Al-Baha region hosts 12 folk troupes with more than 350 members and participants from various governorates. According to SPA, these groups perform the Southern Ardah, a performing art based on rhythms, body positions, and limb gestures.
Dr. Ali Khamis Al-Baydani, director of the Culture and Arts Association branch in Al-Baha, stated that the Ardah is a centuries-old heritage reflecting community identity. The association works to document and revive extinct arts, including Al-Harmouj, Al-Mahshoush, Al-Samer, Al-Laab, Al-Musahbani, Tariq Al-Jabal, and Al-Majalisi through festivals and events for national, social, and tourism occasions.
Faisal Wazea, head of the association’s folk troupe, explained that the performance relies on coordinated attire and presence. It features one or more poets accompanied by the Zeer drum. Participants carry swords, rifles, or daggers, moving in a weighted dual-step circular motion that returns to a single circular row, with poets engaging in a cycle of initiation and response.
Mohammed Rabie, a member of the Culture and Arts Association, noted that instruments vary by performance. The Zeer cylindrical drum is used, sometimes with the Barzan wind instrument. In Al-Laab, the Zeer is paired with a smaller percussion instrument called the Hullah, while participants often carry medium-framed tambourines. The visual experience is completed by gunpowder smoke in the sky and traditional attire.
How many folk troupes operate in the Al-Baha region? There are 12 folk troupes in the Al-Baha region. These troupes consist of more than 350 members and participants who come from various governorates across the region to perform traditional arts.
What are the characteristics of the Southern Ardah performance? The Southern Ardah involves participants carrying swords, rifles, or daggers while moving in a weighted dual-step circular motion. The performance is led by one or more poets accompanied by the Zeer drum and features a cycle of initiation and response among the poets.
Which traditional arts is the Culture and Arts Association in Al-Baha working to revive? The association is working to document and revive several extinct arts. These include Al-Harmouj, Al-Mahshoush, Al-Samer, Al-Laab, Al-Musahbani, Tariq Al-Jabal, and Al-Majalisi through specialized festivals and events.
What instruments are used in the folk performances of Al-Baha? Performances use the Zeer cylindrical drum, which may be accompanied by the Barzan wind instrument. In Al-Laab, the Zeer is used with a smaller percussion instrument called the Hullah, and participants generally carry medium-framed tambourines.