ADanceIndependent states
Yalli
An ancient group dance performed hand in hand in a circle or chain; Nakhchivan's yalli dances have been on UNESCO's Urgent Safeguarding List since 2018.
Yalli is one of the oldest Azerbaijani dances; the figures dancing hand in hand on the Gobustan rock carvings recall it. Dancers stand shoulder to shoulder, holding hands or little fingers, and move as a chain.
A leader with a handkerchief — the yallibashi — directs the figures and the tempo, which starts slowly and speeds up. Nakhchivan has dozens of varieties, such as Kochari, Tenzere and Gazaghi.
"Yalli (Kochari, Tenzere), traditional group dances of Nakhchivan" was inscribed on UNESCO's List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding in 2018.
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Updated: October 1, 2026