Albanian Arts
Dance, music, architecture, and more. Albania is a country full of interesting, different, beautiful, artistic expression.
Dance in the Albanian culture is a fundamental piece. With influences from Greece, Italy, Macedonia, and Greece, Albanian dance involves "ring dancing" at all special occasions. Additionally each region of Albania, for example Berati, the dance is named "Beratce", and for Albanians who live on the border of Greece, "Tsamiko".
Albanian dance can be separated into 2 styles, Geg (or Gheg) from the North and Toske (or Tosks) from the South; the dividing line being Shkumbin River. Both styles involve similar elements using hands and arms to swing freely as participants dance in hand-held circles. Generally the legs and feet follow a unique shuffle pattern depending on the area with choreographed foot movements for high expression.
As for musical involvement, the North used a common "Ciftelije" (also common in cultural neighbor Turkey) which uses 2 high strings like a guitar, E and B, and the South commonly uses "Sazet" or an orchestra of instruments; violin, clarinet, and harmonica.