Sacred danses from Turkey

The aim of this class is to lead each person into an interior world of dance, guided by the popular rhythms that principally originated in the music of Turkey and Kurdistan, to a place that will enable participants to find a movement that connects them with the soul. The rhythms, movements and music come from Turkey, Kurdistan and Iran.

The workshops begin and end with warm-up and stretching exercises, which are based on yoga positions specially adapted for dance classes, and which focus on the parts of the body and muscle groups that are going to be used in the dance.

The course progresses in three parts: during the first trimester, we will principally work on the strengthening and flexibility of the pelvis; in the second trimester, we link the pelvis with the upper body, working the torso and arms; finally, in the third trimester we focus on Sufi dance, in order to enter the ‘all’ through dance.

Please note that there are no religious connotations with Sufi dance. These classes are open to everyone who is in good health.

Sevil Kara, of Kurdish origin, was born in Turkey. She soaked up Eastern dance, as well as the folk dances of Turkey and Kurdistan from her early childhood. Following the call of her heart, she was later initiated into the path of the swirling dervishes. Today Sevil shares her knowledge in the hope of developing her natural grace, her connection with the body and the rhythms of the Middle Eastern music.

At the end of her studies, she trained as a yoga teacher, and then began dance classes: African dance with Filibert Tologo, Arabian dance with Nadia Makhlouf, and Bollywood dance and Kalbelya with Maya Chandini. In 2015, during a trip to Morocco to participate in a sacred music festival, Sevil discovered the dance of the swirling dervishes, which immediately resonated with her. From here she began to learn the Sama, the Sufi dance.

Sevil uses Sufi dance as a means of eliminating negative emotions and to recharge the body and spirit with vitality. It also allows for the transcendence of one’s self, a better posture, as well as deeper breathing. She continues on this path by following workshops given by Rana Gorgani.

In 2016, she travelled twice to India to learn the dance of the Rajasthani gypsies, near to the Tar desert where she had the chance to learn with the gypsies of the Kalbelya caste.

Today Sevil practices ‘belly dance’ from Turkey to nourish and feed an interior fire, popular dances as a means of establishing links with the ‘other’ and Sufi dance to connect with the ‘all’.

Phone 078 639 15 18 - Mail : contact@sevilkara.ch

Website : www.sevilkara.ch