Arabesque Dance Design Reflections of Arabesque Music on the Body

Every passing moment in our modern world sees the arts of music and dance being reinvented. From ethnic and classical to rock, hip-hop, and digital, new genres and interpretations are constantly born. They manifest in various forms-protest-led, therapeutic, expressive, emotional, or even neurobiologically focused. Throughout history, this evolution has brought us the elegance of the minuet, waltz, and classical ballet paired with Western classical music. Conversely, genres like Jazz and Hip-Hop have emerged as unified identities-seamlessly representing both a musical movement and a dance style simultaneously. The spectrum of these artistic fusions is vast and ever-evolving. Shared values, experiences, and a common body language act as unifying forces in society. This sense of belonging is fostered by collective patterns of behavior and cultural expression. This study focuses on Arabesque music, a cornerstone of Turkish popular culture, analyzing reactive movement patterns through survey-based data. The result is an experimental work: 'Arabesque Dance Design,' which bridges the gap between musical resonance and physical expression. Detailed field studies show that Arabesque has remained a style unexplored in dance scholarship in Turkey. Today, it is primarily defined by many researchers as a musical genre belonging to popular culture. As a pioneering study in both Turkey and the world, this work is an endeavor to draw the identity portrait of a massive, shared mosaic through the art of dance.