ADanceIndependent states
Küştdepdi
A Turkmen rite combining improvised verse, song and circle dance — UNESCO heritage since 2017.
Küştdepdi is the ritual and festive part of Turkmen celebrations: dancers form a circle, stamping and clapping in rhythm while a singer improvises verses on the spot.
The pace gradually quickens as participants "answer" each other in verse and movement, and no wedding, Nowruz or other festival is complete without it.
UNESCO inscribed the "Kushtdepdi rite of singing and dancing" in 2017.
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Updated: October 3, 2026