Twist and twirling without ever hurling

As a child, I remember spending afternoons in the park, spinning around in circles until I lost my balance, fell to the ground and nearly lost the PB&J sandwich I had for lunch. It was a free feeling: wind in my hair and colors blending to make the world look impressionistic. Then I’d fall with a thud. I should have taken lessons from whirling dervishes, a.k.a. semazens, who can spin for long periods of time without losing their balance—or their lunch. It’s a more than 700-year-old tradition originally from Turkey where Sufi mystics, wearing tall white hats and white flowing garments, whirl counterclockwise—both around themselves and in a circle with others. With multiple dervishes whirling center stage, it takes a lot of coordination to make sure the ceremony doesn’t turn into a game of bumper cars. All joking aside: It is a religious ritual. Master musicians from Turkey will perform classical and devotional music that will induce twirling awesomeness.