Hamshen Armenian circle dance

The photograph shows a Hamshen Armenian folk dance performed in a circle, accompanied by the dhol and zurna. Two musicians stand in the middle: one with a large drum, the other holding a wind instrument to his mouth. In the foreground is the line of dancers, bending forward, and a large crowd has gathered all around.

With their bowing movement the dancers express solidarity, community bonds and a sense of rhythm. The image has preserved one of the living expressions of Armenian folk culture as a form of identity and collective memory.