Whirling dervishes demonstrate ceremony at Raue

On Oct. 28, a professional ensemble of whirling dervishes and musicians from Turkey will perform at 3 p.m. at the Raue Center for the Arts, 26 N. Williams St., Crystal Lake.

This is the sole venue in Chicago for this group, which is touring the Midwest. The appearance affords the opportunity to witness an international event of astonishing beauty and spiritual depth. It is dance, music and prayer at once.

Whirling dervishes trace their origin to the 13th-century Ottoman Empire. They are Sufis, a spiritual offshoot of Islam, and are also in the tradition of the beloved poet Rumi.

Whirling dervishes pray in the form of a "dance" and music ceremony called the Sema. Because so many things, from atoms to planetary systems, constantly spin, the Sema also involves spinning and turning in harmony with this universal motion.

The Sema follows a precisely prescribed symbolic ritual; the dervishes whirl in a circle around their leader, who circles around his own axis.

The dervishes wear a white gown, or shroud, which is the symbol of death; a wide black cloak, a hirka, a symbol of the grave; and a high brown cap, or kulah, which is a symbol of the tombstone. These articles of clothing symbolize the death of the self in the spiritual journey.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the Raue Center box office, by phone at (815) 356-9010 or on the Web site, www.rauecenter.org. There is an additional charge for internet sales.

Tickets also can be obtained at the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake, (815) 459-6010.

Free baby-sitting will be offered at the First Congregational Church during the performance. Baby-sitting must be reserved by calling the church at (815) 459-6010, ext. 11 so that plans for enough caregivers can be made.

A reception following the performance is in the works so that theater goes can greet the musicians and dancers.