Qafa is the slow, graceful and dignified Circassian partner dance. Historically called the “princely dance”, it is danced gliding on the half-toes, and the partners never touch. With the circle dance Wuj and the fast Islamey it is one of the three main kinds of Circassian dance.
The three main Circassian dances: Wuj · Qafa · Islamey. More: the guide to Circassian dance.
What Qafa is
Qafa is defined by its slow, graceful and dignified tempo. It was historically known as the “princely dance” or “the dance of the best”, a priority for the upper classes, and it is still a symbol of fine manners. In Kabardian the name works like a command, “dance!”, though some researchers link its roots to the word “Caucasus”.
The Qafa step and its rules
The dance rests on the Qafa step, a smooth, gliding movement on the half-toes, and on one strict rule: no touching. Partners keep a respectful distance, and the dance is meant as a spectacle in which feelings are shown through restraint rather than stunts. Each performance traditionally opens with a figure in which the partners pass each other on the left to present themselves to the audience.
Princely, solo and comic Qafa
- Princely Qafa, a strict pair dance of the aristocracy; families often had their own melody for it as a sign of status. Noble Qafa is a related classical form.
- Democratic Qafa, open to commoners, which can be danced by many couples at once while keeping the pairs.
- Comic Qafa, a pair dance with parody and satire, in contrast to the usual seriousness of the genre.
- Solo Qafa, danced by a single woman to show her virtues and talent to the community. There was also a private form, danced “before the mirror”.
- Long Qafa, a later form developed for the theatre stage.
Zafaku and the Qafa of Jordan
Western Circassians call this slow pair style Zafaku. In Jordan the diaspora has kept its own form, Qafa Quansha, danced in a softer, calmer way that is often linked with nostalgia for the North Caucasus. And in the United States the Qafa is danced at weddings and cultural events along with the Wuj and the Islamey.
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Qafa: questions
What is the Qafa dance?
The slow, graceful and dignified Circassian partner dance, historically called the princely dance.
Do partners touch in the Qafa?
No. Touching is strictly avoided; partners keep a respectful distance and show their feelings through restraint.
What is the Qafa step?
A smooth, gliding movement on the half-toes, the basic movement of the dance.
What is Zafaku?
The name Western Circassians use for the same slow pair style.
What are the other main Circassian dances?
The circle dance Wuj and the fast Islamey.
Sources
- Wikipedia (English), “Circassian dance”. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circassian_dance
- Wikipedia (English), “Circassian Americans”. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circassian_Americans
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