Zeybek (dance)

Zeybek is a traditional Turkish folk dance that originated from the Aegean Region of Turkey during the Ottoman period. It was performed by and named after the Zeybeks, and was later popularized in the early 20th century by Selim Sırrı Tarcan.

There are over 150 regional variations of the dance, ranging from the slower ağır zeybek to the more livelier kıvrak zeybek. Today, the Zeybek dance stands as a symbol of dignity, pride, and heroism within Turkish culture, embraced at weddings and festive gatherings, as well as by women for its graceful yet powerful movements and its symbolic evocation of honor and bravery.