Kurdish dances (Kurdish: Govend, Dîlan, Helperkê, Helperge, Şayî; دیلان, گۆڤەند, ھەڵپەڕگە, ھەڵپەڕکێ, شایی) are a group of traditional dances among Kurds. It is a form of a circle dance, with a single or a couple of figure dancers often added to the geometrical center of the dancing circle. At times musicians playing on a drum or a double reed wind instrument known as a zurna, accompany the dancers.[1] Often there are dancers twirling handkerchiefs who lead the half-circled group of dancers.[1] The dancers, generally women, but also, on occasions, men, wear traditional Kurdish clothes.[2] The Kurds dance on several occasions such as Kurdish festivals, birthdays, New Years, Newroz, marriage and other ceremonies[3] and the dances have several names which often relate to local names and traditions.[3] Its noteworthy that these folkloric dances are mixed-gender which distinguishes the Kurds from other neighbouring Muslim populations.[4] On March 3, 2023, Iranian police shut down a sports centre over mixed-gender Kurdish dances.[5]
^Kurds, Kurdistan, Part 4. "Dances and music", The Encyclopedia of Islam, Edited by C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, B. Lewis & Ch. Pellat, Vol. V, KHE-MAHI, Leiden, E.J. BRILL Publishers, 1986, 1263 pp. (see p. 477).
