Thread: What is a Turkish Drop?

I keep hearing them referred to in the backbend posts, but I don't know what they are, or at least haven't ever heard them called that, I guess? Can someone describe them to me so I know what I've been calling them?

Thanks for asking this because I have just spent my dinner hour looking this up :)

<Raises hand>

I have no idea either

Spin until dizzy, leap, fall backwards, carefully contrived to look deliberate, land on head, with legs folded under you. Sure guarantee to cut short your dance life, but it looks kewl!

Sorry, pms'ing.

In general,it's as I described above. You can see some examples...
[ame="http://youtube.com/watch?v=Pk-B7cDhHZs"]YouTube - Argentinian dancer Shanan Tabla Solo, Zaar &amp; Turkish drop[/ame]

just found this clip, she's very good.

A drop is a layback to the floor beginning in a standing position. In a Turkish Drop, the dancer is usually spinning and then falls directly to the floor in a controlled layback fold.

Examples:
with spin: YouTube - Erzulie's Turkish Drop

group @ 3:34: YouTube - Iada Troupe - Ballet Iada : Oriental Moderno

@ 7:53 YouTube - Saqra at Rakkasah West 2008

Turkish drop is very dramatic, often used to end a dance or a section of the dance. The dancer spins and then drops to the floor with legs bent at the knee and flat on her back. So the dancer is lying on her back with thighs open and legs bent beneath her if you can picture that. You have to be flexible enough to be able to lie in that position. You also have to be able to drop into the position instantly. There are techniques for doing this safely, such as using one hand behind the body as a guide. It's not recommended that anyone try this move without a teacher. You can bang your head on the floor, or hurt your knees if you don't do it properly.

It's very dramatic, though, and can be used as the starting point for the floor dance or floor taxim, which isn't done as much these days. Or it can be used as an ending.

Suhaila's Dance Company does this move in unison in one of their videos.

ben doing drops for over 30 years and some are just hearing about it?
are there places where the turkish/hye dance style are not seen or taught?
we heard and saw it all the time in the 60's, 70's, it was something all new dancers work for, like it ment you ewere tuned well, lol.
we still do them...never gave it tought....BUT i sent a pic to a dance friend in new ypor once.she carries on for serena....it was of 2 of my glass dancers, she wrote back asking WTF and what was the point, so i had to explain turkish glass dance....so, is this regional?

Not everyone who teaches or performs Turkish style does Turkish drops. In fact I had a teacher who asked her students to promise never to do them! They look very cool, and obviously some dancers can and do execute them brilliantly and safely, but for a lot of others the dramatic effect isn't worth the risk of a career-ending injury.

It's not regional. It might be generational, in part.

It's not regional. It might be generational, in part.
********* AH , but at least you KNEW what it was !**************

Of course! But I'm not exactly new at this.

Zamora - I only knew about Turkish drops because of on line convos. No one here teaches them that I know of and I am in big, bad Los Angeles. well, Mesmera might, but I haven't taken from her. I started belly dancing in 2001

Turkish drops have been claimed by many tribal style dancers. Floor work is considered passe in many Cab/Raqs circles. And, unless you know what youa re doing, Turkish drops have the potential of being dangerous. I have heard of more than one dancer knocking themselves out because they dropped badly.

As Ii said, I do a Jazz drop, which includes using juxtaposed arms to counter balance you and guide you down to the floor. Still impressive, but not quiet as dynamic.

{{{HUGS}}}

Originally Posted by Zana

but for a lot of others the dramatic effect isn't worth the risk of a career-ending injury.

I couldn't dance for over 6 months and I consider myself very, VERY lucky...... I won't do them now.
I have heard of many dancers that couldn't ever dance again.

I loved doing drops but my knees hurt now so I stopped. Regardless of whether or not floorwork is passe, I still love it. Maybe I'm passe. ..g.:

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

I loved doing drops but my knees hurt now so I stopped. Regardless of whether or not floorwork is passe, I still love it. Maybe I'm passe. ..g.:

Hey, if you look at my Youtubes, I think there is at least a nod to floorwork in each and every one of them.

Yep, I'm an AmCab girl at heart. Vintage Oriental raqs!

{{{{HUGS}}}

Turkish drop.. Vera De Milo style. 1 min in.

Originally Posted by BreaMorgiane

Regardless of whether or not floorwork is passe, I still love it. ..g.:

Floorwork is not passe. It is the specialty of many dancers who perform in the Turkish and American Classic style and it is being kept alive by those us of who have proudly kept it in our shows!
Gia

Well, as a vintage orientale dancer I guess it's good that I do that then. Any advice about what to do AFTER your knees start hurting re: getting down on the floor? I'm 30 years old, I shouldn't have all these aches and pains!

(PS. I started ballet training yesterday and OMG!!!!! ow!)

strengthen your inner thighs, gluts, abs and lower back. Realistically, this should be very controlled going down. No falling splat! This will also save you from a concussion or three. And make sure your feet are pretty parallel so that you aren't torquing your knees!

{{{HUGS}}}}

Gonna watch these. I learned to do it by accident a couple of years ago (I was practicing a different move for a different style of dancing and I ended up doing that instead of what I was intending to do).

I have no idea how I do it, I just do it. After a long spin, jump in the air and next thing I know I'm in a flat backbend, heels by my butt cheeks and somehow haven't cracked my head open on the floor. Hands out to side to slow the last bit of the drop down a tad and stop the head from hitting the floor. I always hurt my knees a little, or the tops of my feet more recently. There can be a bit of a skid going on, and it can take the skin off. Well it did on Saturday night anyway.

