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<FONT face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=6>ATTAN

Attan is a traditional Afghan dance; It's origin lies in the Afghan tribes pagan yester-years and usually involved men performing a ritual dance. This was later modified into a Muslim dance of soldiers to allow the dancers to get 'closer to God' before they advance on their missions. It was noted by the Moghuls of the period and is unique to Afghans.  

The dance has further evolved as a cultural tradition of non-Pashtuns during Weddings and other festive occasions.  It is considered the national dance of Afghanistan, and the preferred dance of Pashtuns in Pukhtunkhwa of today's Pakistan and enjoyed by men and women.

It is performed usually with a Dhol, which is a double-headed barrel drum that has a very deep and low resonance sound. Other instruments can include a single barreled Dhol, Tablas, the 18-stringed Robab, Surnai flute (aka shanai-India, zurna - Central Asia and Turkey, and zurla Macedonia), or wooden flute known as a Toola.  Newer/Modern renditions have also included the Saxaphone and electronic keyboard. 

Like the instruments, the technique behind the Attan has changed much for over centuries, but its core has not changed. Typically, its a circular dance ranging from two to over a hundred people, and the performers will follow each other going round and round in a circle to the beat as the rhythm and beats get faster. 

More complex Attans involve an Attan troup leader who begins the attan slowly using a variation of styles and techniques, and the ultimate spin is performed after the leader gives the signal, either by placing his hand on the floor or raising it in the air. The musicians, who sit on horseback or on the ground, perform the music.  The Dholchi is fully dependent on the attan leader for guidance to instruct his beats. Because the Attan dancers dictate the song and dance, hence the dance can be anywhere from 5 minute to 30 minutes long. The attan will end when no dancer is left standing on the dance floor.

It is not uncommon for a dancer to faint during the performance as it is very physically intensive. The dance has become very popular throughout Afghanistan and Pukhtunkhwa and can be performed year-round in all festive occasions. In Afghanistan each valley has its own unique style.

There are many different kinds of Attan in Afghanistan, Kabuli, Wardaki, Logari, Khosti/Paktia, Herati, Kochi, and Khattak.  Other ethnic groups have adopted the Attan in similar or varied styles such as the Pashayi, Baluchi, and Nuristani.  

I will describe and show pictures of them later on and will soon include some videos for your enjoyment.

Don't worry, it's on the way.  

Here is a list of Attans I think I can describe pretty well. All these different styles may be practiced and mixed by Afghans in other valleys, and its not uncommon to see Afghans of one province being better at a different regions' style.

Kabuli

Kabuli - In this dance, unlike Attans in other areas, the dancers perform to the beat of the musician. This dance typically performed by men & women. It involves 2-5 steps, ending with a clap given while facing the center, after which the process is repeated again. The hip and arms are put in a sequential movement including left and right tilts, with the wrists twisting in sequence, with ultimately a hand is projected outward and brought in a 'scoop-like' fashion towards the center where the other hand meets it for a clap. This dance is typically performed with the musician dictating the duration and speed.  At weddings, the dance is simplified to only 2 steps of turning half way and clapping towards the center. 

Another modification that has been made is that the dancers will perform the 2 step Attan, and afterwards all of them will sit down, while 2 of them remain standing, come to the middle and dance to a more faster beat.  After a few minutes, they will take their seat on the floor and another pair will come up to dance.

Wardaki

Wardaki - Wardaki consists of body movements no clapping and lots of turns and twists, and Spotting, as well as handkerchiefs in their hands to accentuate their spins. The men usually boast wild mustaches, including hair that is greased or wet, as to accentuate the spotting and give more weight to the hair during turns. This dance is performed either with the beat of the musician or the musician tuning the beat the technique of the performers.

Logari

Logari - Logari dancers have always been known for their shyness and also for their rythmic interruptions & spins during their local dance. Their attan also has the trademark spins of the Logari style, uses the clapping and the full twists in place as arms are usually in the air and come together medially during the circular dance with one or two claps in the center. It is not uncommon to see one ore two circles in one. This dance typically performed by men and/or women or even young boys and/or girls. The dance can immediately turn into a dance, with the Attan performers sitting or squatting down while 1 or 2 come to the center to dance. The men occasionally wear Turbans and they are taken off usually during the end of the dance when the beats get faster.

The sweat on their heads from wearing the Turban, puts added weight to their hair. This dance is performed either with the beat of the musician or the musician tuning the beat the technique of the performers.

Paktia/Khosti

Paktia/Khosti - Paktia/Khosti is typically a 5-7 step and can be longer. It is also interesting because of the head movements the head is snapped left & right as their long jet black hair fling through the air, and eventually ends with the dancers turned medially and squatting with arms to their sides towards the center. This dance is performed with the musician tuning the beat to the technique of the performers.  It is said that Attan originated first in this region.

Kochi Attan

Attan of the Kuchi - Women usually perform this attan during their own occasions, such as child birth or new years (Naway Kaal/Nou Rooz) and coming of spring. The men usually perform with long hair, almost to shoulder length and cut straight across the back, and some may sport a very wild mustache or beard. It is usually performed with Handkerchiefs, and involves lots of spotting movements, with multiple twists and squatting. This dance can be up to 10 steps, and also involve men walking with their knees or standing erect and snapping their head in random directions to the beat of the Dhol. The depth and complexity of their Attan may be because of the wide range of valleys they trek, and it may have been influenced by many other forms. This dance is performed with the musician tuning the beat to the technique of the performers.

