“Knee Come” is what a Eurasian dance known as Kochari means when literally translated in English. This “folk” dance is said to have originated from the Republic of Armenia, and is also performed commonly in the Azerbaijani, Turkish, and Greek culture. Furthermore, there exist various styles of this dance depending on the region of origin within the country. In addition, this music used in this dance basically consists of a rhythm that ranges from moderate to about fast.
a. History/origin of the Kochari:
According to the cultural history of Armenia, this dance style is extremely old and is said to have originated about 1000 years ago. It was basically created as a form of a “war dance”. Furthermore, this dance style is considered to be the most popular Armenian dance style. Apparently, in the year 1945 this dance was performed by Armenians at the walls of Reichstag located in Berlin, Germany.
b. Costumes used in the Kochari:
The costume used in this dance style will vary according to the gender as follows”
1. For males:
The attire worn includes a maroon trouser and overcoat, and a golden coloured vest.
2. For females:
The attire worn will include a golden coloured top, a maroon and golden skirt, and a maroon combined with golden coloured design headgear.
c. Music involved in the Kochari:
The musical instruments used in this dance include two zurna hornpipes, and one or more double headed bass drums.
d. Training availability and the technique involved in the Kochari:
In terms of technique, the performers i.e. male and female initially dance around the circle to the rhythm of the music by holding hands. Furthermore, the lead dancer while performing waves a handkerchief. As for training center/school, there are none available around the world since this “folk” dance is mainly performed in countries such as Armenia, Greece, and Azerbaijan.