Dance of the Anatolian Circassians by Nalmes (Solo Part II)

Dance of the Anatolian Circassians or locally known as Sheshen is a very popular Circassian dance performed in every wedding and celebration ceremony. Its origin is not known clearly, but modern versions are inspired by Circassians living in Turkey. It has a moderate pace although there are some faster versions mixed with Lezginka in some regions.

Every couple performs the dance inside a wide circle surrounded by the crowd and guests. Couples take the floor one by one and show their skills to the community. In this specific dance the woman is in control all the time and floats around with different paces and the man should follow her trying to do his best to get her attention and the crowd's appreciation. The other men in the circle encourage and support him during the dance with cheers and chants, and sometimes they join the man for a very short period.

Although there are some basic elements, custom improvisations are very important in Circassian folk. Performers should not repeat other people's patterns and they have to be creative because individual compositions are seen as a signature for the person. Like all other Circassian dances, the dance duration depends on the woman and keeps going on until she decides to finish it. It's considered a very rude behavior if the man leaves the dance area first.

Nalmes' choreography is much longer than this video but this is the original part that shows the traditional figures and pace. You can see the full version of Nalmes' composition at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxaoUi8AoH8

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