Turkey

Cemen

The name "Cemen" means “grass.”

Rhythm: 10/8 meter. Actually slow, quick, slightly quicker, but is called “slow, quick, quick” and
counted as “1-2-&.”

Presented in 2007 by Ahmet Lüleci. View the pdf here.

Gülbeyaz

Gülbeyaz means “White Rose” and is also a girl’s name. It is from the Black Sea area.
Pronunciation: GYOOL-beh-YAHZ
CD: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 5. 4/4 Meter
Formation: Arms bent from the elbows, forearms touching neighbor’s forearms, hands slightly lower than the elbows. This is known as “Black Sea Position.”

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Gulli

The name translates as “the one with the rose.” It is used as a female name.

Pronunciation: gool-LIH

Music: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 2

Formation: Semi-circle, V-pos, hands R under, L over, facing center.

Styling: Flat-footed, but bouncy.

Described and presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Gülsüm

From West Anatolia.
Pronunciation: gyool-SOOM
CD: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 10. 9/8 Meter
Rhythm: Counted as QQQS.
Formation: Semi-circle, arms free in W-pos.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Hanım Ayşe/Eski Kasap

Hanım Ayşe means “Lady Ayşe” and Eski Kasap means “Old butcher dance” and these are from the area northwest of Anatolia, called the Trakia region. The figures of the dance come from a dancer who happened to be a kasap (butcher).

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2010. View pdf here.

He Cane

Pronunciation: HAY djah-NAY (means ''Oh, my soul'')

Music: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 11 3/4 Meter

Formation: Semi-circle, little fingers joined in V-pos.

Described and presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Heyamo

Laz work song from the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. Heyamo was collected and arranged by Birol Topaloglu, translated by Brenna MacCrimmon. Birol is a Turkish Laz musician. The Laz people are a minority group who live in the mountainous regions of eastern Turkey around the Black Sea. Their language is related to Mingrelian Georgian. It is very unusual to find harmonized songs in Turkey and the harmony in this tune is very much a part of the Georgian influence in their culture. As the borders were drawn up between Turkey andthe Soviet Union, the planners used natural boundaries like rivers and mountains to establish their lines. Some of these went straight through communities. Because of the tensions between the two countries it became impossible to carryon daily life on both sides of a river. To visit relatives on the Turkish side, for example, Soviet-siders would first have totravel to Moscow, then Istanbul and Ankara, and finally on an uncomfortable overland journey, a total of thousands of miles—justto reach a destination that was in effect a stone’s throw away—or risk being shot at by border guards. The villagers used songs to communicate what was happening on their side of the border, letting the other side knowwho was getting married, how the harvest was going, and so on. The songs were sent freely from one side of the valley to the other because their language was unknown to most soldiers posted atthe watch points.

Described and presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Hozanki

This is a Kurdish-style dance from southeastern Turkey, in the Halay style.
Pronunciation:  Hoh-ZAHN-kee
Music:  4/4 meter  Ahmet Lüleci Stockton 2010, Band 16
Formation:  Semi-circle, facing ctr, moving CCW, little fingers joined in V-pos.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2010. View pdf here.

Kalenin Dibinde

Pronunciation: KAH-lah-neen dee-BEEN-dah (A gypsy dance)
Music: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 1 6/8 meter
Formation: Little fingers or hands joined in W-pos. Arms make small movements up and down
throughout the dance.

Described and presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Kırikcan

Kırikcan means “Broken soul/Hurting soul.” The dance comes from Gaziantep (southeast of Anatolia) and is in the Halay style.
Pronunciation: KUH-reek-dzhahn
Music:  Mixed meter  Ahmet Lüleci Stockton 2010, Band 7
Part 1 is 4/4, Part 2 is 10/4
Formation:  Semi circle. Handhold is R arm behind L, fingers locked together. Elbows are bent
so forearms are parallel to the ground, but tucked back between bodies.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2010. View pdf here.

Men Gülem

Pronunciation: MEHN gyool-LEHM
CD: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 8. 6/8 Meter
Formation: W only or mixed W and M. Two circles. If mixed, M on outside circle, facing and moving CW, W in the inside circle, facing and moving CCW. If dancers are all W, W may all face in
the same direction, or some W will face CW alternating with W facing CCW. Arms free as indicated below.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Narino

Pronunciation: nah-REE-noh (a girl’s name) This is also a girl’s dance.
Music: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 4. 4/4 and 6/4 meter
Formation: Semi circle, hands joined in V-pos.
Styling: Movements are soft and subtle, not sharp.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Ordu

Ordu is the name of a city near the Black Sea in Northern Anatolia from which this dance comes. The original name of the tune is “Ordu’nun isiklari”—the lights of Ordu. It is also known as “Vona’nin isiklari,” “Vona” being the Greek name for Ordu.
Pronunciation:  OHR-doo
Music:  4/4 meter  Ahmet Lüleci Stockton 2010, Band 9
Formation:  Semi-circle, standing close together. Clasp hands, elbows bent so forearms are less
than parallel to the ground.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2010. View pdf here.

Oropa

Pronunciation: oh-ROH-pah
Music: Ahmet Lüleci Turkish Dances, Band 6. 4/4 meter
Formation: Semi-circle, arms bent from the elbows, forearms touching neighbor’s forearms, hands
slightly lower than the elbows. (Known as “Black Sea Position”)

Described and presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2007. View pdf here.

Rapatma

Rapatma is from an area northeast of Anatolia. It is from the Black Sea region and typical Horon style. Rahpet means “rat.”
Pronunciation: RAH-paht-mah
Music:  4/4 meter  Ahmet Lüleci Stockton 2010, Band 11
Formation:  Semi-circle. Arms bent at the elbows, holding hands at waist level, wrists relaxed.
Small steps. Light up-down bounce on each ct throughout.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2010. View pdf here.

Şinanarı

Şinanarı is from an area northwest of Anatolia. It is from the Romany region and a typical çöçek-style dance.
Pronunciation: shee-NAH-nah-ruh
Music:  4/4 meter  Ahmet Lüleci Stockton 2010, Band 12
Rhythm: SQQ SQQ SSSS
Formation:  Semi-circle. Hands joined in W-pos bouncing slightly, body facing R.

Presented by Ahmet Lüleci in 2010. View pdf here.