Raqs-E Churpi - رقص چورپی (Iran)

Raqs-E Churpi

رقص چورپی

Iran

These notes ©2016, Andrew Carnie. Originally taught in the US by Anthony Shay, who learned it in Iran in the 1970s. He says it is commonly done by the Qashqa'i, Bakhtiari, Lori, and Khamseh tribes in the southwest of the Iran. Raqs/Raghs means "dance" in Persian. Churpi is a dialect word that is equivalent to standard Persian Chubi/Chupi (رقص چوبی) which means "wood" or "stick" from the Turkish "Çırpı". The dance was traditionally done with sticks. But the version described here uses scarves instead of sticks.

Meter: 2/4
Formation: Solo dancers of either gender standing in circle or randomly around the room. Each dancer holds a scarf in each hand (which was probably originally a stick), hands are held up as if in W position.
Introduction: Start with main melody (on Zurna). Traditionally the dance would be leader called, but this version is counted out to fit the music.

Part 1

Bar 1: Step on R to R (1), Close L next to R with weight (&), Step R to R (2), close L next to L, with weight (&). Hands flick scarves up on counts (1) and (2) and down on (&) counts.
Bars 2-7: repeat bar 1, six more times.
Bar 8: Step on R to R (1), Close L next to R with weight (&), jump on both feet turning to face LOD (2), pause (&)

Part 2

Bar 1: Facing and moving in LOD, step R (1), close L behind R (&), Step on R in LOD (2). Arms sway from over head to the R.
Bar 2: repeat bar 1, but with opposite footwork and swaying arms over the head to the L
Bars 3-8: repeat bars 1-2, three more times

Part 3

Bar 1: Spinning CW in place with hands out to the sides, do a buzz step turn (Step R in place (1), push on ball of L foot (&), step on R in place (2), Push on ball of L foot (&)
Bars 2-4: repeat bar 1, three more times. Skip last push on the the last count of bar so that L foot is free.

Parts 4-5

repeat parts 2-3, with opposite footwork, traveling in RLOD and spinning CCW

Part 6

Bar 1: facing center, step R into the center, arms swing forward (1) Step on L into the center, arms start to swing back (2)
Bar 2: Step on R into the center, arms are back (1), Hop on R, arms swing forward and up (2)
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2 with opposite footwork and backing up, arms swing back to start.
Bars 5-16: repeat bars 1-4, three more times

Part 7

Bar 1: facing LOD, step on R forward (1), hop on R, lifting L in front. L arm sweeps low in front of body, while R arm is raised in the air (2)
Bar 2: repeat bar 1 with opposite footwork, R arm sweeps low in front of body, with L arm raised.
Bars 3-8: repeat bars 1-2, three more times

Part 8

repeat part 3

Parts 9-10

repeat parts 7-8 with opposite footwork, armwork and direction

Part 11

Bars 1-3: facing center, repeat the footwork of bars 1-3 of part 7 (three step hops into the center)
Bar 4: Drop down on R knee (1) Pause (2)
Bar 5: Push R shoulder forward (1), push L shoulder forward and R back (2)
Bars 6-7: repeat bar 5, two more times
Bar 8: Rise up from kneeling position (1), Jump on both feet astride, shout "Hey", hands come up above head (2)
Bars 9-16: repeat bars 1-8 but facing out of the center (turn on first step of bar 9)
Bars 17-32: repeat bars 1-16

Part 12

Bars 1-2: Making a complete CW turn moving slightly into the center, step R (1), L (2), R (1). Jump on both feet to stop turn (2). L arm goes up in the air in front of the body the (1) counts, R hand goes up on the (2) counts.
Bars 3-4: repeat bars 1-2, with opposite footwork and turning CCW and moving slightly out of the center
Bars 5-8: repeat bars 1-4

Part 13

repeat part 1. On final jump on both feet, shout "Hey" and put hands in the air. 

Bill and Karen Faust's Fayetteville Video

Other sources

• Shay, Anthony (1978) San Diego State University Folk Dance Conference Syllabus. Pg. 67. 

Also spelled: Raghs, Chubi, Chupi.