Etiquette and dress
Sema etiquette and what to wear
How to behave at a whirling dervish ceremony in Istanbul: silence, photographs, dress, arriving and leaving, and what to do with your questions.
Reserve the dervish evening ↗Quick answer
Treat a sema as a religious ceremony. Stay silent and still, keep your phone away, do not clap in the middle, and follow the host's instructions about photographs. Dress modestly and comfortably, with your shoulders and knees covered. Hold your questions for the host's introduction or for the end.
Treat it as a ceremony
The performance you watch is a version of a Sufi prayer ritual. Even when it is given for visitors, the dancers are working through a form that carries religious meaning for them. That is the starting point for every rule below. Think of it as the way you would behave in a church or a mosque during a service: you are a guest, you are welcome, and you keep the attention on the dancers rather than on yourself. UNESCO describes the whirlers as turning with their eyes open but unfocused, so that the surroundings blur and flow, and it adds that they traditionally follow a recommended fast of several hours beforehand. That is a state of concentration, not a pose for the room.
Silence and stillness
Sources describe the people at a sema as expected to remain silent and still, and controlled, throughout the ceremony. For an audience that means no talking, no whispered commentary and no moving around while the dancers turn. Silence your phone before you arrive and leave it in your pocket. The same applies to rustling bags and bottles. If you need to cough or move, do it in the pauses between parts. Quiet is part of the ritual, and a small noise carries in a hall built for slow music.
Applause
Do not clap during the turning. At the restored lodge in Beyoğlu offered on this site, applause is not allowed during the ceremony, and that fits how the ritual is described elsewhere: the dancers are not performing for approval. Whether the group applauds at the end of your evening is for the host to indicate. Wait for the host's cue, or for the dancers to leave, and then follow the room. If the hall is silent, stay silent.
Photographs and video
Rules differ from one venue to the next, so ask the host before you lift a camera. The Beyoğlu lodge mentioned above bans flash photography and video entirely. As a general courtesy, never use a flash: it disturbs the dancers, who whirl with their eyes unfocused, and it spoils the view for everyone near you. If photographs are allowed, take a few before or after the ceremony begins, then put the camera down and watch. The turning rarely looks better on a screen than it does in the room.
What to wear
Dress for a religious ceremony in a city where you will also be walking. Smart casual works well: covered shoulders and knees, comfortable shoes and a layer you can add or take off. You do not need formal clothes. Because the evening continues with dinner and a car ride, choose something you will be happy in for the whole evening. If you are unsure what a particular venue expects, ask the organiser when you book.
Arriving, leaving and questions
Arrive with the group and walk in together, as the host directs. A sema has an order, and entering late interrupts it. Stay seated until the end, even if your legs complain. Save your questions. The host introduces Sufism and the dervishes before the performance, and the dinner afterwards is the place for anything the introduction left open. Guests at a ceremony-only evening on this site report that the host answers questions at the end, so asking is welcome, just not during the music. The dancers turn in a circle around their sheikh, so the centre of the hall belongs to them. Keep your feet, bags and cameras out of it.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take photographs at a sema?
Ask the host first. Never use a flash. The Beyoğlu lodge bans flash and video, and venue rules vary.
Should I clap?
Not during the ceremony. Wait for the host's cue at the end, or for the room to react.
Is there a dress code?
None is stated for this evening. Modest, smart casual clothing with covered shoulders and knees is the respectful choice.
Can I talk during the performance?
No. People at a sema are expected to stay silent and still. Save questions for the introduction or the dinner.
Can I leave in the middle?
Try not to. Movement in the hall disturbs the dancers, so stay until the end unless you must go.
Sources