Atan

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Attan ( Pastunic ) اتڼ, also Atan or Attan-i-Mili; is a traditional dance especially of the original Pashtun population groups in Afghanistan and Pakhtunkhwa . It is considered a national dance.

meaning

The Attan is the symbol of national unity in the multi-ethnic state of Afghanistan . For the Afghan people, it is a sign of the country's independence and national sovereignty. It is practiced in all classes of the population, which makes it stand out from other dances. Because of its special importance, the Attan is not used as a dance, but as a national symbol such as B. perceived the national anthem or the flag. At the time of the Taliban rule, all dances with the exception of attan were forbidden. Afghans used to perform an attan before fighting.

variants

There are different variations of the dance in every part of the country. These differ mainly in the instruments played, the clothing and the sequence of steps.

Occasions

The Attan is usually danced at the end of an event as the grand finale. The dance is performed on important national and historical occasions as well as at weddings, birthdays and engagements.

Instruments

Dance rules

The dancers gather in a large circle. Certain combinations of steps must be performed with the beat of the music. As time goes on, the beat of the music and the step combinations to be performed become faster. If one of the dancers makes a mistake in the sequence of steps because of the high tempo of the music, he has to leave the circle. The tempo of the music increases until only one or two people remain in the circle.

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