55Th Anniversary International Folk Dance Workshop, Ron Houston, Alix Cordray

TİN, TİN, TİNİ MİNİ HANIM Kurdistan (TIN TIN TIN-ee MIN-ee HAN-um) = tiny, tiny, tiny little lady

OTHER NAMES: Bahçelerde zerdali - first line of the song BACKGROUND: Tin Tin is a Kurdish member of the Halay dance family because it has the halay dip-bounce-bounce motif. Some call it a Turkish dance, because the song is Turkish, and because part of Kurdistan is still in eastern Turkey. But other than that halay motif, Tin Tin bears little resemblance to other Turkish Halays I have collected. Halay is said to come from the Turkish word alay, meaning "many people," but most Halays in the U.S. folk dance repertoire come from Armenian sources. This dance actually comes from Kurds in Detroit, Michigan, where it is called Khuma or Ghuma (see the 1996 Problem Solver). John Filcich introduced Tin Tin to U.S. folk dancers in 1970, as learned from Tom Bozigian, who learned it in Detroit. All Kurdish, Armenian, and Turkish dances of this type can be classified as 'convulsive' dances, as opposed to 'extended' dances, in that these dances stay close to the earth and their movements gravitate to the centerline of the body. Dancers demonstrate control and strength through abrupt movements and even a sort of shaking, so dance accordingly. FORMATION: Short lines of 5 or 6 dancers in "strong" hold: clasp hands, palm to palm, and tuck forearms up into armpits, parallel to floor. Rarely, dance notes will say to intertwine fingers. ______

BARS ACTION

2/4 Introduction. ? No action. Length depends on your recording and leader.

1. Triple. Face forward. 1 Step diagonally forward to R with 3 flat-footed steps onto: R foot, L foot, R foot (cts 1,&,2).

2. Two Halay steps. 2 Step heavily in front of and across R foot onto L foot, bending knees a bit and bending back (ct 1), slip R foot around from in back of L foot and step beside L foot onto balls of both feet, knees straightening a bit (ct &), bounce heels twice on floor (cts 2,&). 3 = 2 (step-bounce-bounce again).

3. Step-catch. 4 Step diagonally forward (a large step, please) to R onto R foot (ct 1), touch L toe to R instep, bending knees to thrust lower body forward (ct 2).

Note: progress CCW around the room during bars 1-4 by dancing forward, or diagonally forward to the R.

4. Seven step-twists back, and close. 5 Step back onto L foot (small step, please), leaving R heel in place and twisting R toe outward (ct 1), repeat with opposite footwork (ct 2). 6-8 = 5, for a total of 7 step-twists back. Close R foot to L foot, no weight (ct 2 of bar 8).

Repeat bars 1-8 until the music ends. Lyrics appear in the 1992 Problem Solver. Sing along!

55th Anniversary International Folk Dance Workshop with Ron Houston & Alix Cordray 35 Miami Valley Folk Dancers, Dayton, Ohio, March 27-30, 2008