Sufi Dancing and Islamic Mysticism.

Tanoura means skirt, and the Tanoura dance, is a kind of Sufi folkloric dance very common in Islamic countries, especially in Turkey and in Egypt. Known to the West as Twirling Dervishes, the Mevlevi Order was found in the 13th century. The term “Dervish” literally means “doorway”. The whirling is magnificent to watch, as the performers enter a hyper-conscious state, their eyes closed, yet always maintaining perfect physical balance. Similar techniques are used in some religious rituals in Columbia.