Sogdian Whirl

The Sogdian Whirl (胡旋舞, lit. 'Barbarian Whirling Dance') is a traditional type of dance. As its name implies, it originated with the Sogdian people,Lewis, Mark Edward. "The Outer World". China's Cosmopolitan Empire: The Tang Dynasty. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2012. and it is most famed for its striking spins, during which the dancer twirls in one place with such velocity and grace as to resemble a twister.Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Part 3)Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Part 4)Assassin's Creed: Dynasty – The Flower Banquet (Special) When performed at banquets, it was expected to involve a full troupe of Turkic women, rather than being a solo dance. 
The Sogdian Whirl peaked in popularity during the Tang dynasty, an era when Chinese society was pluralistic and open to foreigners, and it was especially adored by Emperor Xuanzong and his favourite consort, Yang Guifei. The jiedushi An Lushan was a skilled performer of the Sogdian Whirl even when his obesity rendered him immobile late in life. At the Flower Banquet of 754, Lushan and a troupe of female dancers proudly performed this dance upon the request of Emperor Xuanzong, who accompanied it with his own jiegu'.
==Appearances==
*Assassin's Creed: Dynasty
==References==
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