| Kurdish Dances
The Ahl-Haqq is one of the few mystical orders in which men and women dance together. The main purpose of the traditional dance is to give expression to the joy and enthusiasm that is created through the music and zekr (spiritual hymns), some of which are part of the Kurdish dance repertoire devoted to feasts and joyous occasions such as weddings.
The most famous of these dances is the Tchuppi, which dates back to the time of Soltan Eshaq, the founder of the order. Soltan had seven spiritual companions, one of whom was named Pir Razbar. Intoxicated and overcome with divine love during a zekr, she began to dance Tchuppi. Since then, this kind of dance has been known as Tchuppi-e Razbar.
The Tchuppi dance repertoire includes many variations in technique and tempo, such as Hal-Par-Kah (hopping steps), Pa-Pesht-Pa (one step backward) and Pa-Var-Pa (one step forward). The choreography of the dance is often tailored to the particular program. The women wear colorful costumes that produce a magnificent visual display of light and color.
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