Dance of Osman Taka - The Dance

The Dance

The dance follows a strict tempo with emphasis in the "attitude, style and grace" of the dancer. It is a 2/4 meter with steps "slow-quick-quick". The dance is a row dance, with a lead dancer performing skillfully executed steps. He then drops to his knees, arches his back and extends his chest upward, forming a bridge. The other dancers then step forward onto the lead dancer's stomach and dance on top of his stomach. The dancers hold each other from the hands, bend 90 degrees upwards at the elbows. It takes a sturdy hand, especially if you are supporting the first or last person of the line. This symbolizes the strength and centrality of the lead dancer as he forms a bridge with his body for the other men to cross over.

Read more about this topic:  Dance Of Osman Taka

Famous quotes containing the word dance:

    “Never since the middle summer’s spring
    Met we on hill, in dale, forest, or mead,
    By pavèd fountain or by rushy brook,
    Or in the beachèd margent of the sea
    To dance our ringlets to the whistling wind,
    But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sport.”
    —William Shakespeare (1564–1616)

    “I can get dressed earlier in the evening with every intention of going to a dance at midnight, but somehow after the theatre the thing to do seems to be either to go to bed or sit around somewhere. It doesn’t seem possible that somewhere people can be expecting you at an hour like that.”
    —Robert Benchley (1889–1945)