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DANCE WITH ME, PLEASE

Typic dances from Turkey

Dancing is one of the most varied forms of artistic expression in Turkey. Each region of Turkey has its own traditional dance and costume. There are more than 4000 types, making it one of the richest country in traditional dances. 

These dances are danced to dismiss the young people of the military service, when celebrating weddings, when a child is born, in the national and religious celebrations, after a triumph or in some meetings. The best known are:

Horon: This dance originated in north-eastern Turkey, in the Black Sea region especially in the towns of Trabzon and Rize and its districts, is usually performed by men dressed in black with silver ornaments. 

The dancers linked together acclimate blows of arms and fast rhythms with their feet to the vibrations of the kemence (a kind of archaic violin) at a rapid pace in 7 times. 

The zeybek is a form of folk dance peculiar to western, central and southern Anatolia in Turkey. It is named after the Zeybeks. In this dance, the dancers in showy outfits, called efe, symbolize courage and heroism. This dance in man is powerful, very expressive, representing power like an ancient hero.In women it becomes a softer and more flexible expression.

All zeybek dances have a common characteristic form, but the position of the arms and body differ according to the different regions. The rhythm is also very characteristic, a pattern of nine slow times. This dance is popular in Aydin, Izmir and Denizli.

Typic dances in Colombia

The MISAK community (Guambianos) lives in the southwestern region of Colombia in the western foothills of the central Andes of the Colombian Andes. This community develops a dynamic process of strengthening and revitalizing their customs and traditions.

Their traditional music is

conceived, not as an element of fun, or for economic purposes, but as a fundamental part of their spirituality; music is understood as an integrating part of the culture-existence relationship, providing company from before birth until after death in spiritual return.

In the marriage ritual, two pieces are played: KASHIRAIK YEM (Marriage) and TOTRAPÉN (Breaking Dawn). The first one lasts according to the capacity of physical resistance of the dancers, but the second one is usually interpreted with an exaggerated duration.

By means of this exaggeration the musicians tried to exhaust the bride completely, until making her withdraw from the dance due to fatigue; if this happened, the guests murmured all kinds of comments, said that the marriage would not last long, or that she would not be a good wife. To avoid this the girlfriend had to resist until the end, besides not letting the candle go out.

The Misak believe that death is a journey to the KANSAR, or world of the dead. When someone dies, the family places personal objects, food, money, and the necessary elements for this trip in their coffin; when the dead person is a child, they also place candles and matches so that he can move smoothly, in the dark stretches of the road.

During the three days of the wake, the community stands in solidarity with the family, carrying firewood, food and cash. On the way from the house to the cemetery, the closest relatives and friends carry the dead man, and it is during this journey that this piece of music is played.

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