Arm positions and movement analysis that are used on the upper extremity in Bolu women dances

Abstract

Folk dances are the cultural products that are created by the people and transferred from generation to generation. These cultural products have a very rich variety that differ from region to region, in terms of style and type. These differences are tight-knit with the past, civilization level, beliefs and traditions of a society which creates every dance. These differences also reveal themselves on elements, such as the movement styles used during the dance, dance forms, the accompanying music, rhythm and costume. Thus, the differences that are seen on all of these factors appear as the dance richness. Being a part of this richness, Bolu women dances have a remarkable significance among the folk dances, as well.

The process of recording and analysing the movement scientifically has been made with a gradually increasing consciousness in also folk dances, just like in all other disciplines related to the body. Considering that our folk dances have been changing each passing day as a part of the tradition as well, it is inevitable to determine our existing dances in terms of all of the elements that constitute them and hand them down the next generations. Therefore, some of the women dances of the region of Bolu, Which is a small city in Turkey, will be discussed in terms of the factor of movement that constitutes the dance and examined in this article.

The arm positions that are used on the upper extremity which is one of the main parts of the body in the dances of Adayolu, Men men, Karaköy Sekmesi, Ziller, Estireyim mi, Halimem, Değirmen and Ördek that are still being performed by women in the center and villages of Bolu, were determined through being assessed via some video images that are shot during various shows and competitions. These determined positions were exposed by digital camera records that were taken for this study one by one and the determined visual material was computerized with the help of various programs. After this phase, the analysis of the movement styles used in these positions that were transferred to the digital media was assessed for each link on the upper extremity one by one and then discussed. Considering that Turkish folk dances do not have a written movement terminology yet, the movements were represented through using international terms that are used in medicine, anatomy and kinesiology.