled folk ensembles from over 20 countries, each carrying national flags in a parade of cultures along the Caspian shore—an echo of Wakayama’s cross-cultural dialogue but on home turf and a grander scale.

Timeline of Azerbaijani Dance Evolution

Period	Milestone
4th – 1st millennia BCE	Gobustan & Gamigaya petroglyphs depict ritual dances
Ancient eras (pre-10th c.)	Ritual dances: Samani, Khydir Ilyas, Kosa-Kosa
11th c.	Turkic migrations introduce new instruments and musical modes
Late 19th c.	Codification by Alibaba Abdullayev; emergence of regional dances
Mid-20th c.	Formation of Azerbaijan State Dance Ensemble under Soviet guidance
2008	UNESCO inscribes Azerbaijani folk dances as intangible heritage
August 2025	“Azerbaijani National Dance” event in Wakayama, Japan

Conclusion: Dance as Diplomatic Bridge

From ancient rock carvings to modern stages, Azerbaijani dance endures as a vessel of communal memory, artistic innovation, and intercultural dialogue. Wakayama’s embrace of Yalli and Mountains of Shusha reaffirms that these steps transcend borders—binding Azerbaijan, the Kurdish highlands, historic Turkic routes, and now Japan in a shared choreography of heritage and harmony. Whether under cherry blossoms or mountaintops, every circle dance tells a timeless story of unity.