 There are a number of Arab weapon dances, including the Razha. It was originally practiced at Manga in Muscat prior to going out on a raid; the object of the dance was to "warm up" for combat to come. Also, on the Arabian peninsula a dance named ard recalls pre-Islamic tribal battles. Two rows of men face one another, clapping, singing, and dancing in a lively manner, accompanied by large frame drums. At the peak of the dance two swordsmen perform a duel between the rows of dancers. The Assyrian minority in Syria have a dramatic folk dance called the Shora which commemorates the bloody battles fought by the Ancient Assyrians back in their time consisting of a leader (usually a man) in front with a sword otherwise known as a saypa and a line of men joining together. Generally speaking, a number of dances (also known as razfah or ayyala) of Bedouin origin use weapons and have achieved modern popularity in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf and are associated with festive occasions among the non-Bedouin sedentary population.
