Taif (Saudi Arabia) (AFP)

In western Saudi Arabia, ancient rifles are carefully prepared before a performance of the traditional "Taachir" war dance, a startling spectacle of leaps and bounds.

Men and young boys grab weapons from the platform of a truck and fill their cannon with gunpowder before entering the stage, one by one, to show off their skills in what is also called la fire dance.

Dozens of spectators, including women and children, stand at the edge of a clearing surrounded by tents.

Combining the old and the new, some film the show with cell phones.

Barefoot and wearing a long dress and traditional headdress, the artists dance to the sound of catchy music against the backdrop of the mountains of the western province of Taëf.

They leap up, knees tight together, waving their guns and eventually shoot towards the ground, causing sparks and smoke to explode beneath them.

This dance, a tribal tradition dating back hundreds of years, is performed today at weddings, festivals and other special occasions.

In a kingdom undergoing modernization, which is undergoing spectacular economic and social reforms under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, de facto ruler of the country, the Saudis seek to maintain ancestral traditions.

"The Taachir dance is the popular heritage of the inhabitants of Taif. It is considered an essential event for any occasion," Salmane al-Touweirgui, owner of a Taif café, told AFP.

According to him, this dance, originally performed before a battle to motivate fighters and intimidate opponents, has been passed down from generation to generation.

"It is an ancient war dance and we are preserving it in this way," said Touweirgui.

"We are carrying on this tradition to make it last forever."

Young boys take part in the dance, first practicing with an unloaded weapon.

"We are increasing the level of training as they become more capable of performing the dance," said Touweirgui.

"It is a popular heritage ... and we teach our children to practice it so that, in the future, they too can teach it to their children."

© 2021 AFP