Don't know if anyone has mentioned Sabeeba / Sabiba on this thread, but somewhere on t'internet there is footage of her doing an incredibly good vintage oriental routine, to Greek music in a restaurant. It is absolutely inspirational and VERY Turkish in flavour. She does a drop, then the music slows down and she moves into some glorious floorwork, very dignified and beautiful, then she ascends using muscles I don't think I have, and gets right back into it all. It's wonderful.

I tend to do them at the end of a Turkish piece, but not every time. It does hurt a little and I think it would wear thin if I were to do it all the time.

Originally Posted by zamora

ben doing drops for over 30 years and some are just hearing about it?
are there places where the turkish/hye dance style are not seen or taught?
so, is this regional?

I've been at it for about 5 years combined, and I've seen the laybacks on the floor, but not with the spin & drop. Sounds ....ouchy. Anyway, I'm glad I still don't know everything that exists out there! If I did I'd be getting bored!

I have known at least 2 different dancers that have blown out their knee due to the turkish drop. Not to be taken lightly I guess.. Ouch!!

You really need to be flexible and know what you are doing when doing a Turkish drop. I did them for 20 years and rarely had a problem. But I know one dancer who tore her ACL practicing it. Occassionally, I might land on the knee and skin it but you shouldn't be landing on the knee. I landed more on the inside of the shin with the feet turned out then the head and knees came down. The fast spin and drop is how I did it. Always good for a collective audience gasp!

Hey Sonja, Virginia did them as her finale both times she's been here. We discussed it the first time she was here and I thought it was the workshop but I guess it could have been in my private. Anyhow, she called it a Turkish Drop but I think we've been calling it the 'Drama Drop' and the 'Splat' so long that we just don't recognize it when called by it's real name..l;, ...

A lot of teachers would not teach Turkish Drop, even if they thmselves are doing them. My teacher always said that it's dangerous, and every time she does it, she doesn't kow if she'll get up - I'm sure she was exaggerating, but that was her way to emphasize that it is hard on your knees and accidents could happen.
I learned it on my own, slowly, each time doing it more and more - I actually liked doing it, if you do it the right way, without hesitation, you don't feel a thing. If you hesitate, get distracted for a split second, you can get bruises on your knees, skin come off of the top of your feet (it happened to me) at the least.

I always did it turning (spinning) before, couldn't do it otherwise. Once I ended up turning in the other direction, and while I was turning I was thinking somethis is weird, but didn't have time to stop, because I wanted to catch the accent in the music. I landed as I was supposed to, but I also bumped my head. I swear, I heard a huge a crack. As I was laying on the floor, doing some hand and arm movements bfore getting up, I wasn't sure if I'd be ok. Interestingly everything was ok, and next day my head didn't even hurt. That's the biggest problem I ever had, thank God my knee wasn't affected.

I haven't done it for almost a year - I'm sure I would feel weird doing it again, and it would take a while before I'd be really comfortable. But I still remember the feeling of letting go, just letting your body fall on to the floor, knowing it's dangerous, but you do it anyways... it was awesome.

Why people haven't heard of the drop? In a lot of restaurants you can't really do it. You should have a stage,and a lot of restaurants don't have that, and it would look weird without it.

ben doing drops for over 30 years and some are just hearing about it?
are there places where the turkish/hye dance style are not seen or taught?

Turkish style is not around so much over here in the UK, though some people like Freddie are known for it. However, your average UK class teacher will almost certainly come from an Egyptian background.

Originally Posted by kina

Spin until dizzy, leap, fall backwards, carefully contrived to look deliberate, land on head, with legs folded under you. Sure guarantee to cut short your dance life, but it looks kewl!

Sorry, pms'ing.

In general,it's as I described above. You can see some examples...
YouTube - Argentinian dancer Shanan Tabla Solo, Zaar &amp; Turkish drop

just found this clip, she's very good.

*GASP*

I think the turkish drop was near on the least dangerous thing she did!

But wow, wasn't she spectacular... she really got around the stage with those running shimmies... wow wow.

Originally Posted by songofincense

Hey Sonja, Virginia did them as her finale both times she's been here. We discussed it the first time she was here and I thought it was the workshop but I guess it could have been in my private. Anyhow, she called it a Turkish Drop but I think we've been calling it the 'Drama Drop' and the 'Splat' so long that we just don't recognize it when called by it's real name..l;, ...

Ooooooohhhhhhhh...... I know what it is NOW!

Yep. Can't do it. Okay. Thanks.

Originally Posted by NandaDncer

*GASP*

I think the turkish drop was near on the least dangerous thing she did!

But wow, wasn't she spectacular... she really got around the stage with those running shimmies... wow wow.

yeah, I'd never seen her before, LOVE this clip, the woman is amazing! My neck hurts from watching her though!

I think that hair spinning is more dangerous than a turkish drop. My teacher used to perform the zar all the time spinning her head like Linda Blair. She went to a doctor once complaining of dizziness and he told her to stop spinning her hair as her scalped had moved or something like that. She never did it again.

http://www.bhuz.com/index.php?cmd=/p.../name_lizajuk/

Here's Freddie...she just done it!
I'll never forget the first time I saw her do it...in rehearsal, we all thought she'd done herself a mischief ...nor hearing the audience when she did it for real!