Dance of the Dervishes at the National Dance Theatre

As part of the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year, the National Dance Theatre hosted a captivating performance by the dervishes and a live band led by Ömar Faruk. The event opened with remarks by the director of the National Dance Theatre, followed by a post-performance meet-and-greet with the audience.

The Mevlevi Sema ritual is a Sufi ceremony symbolizing stages on the path to God. Originating in the 12th century, this ritual, unique to Mevlevi mysticism, was initially performed without strict regulations, but is now executed with disciplined choreography.

In 2005, UNESCO declared the Mevlevi Sema ritual a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.” In 2008, UNESCO further honored the ceremony by placing it on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, upon Turkey’s recommendation, sharing this ancient tradition with the world.

As the PR agency for the Turkish-Hungarian Cultural Year, the HotelPremio Group managed press invitations for the event.