Köçek and Gypsy Dances

Mavi Boncuk | Roma adopted the hosts’ music and arts, often becoming so proficient in them, that they were predominantly hired to play  and dance at celebrations and weddings. In doing so, many of the dances, which would have remained hidden in the female sphere ( as in the case of Muslim households across various Muslim Empires: Ottoman et al ) were revealed; people were able to see and record these dances. The Turkish Roma and the Ghawazee (Female Egyptian Roma) were able to pass on their dance knowledge to others. The Turkish Roma, were instrumental in defining Turkish Oriental dance, after the fall of the Ottoman Empire, while Badia Masabny, ( of Syria) owner of the Casino Opera  ( during the 1920′s onwards) in British ruled Egypt, brought cabaret dance and performance there( using many elements of Ghawazee dance)  with many of her students: Samia Gamal, Tahia Carioca and others, the now famous  (bellydance) Stars of Egypt. Ghawazee dances form the basis for the Egyptian bellydance art we know today.

Kathak dance( which is  a dance that has existed in India, for around 3,000 years,)  and Flamenco,  and how elements of Kathak perhaps exists in many other of the diverse Roma dances in various cultures (since the Indian migrants brought their dance memories with them, and adapted them with their hosts’ art forms.)

Serbian Chochek (Cocek|Kocek) dance : Turkish, yet not Turkish.

Roma adapted dance and music and played in celebrations and weddings. The dance is called Chochek (also spelt cocek, and pronounced with a “ch” sound, whenever you see the “c”.)  This dance originated in Serbia, during the Ottoman empire ( and it is still danced in Serbia, to this day) when the Roma, who where originally from  mainland Turkey (but  now second, third, fourth or even fifth generation) took their dance movements and the 9/8 Karsilama rhythm  with them, to play at Serbian Christian weddings, then often went back to play and dance at Turkish weddings. The Turkish Roma moves became modified for the Serbian audiences: Turkish Roma dance uses hops and jumps, and hand gestures  that hit hips and stomach,  wrists, elbows and shoulders; there are pelvic tilts, dynamic travelling steps, as well as fast footwork and of course zill playing. Although, tambourines are often seen as stereotypical “Gypsy”, in this case, it is an authentic instrument, used in chochek dance – also known as: “dayereh” ( variant spellings include: “doyra”/”dayre” /”dojra”/”doyra”/”doire”/”daire”, a medium-sized drum with jingles, played in Iran, the Balkans and Central Asia/Tajikistan/Afghanistan and Uzbekistan . 

[1] Köçek: from Persian kūçak كوچك küçük, çocuk, uşak, ufaklık ; küçük TR, kid, child, boy servant, small EN. 

The köçek phenomenon (plural köçekler) is one of the interesting features of Ottoman culture according to Europeans. The köçek was typically a very handsome young male rakkas, "dancer", usually cross-dressed in feminine attire, employed as an entertainer. Pictured Ottoman köçek dancer "Danseuse Arabe".