Whirling Dervishes of Istanbul: One House, Many Doors December 15, 2007

The peaceful tradition of Sufism teaches personal development through worship of God, self-discipline and social responsibility. The Sufi's way of life is to love and be of service to people; and through the ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes founded 800 years ago by Jelaluddin Rumi, audiences gain an insight into one of the remarkable ways of achieving this goal. The program celebrates the UNESCO International Year of Rumi, and opens with select readings of Rumi by acclaimed author, Coleman Barks, and musical accompaniment by renowned cellist David Darling and virtuoso world percussionist Glen Velez. The second half of the evening features the spell binding performance of the Whirling Dervishes, with Turkish master musicians, who demonstrate the ancient ritual of turning.