This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2007, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
To dance is to express individuality, artistry or, simply, pleasure. It can tell a story, dramatize an emotion or display athleticism.
For some religious people, though, dancing goes further. It is worship, devotion to the divine and spiritual ecstasy.
Sufism, a moderate form of Islam, blends all these elements together in the tradition of whirling dervishes. Believers don long white robes, then spin over and over into a kind of controlled frenzy, accompanied by traditional instruments that date back to the 13th century.
Next week, the Order of the Whirling Dervishes of Turkey is coming to Utah.
The event, "Whirling World: A Mystical Performance by the Whirling Dervishes of Rumi and a Classical Sufi Music Concert," will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Kingsbury Hall on the University of Utah campus.
It is sponsored by the Multicultural Arch Foundation of Salt Lake City, a Utah nonprofit organization promoting intercultural and interfaith activities.
"The ritual performed by the Order of the Whirling Dervishes has come to symbolize the tolerance and love in the hearts and minds of millions throughout the world," said organizer Etga Ugur, in a press release.
Tickets are available on the Kingsbury Hall Web site: http://www.kingsburyhall.org.