Oriental Dancing
INTRODUCTION
“When the Almighty chose to reveal himself
and create the universe he spoke the command ‘Ko'un’ which means ‘Be’.
Thus a ‘celestial music’ came into being based on a twelve note scale. From
these twelve notes four dances were born: The first was ‘Cherh’, moving to
the music of the spheres like a wheel; the second ‘Raks’, the heart of the
dance; the third ‘Mu’allak’, suspended and poised; and finally ‘Pertav’,
the arc of the diver.
After the Almighty created the universe
he shone his holy light upon it and the universe reflected the joy of his glory
These four dances joined with the four
elements: The waters flowed turning the wheel, fire burnt in the hearth and
warmed the heart, the wind blew and the suspended earth spun outlining the arc of the firmament.
Finally the Almighty created man and
made him one with the universe. The Almighty gave man the gift of wisdom. Then
he opened his eyes, unblocked his ears and loosened his tongue. He gave the gift
of touch to his hands, feet to walk, a heart to love, a mind to understand, a
soul to ponder, a skin to caress and a life to live. The Almighty divided the
life cycle into a year of four seasons and each season was of three months. The
twelve note scale corresponded to the twelve month year and the four seasons to
the four parts of
dance. Spring brings life and rebirth, the turning of the
wheel or ‘Cherh’. Summer sets the world alight with flowers and life or ‘Raks’.
When autumn comes life is suspended, waiting for rebirth or ‘Mu’allak’;
and with winter the eye expectantly surveys the arc of the dead horizon, or ‘Pertav’.
All the components of dance came into
being with the celestial music at the moment the Almighty whispered the command
‘koun’”.
From a 15th Century Ottoman Manuscript: ‘The Book of Dance’, by Ashik Pasha
Opening music: Roman Dugunu
Turkish Belly Dancing, Turkish Gypsy Dancing, Belly Dancing, Oriental Dancing, Romani Dancing, 9/8 Gypsy Dancing, Turkish Style Belly Dancing, Danza del Vientre, Danza del Romani, Danza del Gitana Turca, Karshilama, Flamenco, Dance, Dancing, Istanbul, Estambul, Roman Dansi, 9/8 rhytm Romany Dancing.