Answer: Their teachers.
Ironically (or perhaps, not so ironically) Nov 24th is Teacher Appreciation Day in Turkey. This means students shower you with gifts, flowers, love & adoration. Even the ones you thought didn't care for you! I received numerous roses & tulips, a huge bottle of perfume (like, the biggest one I've ever seen), chocolate & countless hugs. It's quite nice.
Then, a school sponsored dinner is held in your honor. In our case this dinner took place at a nearby hotel & was complete with a belly dancer, live musical entertainment & a sufficient amount of food to co-mingle with a sufficient amount of alcohol. (Note: if you do not like anise flavoring or ridiculously potent alcohol, do not have Rakı. Bleh.)
At such events, do not expect to sit since your hospitable & energetic co-workers will not allow you to do so. Dancing or eating are your only options for passing time. So if you don't want to dance, well... too bad. Fake eating? Mind you this is coming for the girl who looooves to dance. But even I had to point out sweat on my brow to earn a 3 minute water break. I do love unexpected exercise, though.
Hours later, with full bellies & ringing ears, you are permitted to go home as you have successfully celebrated "your" day to the Turks liking. Phew. Sleep.
Now let's back up & focus on that dancing portion again....
Similar to Greek & Hebrew celebratory dances, Turkish people also have "group dancing" with skilled legs kicking, tapping (or flailing) & stepping; large inner & outer circles moving to a repetitive beat you can't get out of your head; holding hands & laughing smiles. Don't know the steps? Not to worry, you'll be taught in the standard sink-or-swim manner. Hopefully you're next to someone who knows what they're doing...
There were 3 or 4 discernible dances as far as I could tell. Two large group line-dances, one hip-moving, circle-making war dance between two girls? & one, well .... you'll see the pictures.
It started because I saw a handful of girls dancing in pairs with a minimal amount of choreography taking place. They were casually kicking & doing something pretty with their hands. It also seemed there was "free" time in the song as the movements were sometimes synchronized & sometimes free-style. As I watched I found the moves easy enough to mimic but wasn't sure where the song or dance started & stopped. So I asked a co-worked standing next to me to "teach me" then pointed to the nearest pair of girls we could see dancing. With an arched eye-brow she pointed & clarified, "teach?"
...Nod, "Yeah!"
She then took one of my hands in hers, pointed towards the ground & proceeded to kneel down... on the floor. For a minute this looked like a lesbian proposal as I remained standing & contemplated whether my request had been misunderstood. But she was persistent & although I didn't understand WHY we were kneeling on the ground, I joined her.
Evidently this "dance" I innocently noticed was the end portion of a much longer dance that tells the story of a maiden (gypsy) completing a hard-days work.
This gypsy starts by washing clothes by the river. She washes & washes, subsequently building-up quite a sweat. After wiping the sweat from her brow, she proceeds to make baklava (or food in come capacity). Also working up a sweat, she wipes her brow again. And so it continues - washing clothes, making food, seducing, being playful then actually standing up & dancing (the part I witnessed).
Despite my years of dance/theatre/live performance, I could not contain my laughter. I mean, I was on the floor surrounded by co-workers as well as my boss playing the part of a gypsy woman, complete with a white napkin (towel) & all. I laughed the e.n.t.i.r.e time Cansu taught me the story sequence & movements. I could take nothing seriously in that moment.
But it sure was fun! And I can prove it : )
I WIN!!!!
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