Horon is a traditional folk dance widely performed in Türkiye's Black Sea Region, especially in the Eastern Black Sea provinces of Rize, Trabzon, Artvin, and Giresun. Horon, which finds its place in various areas of social life, is performed at events such as weddings, engagements, highland festivals, soldier farewells, and holidays. It can be played by women and men together or separately.

Definition and General Characteristics

Horon is a folk dance defined by its rhythmic structure, fast figures, and communal performance. It is usually danced hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder, or arm in arm, forming a circle. Figures include knee bending, foot stomping, and shoulder and arm movements. The tempo of the dance may increase over time and accelerate in its final sections. The dances are mostly performed with instruments such as kemençe, tulum, davul-zurna (drum-shawm), and kaval (flute). Horons can be performed with vocals or solely with instrumental accompaniment.

Origin

There are various views regarding the origin of the word Horon. Some sources state that the Yakut Turkish words “hor, kor, hori” mean “to repeat” and “to strike in sequence,” and that these words transformed into the form “horon” over time. The words “horum” and “horom,” which appear in the Compilation Dictionary, are used in the Eastern Black Sea region for corn stalks or haystacks, and a connection is made due to these arrangements resembling the horon circle.

Place in Social Life

Horon is danced in various settings such as weddings, highland migrations, highland nights, and fishing boats. In the past, horons were performed for long durations at weddings lasting several days, whereas today they are mostly performed in specific sections of weddings held in city centers.

Horon dances can be performed by women, men, and different age groups. In horons danced among women, the tempo is lower, and movements such as descending to the ground are less common in the figures. Women's horons may feature verbal repetitions called “nanay,” while mixed dances may have verbal sections in the form of “atma türkü” (improvised folk songs). In Hemşin horons, verbal sections called “fora” are performed with tulum accompaniment.

^{Horon (Anadolu Agency)}

Structural Characteristics of Horon

Horon is played in a circular arrangement and within a rhythmic structure. Dancers line up holding hands, shoulder to shoulder, or by fingertips. The direction of the dance is usually clockwise. Raising and lowering arms, vigorously striking feet on the ground, knee bending, jumping, and body swings are among the fundamental figures of the dance. The bodily movements of the dancers are directly inspired by daily life. For example, behaviors such as rowing, casting nets, walking on narrow paths, and hurried movements can be observed in horon figures.

Commands

During horon, the person leading the dance is usually called the "horon leader". Dancers are guided by commands such as “play high,” “play low, rise,” “get up, walk,” and “take and rise.” These commands ensure the coordination of foot, arm, and body movements.

Varieties

There are many varieties of horon in the Black Sea Region. Although different sources mention nearly 50 types, the same horon being referred to by various names and played with minor variations causes this number to change. Some horon types belonging to the Rize region are listed below:

• Alika / Allika Horon: Played with tulum in the vicinity of Pazar and Ardeşen. Consists of four figures.
• Atlama Oyunu: Played with jumping figures.
• Bakoz Horon: A slow-tempo horon.
• Çarişka Horon: A slow-tempo dance with fixed figures.
• Hemşin Horon: Played with tulum accompaniment, with pausing figures.
• İki Ayak Oyunu: Played by two people facing each other, includes turning movements.
• Ortaköy Horon: Knee bending and foot kicking movements are prominent.
• Mehmetina Horon: Performed with three figures.
• Millet Horon: A horon with a regular stance, played with commands.
• Noktalı Anzer Horon: Defined by forward-backward movements made with the left foot.
• Papilat Horon: Slow-tempo, includes descending to the ground and sudden stopping figures.
• Rize Horon: Involves vigorously stepping on the ground with the right foot and knee pulling movements.
• Sallama Oyunu: A horon based on foot rhythms.
• Sçano Horon: Belonging to the Hemşin region, a slow-tempo dance.
• Sıksaray: A horon featuring fast figures.
• Titreme Horon: A horon where all figures are performed with a trembling motion.
• Yüksek Hemşin Horon: Played with figures that start slow and accelerate.

Music and Melody Characteristics

Horons are generally accompanied by kemençe, tulum, davul-zurna, and kaval. Instrument preferences, which vary by region, determine both the rhythm and tempo of the horon. While tulum is preferred especially in the Hemşin region, kemençe is common in coastal areas. Most horon folk songs are anonymous and in the form of couplets (mani). The melodies are mostly in aksak (limping) rhythm, written in measures such as 5/8, 7/16, and 9/16. In some melodies, multiple measures can be used together. Verbal sections may include phrases like “yar” (lover), “nazlı yar” (coy lover), and “sevdiğim” (my beloved).

Geographical and Cultural Context

The mountainous structure of the region has contributed to the long-term preservation of folk dances away from external influences. In this context, horon is observed to have maintained its traditional structure. Folk dance groups established in some regions contribute to the promotion of the dance by performing horon at various festivals.

^{How to dance Horon? (Youtube/Folklor Kültür ve Sanat)}