Kurdish Dance - Variations

Variations

In every dance one dancer falls or comes to the head of the circle who is called 'Serchopí', holding a colorful or symbolic object in his/her right hand. It is a tradition that no one take his/her place until he/she leads the dancers group at least one circle. The rest of dancers are called Gawaní. Sometimes Gawaní is also primarily called to the last dancer of the circle. This line of dancers differ from many ages. You can have 3 years old and 83 year olds in the same line at a party.

Some Kurdish dances have various and numerous versions such as following:

• Dilan
• Sepe
• Chapi

The Geryan version is a fast motive dance. In the Dilan version, the dancers on the circular path consist, usually, of alternating men and women holding hands and colourful handkerchiefs called desroke, in a semicircle, and moving around the circle with the leading and trailing persons waving their kerchiefs in elaborate motions. The leading individual often accentuates the customary steps and motions for the dance by displaying more energy or even by adding to the standard moves some of his own personal liking. Chapi comes from the word "chep" or "chap" meaning "left". It is one of the more simple Kurdish dances. It consists of stepping forward on the left foot twice and then stepping back on the right foot twice while traveling in a circle. Sepe is similar to chepi but with motion towards the center of the circle and hitting the right foot roughly to the ground. There are also other variations used by Kurds, each dialect has its own form. Depending on location, some dialects have even the same dances, but in different directions.