Qaytarma
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 Qaytarma as depicted on a 2015 stamp of Ukraine | |
| Genre | Folk dance |
|---|---|
| Inventor | Crimean Tatars or Sephardic Jews |
| Year | Before 1793 |
| Origin | Sufi whirling (Possibly; see History) |
Qaytarma (lit. 'Returning'; also written as Haytarma[1]) is a form of Crimean Tatar folk dance and folk music characterised by cyclical motion. It is most commonly performed at weddings and on holidays.[2]
During Qaytarma, a male dancer holds his arms apart and forms fists, making short, provocative movements with small jumps. His dancing partner, usually a woman, acts without sharp movements. Instead, she performs exact movements of her legs and shoulders, making smooth, rotational hand movements.[3] According to other studies, among them those conducted by Yaya Şerfedinov, only women should participate in Qaytarma, or, if men participate, they should do so separately from women.[4]
In addition to Crimean Tatars, Krymchaks, Crimean Karaites,[5] Urums, and Ukrainian Greeks also dance Qaytarma.[6] According to researcher Serhiy Zaichenko, Qaytarma music is typically in 9
8 or 7
8 time, which is common of Turkic music.[7]