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Hello Istanbul
On my last night while I was
eating a fantastic meal ( the food is AMAZING!!!!) with my new Istanbul family (
Turks are very friendly they make you feel adopted) - Gilden ( a tiny,
friendly, very energetic, feisty, warm hearted, very sincere woman from Ankara)
looked me in the eye and said quickly ( she always talked a lot and very very
fast) with a bright smile Barbara, so what do you think of our Turkey? ( On
the first day Gilden said to me Here in Turkey we dont have time for hobbies
and we dont need psychiatrists because we have lots of friends with us always
and because we talk about everything in the open , all the time)
Everyone stopped talking to
hear what I would say I felt very on the spot.I answered in a long run on
sentence that went like this much of I what I write here I didnt say at the
table that night but its all part of the Istanbul experience
I said Well everyone
here is very warm and friendly, they all talk very fast and everyone seems to
have a very good sense of humor
They make you feel as if you
are family very quickly
They are great and generous
hosts
They want to take very good
care of you and show you everything and then ask you how it was to make sure it
was good ( like my classes)
Everyone drinks a lot of tea
all day
They smoke all day and all
night
Everyone loves to have fun,
sings all the words to the songs and knows the belly dance
Schedules fluctuate a lot,
all the time, very easily Its the way it is En shallah God willing
Eating and food is very
important in Turkey
Meals are long and
wonderful lots of courses - full of good conversation and very funny jokes
they love to laugh and have a good time
Every food all food is
very special - comes from somewhere specific in the country and all the people
love to tell you about it and want to make sure that you know what the name is
and where it is from
The food is not hot but very
flavorful
The traffic in Istanbul is
amazing, a built in experience
It takes hours to get places
in rush hour especially but in general it takes a long time but it is expected
and a way of life You are either in a cab going or you are waiting for some
one to finally get there it is amusing. And there are few traffic lights
everyone just drives up and down the many, many very steep hills of very, very
narrow roads . There are many one way streets which are driven up the wrong
way any way into hysterical run ins between drivers especially late at night
- which are impossible to drive up or down or to turn on to because there is
just no room
Many, many, many cab
drivers wiz around but many do not know where you are going or how to get there
You can spend hours driving
around looking for somewhere and asking directions along the way
If you stop to ask
directions - 3 people might come up to give their opinion
Cab drivers are as friendly
and talkative as everyone else but they have their specific zones and sometimes
they wont go to the other side of the city.
The other side Istanbul is
a city built on two sides of a big river the Bosphorus. Some people live on
one side but work on the other side. It wouldnt really matter except for the
traffic and long windy roads of long distances being so complicated.
I imagine that Istanbul 500
or 1000 years ago was a beautiful city of palaces and mosques. today it is a very
crowded, bustling city with buildings constructed all over the place, on top of
each other, squeezed into spaces wherever, available right next to and all
around the mosques and the palaces
.It is a city of the old
ways and new where women completely covered in layers and head scarves -
pushing a cart full of vegetables she will push through all the whizzing cab
traffic, westernized dressed crowds as if she doesnt even see the traffic or
the people dressed of today she exists in her own world
5 times a day you will here
the song throughout the city calling the fundamentalists to prayer at the
mosques
Before they pray no matter
the temperature they must wash their hands and feet outside around one of the
ancient urns of flowing water
The women must pray in the
back rows why? I heard from a young male guide So they wont distract the
men from their concentration of course
It is a very, very macho
society and that is that probably will remain so for a long, long time
Also they will try to sell
you anything for a special price of course and if they dont have what you
want then their cousin has what you want
The Istanbul Dance Experience
The Galata Tower 1000
years old
This is a tourist attraction
for many Turkish travelers. Four of my new Turkish friends had never been there
before. It is a round, rather slender tower about 2 stories tall which has been
transformed into a restaurant on the top floor. In the day time you can see a
beautiful view of the city but we were there on a foggy night.
On each table are flags for
all the different countries represented each evening. There were people from
many places that night.
The band members came out on
stage and began playing.
Tears were running down my
cheeks .I couldnt believe I was really in Turkey , hearing the familiar music
and about to see dance!!!!!
The first dancers of the
night were 2 young sisters - Turkish folk dancers who reminded me of the Persian
style dances and costumes which I have seen.
They were very nice dancers
but both looked very bored.
Next the sultan came out
he came down to my chair ( maybe someone told him to this was all sort of
goofy) and guided me and another girl up on stage to sit next to him, feeding me
an orange slice with a tooth pick and handing me a tambourine to play.
So I was sitting behind the
blonde, pretty, tiny , all in white cabaret dancer who came out to dance . I was
so frustrated because of course I wanted to watch from the front.
