German | German Im Dorf Ambasanda singt eine Gruppe von Frauen und Mädchen, im Halbkreis stehend und klatschend, ein Preislied auf reiche und berühmte Männer ihres Landes. Zwei junge Männer kommen hinzu und führen mit zwei Mädchen einen Paartanz vor. Die Tänzerinnen und Tänzer lösen sich ab. |
English | English The "al beher"-dance is an entertainment dance of the Hemat-Arabs. In the film the dance is performed by the inhabitants of Ambasanda village at the foot of the Gera Massif in eastern Tchad. The women and girls of the village are arranged in a semicircle on the dancing-place. The dancers' position in the semicircle corresponds to their social prestige, the women having the highest prestige occupying the places in the middle of the semicircle. The women clap their hands and sing a song in praise of several rich and famous men of the country. Two girls step out of the women's line and wait for two boys approaching them and the forming pairs with them. Boy and girl hold each other by their arms and perform the figure of the "al beher"- dance, a combination of long and high leaps with "leap-turn". The couples go on dancing until two other women step out of their line in order to relive them. Getting tired, the boys retire, two other boys take their places and continue dancing with the waiting girls. The film presents an excerpt from the "al beher"-dance which comprehends all phases and all figures of the dance. |