Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul October 4, 2005

he Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul perform the Sema, one of the world?s most exquisite spiritual ceremonies. A precise choreography, a meditation in motion and a radiant quest for divine illumination, it possesses a highly structured form in which the dancers? gentle turns become increasingly dynamic as they strive to achieve a state of trance. Each gesture, each garment and each whirling movement, symbolizes the ceremony?s supreme tale of death and resurrection. Chanted poetry, rhythmic rotations and live music are spellbinding.