I was watching her back
mesmerized and she turned to me to say Play the tambourine whoops so I
did
After a while she had the
other girl get up to dance with her and that girl left she brought me up to
dance. She showed a few moves and then watched me sort of surprised that I
could follow I think. Promptly she lifted up my shirt to show my belly and hip
movements to the audience and gave me some more to do. It was fun and sort of
silly and lasted a few moments and made everyone smile and laugh too. Afterwards
she went around to have her picture taken with everyone
Next came the amazing trio
of male folk dancers all dressed in black wool, old style looking military
suits with knives, boots and huge big attitudes.
They were the AMAZING
dancers of the night.
The - another cabaret dancer
older than the first, dark skinned, very attractive but I have to say she
was looking very bored and unenergized
Last but not least came the
singer of the night a man in his late 60s who was a great entertainer Frank
Sinatra style sang every song of every country, got everyone singing with him,
got 5 women up on stage including me again to dance with our partners ( I
didnt get to dance with my husband but at his prompting instead I coaxed his
new business partner up to dance with me a very short, fat, fun loving Turkish
man who was all smiles)
Reference If you ever get
to Istanbul I would recommend going to this tower not for the food
especially but for the great fun and entertainment and Turkish feeling)
Dance Teachers
I was very ( we are very
fortunate to have
www.Shira.net ) fortunate to find Alev Hawes in Istanbul on the internet
before going over there. I really tried to do some research to find teachers and
dancers before going but it was very difficult for me to get in touch with
anyone who could hook me up. Right before I went Alev answered my email and
could luckily speak and write English. She was able to put together a classand
entertainment schedule for me without even meeting me which was amazing all
through internet!!!!. In the short time I was there I was able to take 2 classes
from her and one with her friend Melek , to see both of them perform and to hear
a band of gypsy musicians in a special restaurant where everyone belly danced !
Both Alev and her friend Melek live and dance in the new evolving French St.
area. French St is a very charming, special area, near the college, which is
built on a road of wide stairs that has apartments, stores and fantastic tiny
restaurants up and down off the wide stairs. Half way up the stairs on a wide
landing is a huge statue . When you see the statue it seems quite normal but
when you think of how it got there it is astounding to think of it.
Alev has studied dance in
college, has been studying oriental with a very famous dancer ( who doesnt
perform anymore I heard of quite a few famous dancers who do not perform
anymore and learned that the reason they dont dance anymore is because now they
are married and their husbands do not let them dance ) and for the past 4 years
has been studying flamenco. In 2 classes with Alev, in her 4 floor walk up
apartment, I was lucky to able to learn a wonderful drum solo she choreographed
for me in her tiny living room studio, off the hallway ( where the kitchen and
bath were) studio which was on one side of a curtain on the other side of
the curtain was her bedroom. It was very romantic. We began the session with a
warm up and ended with a long stretch. Alev was very organized and definite with
her music and steps. I had made her a CD of my music and she had made me a copy
of the drum solo
Melek , her friend, lives in
a 4th floor walk up apartment, in an old building, on a dark alley.
She is a true gypsy dancer and spoke not a word of English but had a wonderful
accent when she said yes instead of saying good = she would say yes
in a deep wonderful voice when I got it. I only had one class unfortunately but
in that class I realized how much how much there is to learn. Her bigger
studio also off the hallway was also where her living room should have been
both girls live their passion of dance. Melek has been studying flamenco her
true passion for 8 years. So I learned a combination of oriental hands combined
with Flamenco stomping and low, definite steps with strong hips which comes from
the Andalusian part of Spain . This was all new and wonderful for me. We wore
the skirts and flamenco shoes and she had a handmade, broken in pair which
actually fit me comfortably amazing because my feet are so wide - which she
let me buy from her unheard of lucky me handmade flamenco shoes for $50.00
the nails all hand hammered in showing through the heels. So we learned a
beautiful dancey combination, then learned some gypsy gestures ( some which were
happily familiar because I have seen Dalia Carella use them), zills new
rhythms very difficult and lastly the Turkish gypsy fast foot work and jumpy
combinations which I have seen and learned a bit of and is so hard for me. Melek
had a few wonderful new books I had never seen and had a huge collection of
CDs. She amused me because she had a hard time finding music for the
combination she taught me which was familiar to me because all too often I
find myself struggling to find the right music when I suddenly have to teach a
definite combination to someone else. Both these dancers are wonderful teachers
and performers. Alev has an American son living in New Jersey and she is very
interested in teaching a gypsy workshop in the states when she comes. I will
keep you posted. If anyone is planning to travel to Istanbul please let me know
so I can put you in touch with these two dancers.
