halay

Halay is the national dance of Turkey. It refers to all traditional circular and line dances performed across the country. The term is used among Turks, Kurds, Araps, and Asia Minor Greeks (particularly Pontic Greeks, Karamanlides, and Cappadocian Greeks).

Circular and line dances in Turkey are commonly performed at weddings and festive gatherings, traditionally accompanied by the zurna and davul, or sometimes by the singing of the dancers themselves. In recent years, electronic instruments have increasingly been used in place of traditional musical instruments. Halay dancers typically form a circle or a line, holding each other by the fingers, hands, or shoulders. The first and last dancers may also hold a handkerchief known as a mendil. These dances usually begin slowly and gradually speed up in tempo, and their name, style, and musical characteristics vary from one town or village to another.