Gayane

Gayane is a ballet composed by Aram Khachaturian in 1942. It is a simple tale of a collective farm in the Soviet Union. The diversity of such farms provided the backdrop for a strong ethnic flavor to each song (with some tunes favoring the slower string quartet arrangements, while others taking on the lively folk instruments of the gypsies of Eastern Europe) and a compelling tale of love between classes.

Known as the "Sabre Dance," the opening movement of the ballet is perhaps the most famous piece of music. It is a whirling mazurka, made famous by plate spinners and other human tricks innovators. It has been covered by Woody Herman and Dave Edmunds, and is featured in an episode of "The Simpsons" wherein Bart uses Grandpa Simpson's teeth to swing around on a ceiling fan while the song plays.

The ballet was a modest success before Joseph Stalin, and has seen limited rerelease outside of the U.S.S.R. since.