The Flamenco Performance.
Friday night we wet to a
wonderful Flamenco tiled from floor to cieling restaurant in the area near The
Galata Tower. The dance was to take place upstairs on the second floor on a
high, tiny stage at one end of a long, narrow room. First the musicians came out
the singing, guitarist dramatic man in black leather pants and a blonde women
in black also who played a quitar and drum. They both played and sang for a
while while we tried to order from the Turkish/ Spanish menu in English
difficult and funny. Then the two dancing friends came out. They danced a
flamenco duet, Melek danced a fiery flamenco solo, Alev danced a gentler
flamenco solo, both danced together again, then Alev danced an oriental solo and
Melek ended with another passionate flamenco solo. The dancing was wonderful and
spirited there was no real beginning or end except for the oriental piece
which was to taped music - they just began and they just ended when they felt
like it which was great and it wasnt too long. What I missed in the
performances was floor work and some dynamic change because most everything
was very up and very frontal with not much joyful connecting to the audience
it seemed but instead they dance with a lot of intensity.
The Gypsy Night
We met with Alev and her now
new English husband Hughe in the French St area. We walked through the pouring
rain, down many narrow windy alleys to a small, very smokey, very crowded dimly
lit bar. The smallish room was full of tables squished together, packed with
dark eyed , young men and women all eyes on us as we were ushered down the
stairs, through the very crowded room, to the back, where the tiny crowded bar
and bar stools were right next to where the band was playing. The band was
also squished into a corner but they were playing great music.. Everyone was
eating and drinking and staring at each other it seemed. We tried talking for a
while over the music and I noticed that no one was dancing. So I said to Alev
Come on lets dance. No sooner were we in the small open space when suddenly
the whole room was up to dance with us it was like a secret button had been
pushed and out they came. ever yone belly dancing. There was one beautiful,
dark haired girl in particular who was a great dancer using every move every
gypsy, belly dance move all together in a long luscious flowing combination
smiling the whole time voondebah!
Tourist Sights
My husband and I did get to
very luckily spend the weekend together sight seeing which was an unexpected
treat because he was working hard the whole time before even on the weekend. We first went to the
Grand
Bazaar. This is where the shop keepers try to sell you something every minute
Lady, lady, lady are you US Come in A special price for you or would you
like some tea? I will show you what I have Come sit down and I will show you
a special price for you a very special price for you -
It was lots of fun at
first all the sights and sounds and people talking a mile a minute trying to
sell everyone something before the end of the day and also the bargaining
because you must try to bargain it is an expected part of the process but I
admit at the end of the day you cant stop them from trying to sell and they
dont know when to quit. We got there late and stayed until the end. When we
left we found ourselves in the pouring , freezing rain out in an alley with no
lights, no directions and no English people we were walking up and down sort
of scared because it was sort of scarey and we already knew that the streets
just wind into themselves but eventually we did make it to the lights and a
cab who actually and luckily knew where our hotel was on the other side
One other place I knew I had
to see was the famous Sophia Mosque and the Blue Mosque for my passionate
student Norma. I did. Sophia is ancient and amazing. You cannot imagine how
humans dragged the huge floor stones into place or built the very, very high
walls up to heaven and then decorated them in so many interesting and different
ways with ornate painted designs and carvings truly amazing just the sheer
human effort to imagine the ladders built so high to climb up there HOW? A
very ancient and overwhelming structure there are many like that over there
and it baffles the mind. The Blue mosque is beautiful too but much smaller,
much lower ceilings, all blue designs on a white background ,very clean, modern
rugs they use this mosque for praying today they ask you to take your shoes
off before entering etc it was very nice but nothing like Sophia you can
only imagine what must have happened there.
