Turkish folk dance

Turkish folk dances reflect the country’s position between three seas and along major trade routes, which has shaped a varied and layered dance culture. Most of these dances are line dances, performed in different styles across the regions.

In East Thrace, the dance form is Hora. The Aegean, Marmara, and parts of central-eastern Anatolia feature Zeybek, while the western Mediterranean region has Teke. Spoon dances (Kaşık Havası) and Karşılama appear in western central Anatolia, the western Black Sea, southern Marmara, and the eastern Mediterranean. The central and eastern Black Sea region is known for Horon. Halay is common in eastern and central Anatolia, and the northeastern part of the country features Bar and Lezginka.

Bar dances are group performances done outdoors, common in Erzurum, Bayburt, Ağrı, Kars, Artvin, and Erzincan. Dancers stand side by side, holding hands or linking arms and shoulders. Men and women perform separate versions. The main instruments are davul and zurna, with clarinet later added for women’s dances. Typical time signatures include 2/4 and 4/4, with occasional 3/4 and 5/8. Aksak rhythms, characteristic of Turkish folk music, appear in unusual and interesting forms. Dancers wear costumes and move with pride, turning their hands as they hop.

Halay refers to dances widespread in eastern, south-central, central, and southeastern Turkey. Their rhythms and choreography vary greatly. They are usually accompanied by davul and zurna, but also by kaval, sipsi, çığırtma, or bağlama, and are sometimes performed with folk songs.

Horon comes from the Black Sea region and derives from the Greek word “choros,” meaning dance. It originated in Laz culture as a pagan dance and is circular, with short, distinct steps. Horon differs sharply from other Turkish folk dances in tempo, rhythm, and measure. It is generally performed in groups, with a characteristic measure of 7/16. Because the melodies are very fast, they are hard to play on many instruments, so davul and zurna are practical. A small zurna called “cura” is often used, and in inland areas, instruments like bagpipe and mey appear. Other measures include 5/8 and 9/8.

Zeybek dances are widespread in western Anatolia and originated from the Zeybeks of the Aegean region. They can be performed by one, two, or a group, and the name changes to “seymen” in central Anatolia. Zeybek uses 9/8 measures with tempos ranging from very slow to very fast. Very slow Zeybeks use 9/2, slow ones 9/4, and others 9/8. Very fast dances, like the teke (goat) dance from Burdur–Fethiye, also follow a 9/8 measure. Another dance in the same region, bengi, has a different musical character and uses a 9/4 measure. Slow Zeybeks traditionally use two drums and two zurnas, with one zurna providing a constant accompaniment. Fast Zeybeks may use bağlama, reed, or marrow bow; the teke dance region traditionally uses reed.

Other forms include Karsilamas, a wedding music style with fast, face-to-face performance, using a dominant 2/4 measure and sometimes others. Its traditional instruments are two drums and two zurnas. This form also appears as Tsifteteli/Çiftetelli. Kasap havasi, or Hasapiko, meaning “butcher’s dance,” is a modern dance from Istanbul and East Thrace, originating with Byzantine butchers and later adopted by the Byzantine military. Kaşık Oyunları, or wooden-spoon dances, are mostly found in the Mediterranean region and have a distinct structure and performance style.