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Folk Music and Dance
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A colourful traditional dance
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A living part of the country's ancient heritage, Saudi Arabia's music and traditional dance echo the timeless melodies of chanting Bedouin poets and singing swordsmen. Folklore music varies from region to region. The national dance of Saudi Arabia, the men's sword dance known as Ardha, has its roots in the Najd. It is an ancient tradition that combines singers, dancers and a poet or narrator. Men carrying swords stand shoulder to shoulder and, from their midst, a poet begins to sing verses or a short melodic line while drummers beat out the rhythm. In the Hijaz, the al-sihba folk music combines poetry and songs of Arab Andalusia in medieval Spain. A traditional dance and song known as the al-mizmar is also performed in Makkah, Madinah and Jeddah. This features the music of the al-mizmar, a woodwind instrument similar to the oboe.
Since the early 1980s the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and the Arts has been studying and recording folk music and dance traditions in the Kingdom. The producers of a popular television show "Folk Arts" have also traveled around the country interviewing local musicians and recording the music and dance of every tribe and village.
Today, there are over 50 folklore dance and music groups in the Kingdom. Popular contemporary Saudi singers value the classical music traditions that have influenced their work and are skilled at incorporating ancient rhythms and instruments, such as the tar and the oud, into their modern music .
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