After the Blue Mosque we
walked through more cold and rain to the Topkapi Palace these three monuments
all within 10 minutes of each other. First before the palace you must walk the
huge and very spacious grounds which were surprising because nothing else in
Istanbul is so spacious and roomy. In the spring with all the flowers and
gardens it must be very beautiful. It was the first time being there and
seeing the view over the river I knew how Istanbul must have been so amazingly
beautiful once. The buildings of the palace are pretty wide and low. We got
there at the end of the day when it was freezing so we didnt see everything
we didnt even walk through the harem ( for shame for shame) but I was told that
there were no costumes so that was a comfort. The main feeling I got from the
palace is how very beautiful it must have all been when there was more room for
everyone and no cars anywhere
Last Day
The last day in Istanbul was a
Monday. Mark had to work. I was supposed to take another class with Melek class
but it would have meant alot of cab travel time and no time to spend with my my
darling hostess Sara who also had an appointment. So we glued this last fun day
together. For the first time I was able to walk around my hotel neighborhood
alone. Our hotel was like an adorable Norwegian troll house - family run
buisiness. Built into the side of a very steep hill - everything inside is
small, wooden - thick wood, un-matching fabrics and pillows everywhere - trees
and leaves growing out of the walls and little carved benches, doors and
surprise arches everywhere. I walked up the steep hill to find myself in a very
swanky shopping district - very like 5th avenue - with very narrow overcrowded
streets of course. it is very western - few covered ladies - all the familiar
designer names. Later I met Sarah and we went Grand Spice Bazaar which was
another huge treat. The food, smells, displays, colors - spices sitting freely
in mounds everywhere. It was really something. And Sara was with me - having not
been there herself in a long time - to talk to the shop owners and to be able to
interpret and to say one Turkish word so as not to be bothered by so many
sellers also. It was great fun. We stayed late at the bazaar again - big mistake
because of rush hour - so we stuck for hours on the bridge - going to the other
side - but we were happy to be talking and talking. Back to the offices to meet
everyone for a last dinner. And even though we hadn't arrived until 8:00 -
someone else - English was stuck on a ferry boat coming acrosss that way - so as
to avoid the car traffic - and so we waited for him - not even making dinner
reservations until 9:00 - and then driving a half hour to the most wonderful
dinner - which was served without ordering - the food delicious food just kept
coming and it was here I was asked across the table " So Barbara - and
what do you think of our Turkey?"
What I will probably remember
most
I remember very well almost 17 years ago when I went to Egypt with my husband -
our last duet together without children - that ancient Egypt was very different
- much more modern - than I thought it would be. And now ancient Turkey was also
very different than I had expected it to be also. I was very happy to come back
home to our free, roomy, easy country - which we mostly take for granted I now
feel - but I would also be very happy to go back there again. The people are
wonderful, warm and very direct when they talk to you. They really appreciate
Americans and they want to learn from us and also very much want to share their
culture with us. And the FOOD!!!!
For 31/2 years since studying belly dance I have always felt an affinity for
what I thought was the Turkish/ gypsy style - I felt it was more my style than
Egyptian or Lebanese - from what I learned through a lot of reading, watching
dancers when I could - in person or on video and also listening to what dancers
said about The Turkish style. the dancers of Turkish style seemed to me to be
freer and wilder and more passionate somehow - unbridled. In our country I have
gotten the feeling that the " Turkish style of dance" is something so special
and elevated in the belly dance culture of America. When my husband first said
that he was going to Turkey on buisness I thought I was dreaming - I couldn't
believe it - of all places to go for boat building buisness at this time in our
lives and I would be able to go!!!.
What I learned - about the dance - that I wasn't expecting - or maybe I was -
not sure now - is that everyone - absolutely everyone belly dances in some form
or another. Belly Dance is not considered a high art form in the minds of most
people - the same way it is not considered a high art form by most people in
this country . It wasn't considered something special by the buisness people I
was with and they were actually very surprised in my passionate interest until I
explained that dance is my life.
The two professional dancers I met - just like the dancers here are very devoted
and passionate about perfecting their craft and like American dancers - they
struggle to find work, good performing situations and appreciation for what they
do. But Belly Dance there - unlike here - is really for tourists to enjoy which
I had heard - but was a real surprise for me. Of course there is much more dance
to see and learn there but I think that I really know now - that American
dancers - the amazing chosen few - have gone to Turkey, come back to the US and
have developed something they call " The Turkish Dance style". I asked them over
there if they had heard of either Eva Cernik or of Dalia Carella - the two
dancers who I always think of - who have created a very unique individual style
from studying other cultures and Eva especially who I always think of as The
Turkish dancer in America. ( Alev said that Eva Cernik is not a Turkish name at
all which was a surprise to me). No one knew who either were at all - not that
it matters - but it was interesting to discover that. I gave Alev the websites
of many of my favorite dancers here and will be so curious to see what she
thinks.
In closing I would like to say - I am so very grateful that I went, grateful for
my dance passion that created this opportunity and desire to travel to another
culture . I would go back in a minute, with my children if possible and I would
encourage all dancers to travel to other cultures of origin if possible, to see
and experience dance there for themselves. It's such a complete eye opener.
Thanks for reading this. If you
can any comments or inspirations please do write to me either in my Guest Book
box on this website or on email -
Barb@thedancingspirit.com or
thedancingspirit@aol.com
Blessings to you and happy
dancing!
Love Barb
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