Sabre Dance

"Sabre Dance" is an orchestral movement from the final act of Aram Khachaturian's 1942 ballet Gayane, in which dancers display their skill with sabres. It is Khachaturian's most recognizable work worldwide and is considered one of the signature pieces of 20th-century popular music. The composition is a fast-paced work, lasting about two and a half minutes, and incorporates elements of Armenian folk music. The piece achieved widespread popularity in the United States in 1948, becoming a classical hit with orchestral recordings and a piano version by Oscar Levant, and a jukebox sensation with charting versions by pop artists like Woody Herman.