The Whirling Dervishes

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

THE WHIRLING DERVISHES (R4x32) 4C set J Drewry Turkish Set

1- 8 1s and 3s petronella turn into centre, set twirling to right, petronella turn to opposite side and set twirling
9-16 All change places with partners with ½ RH turn and twirl, 1M+2L also 2M+1L prom hold dance clockwise ½ way while 3M+4L and 4M+3L dance similarly to end 2(1)4(3)
17-24 1s and 3s dance ½ Figs of 8 round couple above them and all turn partners RH
25-32 4s followed by 1s cross down between 3s and cast to 2nd/3rd place, 4s+1s dance ½ Fig of 8 round 2nd/3rd couple to end 2413

(MINICRIB, Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton. Deeside Caledonian Society.)

Dance Information

The Mawlawi Order, or the Mevlevilik or Mevleviye are a Sufi order founded in Konya (in present-day Turkey) by the followers of Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Balkhi-Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian.

They are also known as the Whirling Dervishes due to their famous practice of whirling as a form of dhikr (remembrance of God). Dervish is a common term for an initiate of the Sufi path; the whirling is part of the formal Sema ceremony and the participants are properly known as semazens.

Whirling Dervishes Perform In The Monastir Mevlevi, Istanbul.

Dance Information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence.
Text from this original Whirling Dervishes article on Wikipedia.
Image Copyright Josep Renalias.

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