Georgian Dance - Khevsuruli / Parikaoba (ფარიკაობა / ხევსურული)

Khevsuruli / Parikaoba (ფარიკაობა / ხევსურული) - This mountain dance unites love, courage, respect for women, toughness, competition, skill, beauty, and colorfulness into one performance. The dance starts out with a flirting couple. Unexpectedly, another young man appears, also seeking the hand of the woman. Vigorous fighting between the two men and their supporters ensues. The quarrel is stopped temporarily by the woman's veil. Traditionally, when a woman throws her head veil between two men, all disagreements and fighting halts. However, as soon as the woman leaves the scene, the fighting continues. The young men from both sides attack each other with swords and shields. On some occasions, one man has to fight off 3 attackers. At the end, a woman (or women) comes in and stops the fighting with her veil once again. However, the finale of the dance is "open" –meaning that the audience does not know the outcome of the fighting. Khevsuruli is very technical and requires intense practice and utmost skill in order to perform the dance without hurting anyone.