Dance

Whirling Dervishes

Commemorating the life of 13th century poet and Sufi mystic Rumi, the Whirling Dervishes perform in white robes and wear cone-shaped hats. The Sema ceremony, or spiritual rebirth, consists of seven parts. Each represents a person’s journey through the spiritual stages of human development, culminating in a union with the divine. Accompanied by drums, the entranced dancers chant and spin in graceful fashion, their arms held high. Established in Konya by Rumi himself, the Mevlevi order eventually spread to other parts of the Ottoman Empire.

The order was outlawed after the Turkish Republic was founded, as was their whirling dance. In the 1950s, the Turkish government legalized the Mevlevi as an association rather than allowing it to operate as a religious group. The Whirling Dervishes are allowed to perform annually in Konya on 17 December, the anniversary of founder Rumi’s death. This occasion attracts hundreds of pilgrims as well as tourists. Since legalization, the Whirling Dervishes have become a popular cultural export.

Oriental Dance

Oriental Dance (oryantal dansi) is what Westerners call belly dancing. This well-known form combines both erotic and symbolic elements in which the dancer demonstrates sophisticated pelvic movements while her feet remain on the ground. Props include snakes, swords, veils, and candles. These items were traditionally accorded supernatural as well as protective functions.

Belly Dance

One popular type of dance in Turkey is known as belly dance (gobek dansi)-a dance quite distinct from what is known as belly dancing in the West. Rather, it is a comic duet dance. One dancer is dressed as a male and the other a female, though both performers are male. The faces of the characters they portray are painted onto their abdomens. Large headdresses extend to just below the performers’ armpits. They conceal the dancers’ heads and arms, which are held up. The performers chase each other around the dance stage, rolling their stomachs to the tune of the fast music.