Herati

Herati Attan - The first type, the Herat urban style of attan, begins with a greeting called mauzun qadam (elegant rhythmic step) also referred to as razm o gozasht, which starts with men in a row. When the leader raises his hand, others in the line follow suit and begin walking in procession. The dancers move forward in a single line stepping slowly to the rhythm with heads turned to the side as if respectfully facing viewing dignitaries or the audience in a military manner. At first the raised hand twists inward back and forth in time to the music then both hands are raised by the leader, followed by the group. Then the group claps with hands above the head. Music for this would be played on dutar and doira or even dhol and sorna in 4/4 pattern. After the mauzun qadam which ends in a brief halt, comes the official national 7/8 beat attan which is a circle dance referred to as dauregi in Herat. This begins with a slow stepping to the beat and progresses with dancers making 1/4 and then 1/2 turns, stamping the foot and clapping hands (chak) once, twice or three times, at the appropriate places in the music. Small hand scarves can be used in the village rendition of the dance and can be in the colors of red and green or sometimes white, carried either by the leader or by all of the dancers. The leader gives the command to clap twice by saying "du" meaning two, or "se" meaning three. The dancers move together and apart in a circle like a flower opening and closing. The traditional attan tune, known as Shah Mast, speeds to a frenzy before the leader might call out to the musicians "bezan aushari!" meaning play aushari.

Khattak Attan

Khattak - Khattak style is deeply routed during the Moghul period where men performed this dance with their weapons in their hands.  Most Khattak Pashtuns live in Peshawar, Kohat, and Mardan in Pukhtunkhwa, with small pockets also living in Kandahar, and Khost.  A Khattak dancer performs with the zeal of a hero, displaying his physical fitness through body movements, while holding one, two or even three swords at a time. Each sword weighs about one-and-a-half kilos. The dance is a 5 step routine involving spins, with the swords crossed over their backs and elbows outward, or it can be performed with the swords out to the sides and typical attan half spin in place leading to a full spin. Depending on the rythm of the beat, this spin can be completely reversed in full synchrocity. This dance is performed with the musician tuning the beat to the technique of the performers. 

From pictures they are really hard to imagine, but the one I have seen is the Khattan one.

Thanks for the pics and information.

Maybe this will spark your imagination:

Afghan Attan Medley Video

It consists of:

1. Melli 5 Step Attan
2. Suleimonkhel Attan
3. Paktia Attan
4. Akakhel/Jalalabad/Kochi Attan
5. Khattak Attan

CLICK HERE --> http://media.putfile.com/Afghan-Attan-Medley - http://media.putfile.com/Afghan-Attan-Medley http://media.putfile.com/Afghan-Attan-Medley -

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http://f1.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/midnyte_sun@sbcglobal.net/lst?.dir=/Other&.view=l - Click Here to View and Download Nooristani Attan

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Pashai Attan

Pashai are a small ethnic group within Afghanistan who speak a Dardic language related to Indo-Aryan languages of the Hindu Kush. They are also known as "Kohistani" people.

They perform their own Attan typical of the Afghan style, with 4 step routines and spins. I dont have any videos of their Attans, but I believe they do exist in archives of Afghanistan. They perform their attan with the Dhol and Soorna (flute like instrument).

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/bc/midnyte_sun@sbcglobal.net/lst?.dir=/Other&.view=l - Click Here to Download Attan e Pashai

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Women's Attan Dance as well as other Central Asian Dances

Ballet Afsaneh Performance Samples...... http://www.dancesilkroad.org/New%20pages/Movies/BA_Web_Demo_hi.mov - DSL— 22mb File

Ballet Afsaneh Performance Samples...... http://www.dancesilkroad.org/New%20pages/Movies/BA_Web_Demo_med.mov - DSL — 3.5mb File

Ballet Afsaneh Performance Samples...... http://www.dancesilkroad.org/New%20pages/Movies/BA_web_Demo_lw.mov - Dial up — 1.3mb File

Mind blowing thread.
Thanks alot for the effort dear brother Afghanan, those are some really nice collection, thanks alot for sharing them.

Gharanai,

Anytime man.  I got lots more I havent even posted yet.  I'm thinking of making another Attan Mix with my new material.

Dont worry man, I got a special Khattak Attan that I know you will enjoy, you have to skip to about halfway through to get to the good stuff enjoy:

This is a Khattak Attan performed by the Khyber Scouts Attan Group in Dubai during a Pashto Cultural Day for Pashtun ex-pats called "Khyber Nights"'

Enjoy:

Khattak Attan - Khyber Scouts

http://khyber.org/v/scouts.wmv - http://khyber.org/v/scouts.wmv http://khyber.org/culture/atan/scouts.jpg -

Regards dear Afghanan wror,
I thaught you were going to add some more of those fantastic Attan videos, so I am still looking forward toward it...

Originally posted by sirius99 Cool topic. thanks for sharing.

Anytime. 

Thanks for the comments.  Herat remains a very important city in terms of location, as well as commerce.   Herati Attan is unique in that unlike other Attans, this one is converted into Persian, rather than Pashto.  Nomadic Afghans have settled Herat since the 18th century and possibly even earlier than that and many of them have become Persianized.

You read my mind, I was just going to upload a new Attan Medley I created.

Afghan Attan Video Mix 2

Click Below:

http://media.putfile.com/Afghan-Attan-Medley-Video - http://media.putfile.com/Afghan-Attan-Medley-Video

Wow, Thanks alot dear Afghanan woror,
I really appreciate your wonderful work and keep the good work up...