9-2 Traditional dances
There's a break in the entertainment while more food is served to the guests. Although it isn't any of my business, I think about whom Ahmed might choose to award the purple handkerchief. The six new girls were purchased specifically for his harem, but that doesn't mean he must choose one of them for his first sexual coupling. There is some merit in him practising with an older girl before bedding one of his inexperienced harem. Centuries of experience in training hundreds of princes and slave girls within the Imperial palace has developed a view that sexual liaisons are much more successful if they are enjoyable for both parties involved. The clumsy fumblings of a virgin couple are discouraged as much as tolerating a prince who violently ravishes his slaves. That's not to say that both situations don't occur on occasion, but they are the exception rather than the norm. A prince's prowess in the art of making love is more valued than the tally of girls whom he has bedded. Sexual violence has no place in the harem's teachings despite the unequal social status of those involved.
As if reading my thoughts, Anna and Irem start to discuss the merits of each girl as a candidate for Ahmed's first sexual partner. I need to help Anna with a few Turkish words, which draws me into their discussion. Moments later Leyla and Candan are adding their thoughts. Şah Sultan doesn't participate, but I suspect that she is following the conversation. Anna and I have the advantage of knowing the six new girls the best, while the three sisters have a better idea about their brother's tastes. There are, of course, other factors at play. Will Ahmed risk Ramazan's wrath by choosing one of his favourites? Will Ahmed prefer a girl his own age, or an older and more experienced girl? The three sisters don't seem able to agree on those factors so our conversation goes around in circles. The only thing we agree on is that if Ahmed's choice is to be based on dancing performance alone, then Gülriz is going to be the clear winner.
The next dance begins. Like the previous one, it is a traditional dance which requires grace and coordination. It'll be the last with all twelve dancers unless Afife is required to alter her programme. Normally the guest of honour ... Ahmed in this case ... chooses which six dancers are to continue, but I have a strong suspicion that Serhan Pasha and Kadir will be influencing the choice.
As the dance progresses, it becomes clear that Aysun, Nuray and Tülay are the best dancers among the six new girls. However Şah Sultan's earlier warning has had an effect on Kadir's girls, and their training is beginning to show. It would be a shame if all of the six new girls were eliminated after this dance, but if the decision is based on dancing skills alone, that ought to be Ahmed's choice. The wider audience continues to encourage the new girls. Serhan Pasha doesn't seem to approve of the strong support the new girls are receiving, and I begin to wonder whether there are other games in play.
The dance finishes and the girls withdraw to the small area by the door. I listen carefully to what the three sultanzades are saying. Kadir and Ramazan are offering advice to Ahmed as to which six girls to eliminate from the entertainment. It is Serhan Pasha who brings their discussion to a close.
"Time to send the new girls away," advises Serhan Pasha to Ahmed. "None of them can dance, and they need more training before they are ready for your bed."
On both counts I think Serhan Pasha's comments are overly harsh. All six girls danced well given the minimal amount of training they have received. As for being ready for Ahmed's bed, then I don't think any of them would disgrace themselves. They have been attentive during Didem's lessons and seem eager to put their training into practise. I concede, however, that a more experienced girl may be a better choice for Ahmed's first sexual coupling.
Kadir supports his father's advice, but it's obvious that all he really wants is for Ahmed to award Gülriz the purple handkerchief. He's merely looking for another chance to goad and humiliate Ramazan by having Ramazan's current favourite bedded by his younger brother. Despite what Irem said, Ramazan seems resigned to being a passive victim.
Ahmed baulks at his father's advice. Whether he is wise to do so is something only time will tell. A hasty compromise of sorts is agreed between father and son. All the girls will dance again in two groups of six. Ahmed says he will choose three girls from each group for the final dance.
Afife is left with the task of selecting which girl will dance with which group, and the dance they will perform. She opts for the easiest option and places Kadir's girls and Gülriz in the first group and the six new girls in the second. It's what I would do had I been given the task. That way the choice of dance can be tailored to the skill level of each group. It also means that three of the new girls will still have a chance of winning the purple handkerchief.
The first group perform their dance. As I expected, it is a graceful and enticing display of the girls' dancing skills. Even Serhan Pasha is enthralled by what he sees. Gülriz is again the best of the six and is an obvious choice when Ahmed is called on to choose three of them to perform the final dance. Melek and a girl called Emete are the other two chosen by Ahmed. The girls withdraw and the introductory music starts for the second group of dancers.
"Stop!" shouts Serhan Pasha as soon as he recognises the music. "These girls must perform a dance equally difficult to the one we have just seen."
The performance is thrown into confusion. Admittedly the dance chosen by Afife is much simpler than the one performed by the previous group, but it is surely better for the new girls to perform a simple dance well than blunder their way through something more complex.
"What dance do you suggest, my husband?" asks Şah Sultan, far from happy at Serhan Pasha's interruption.
He promptly makes two or three suggestions, all of which he must know are well beyond the new girls' current dancing ability. Kadir seizes the opportunity to cause mischief by suggesting an easier dance, but one which requires eight dancers.
"Two of the girls not chosen from the first group can make up the numbers," says Kadir.
Kadir's motives are obvious. He anticipates ... probably rightly ... that the two rejected girls from the other group will be better dancers than any of the six new girls. Kadir can then pressure Ahmed into choosing them and only one from Ahmed's own harem for the final dance.
"The two additional girls must be new dancers," says Ahmed in a clever move to foil his brother's ploy.
"And where are we going to get more dancers from at short notice?" says Serhan Pasha. "We aren't going to hold up the entertainment while two girls are brought from the harem."
It's an ironic statement from Serhan Pasha. He is the one who has held up the entertainment with his objection to the chosen dance. But he is right about it taking too long to select, prepare and escort two more girls from the harem.
Afife quickly identifies one possible addition to the dancers. One of the young girls who arrived with Gülriz to help Afife with the dancers is just old enough to be considered. She hasn't received any training as a concubine, but apparently she can dance well. Her lack of formal training doesn't disqualify her from performing tonight. However, Şah Sultan, as matriach of the harem, could prohibit her from doing so on the grounds that she's too young. Serhan Pasha objects to Afife's proposal but Şah authorises the girl's inclusion. The eighth dancer comes as a shock to everybody. Me most of all. Anna von Erdödy stands up and announces that she will be the eighth dancer.
"Do you understand what you are doing?" asks Şah Sultan. "If my son awards you the purple handkerchief, then you will be sent to his bed tomorrow night."
"I understand," replies Anna. Şah Sultan simply nods in approval and Anna goes to join the other dancers.
Despite her words, I don't believe Anna has thought about what she is doing. I strongly suspect that Ahmed has secretly chosen one of the new girls to receive the purple handkerchief tonight. I'm sure it's why Ahmed has gone against his father's advice. The chances of Anna being given the purple handkerchief are therefore fairly low. But by dancing tonight she is also advertising that she regards herself as available for sexual liaisons. She is forfeiting any residual protection her marriage affords her in that respect. A pious Muslim like Sultan Suleiman would still respect her married status, but not all men of the dynasty are so devout. The likes of Kadir wouldn't hesitate to take advantage if he was so inclined. If Anna is playing games as part of an escape attempt, then good luck to her. She would be foolish to try to escape, but I'm not her jailer any more.
There's a short pause to give the dancers a chance to prepare. The dance proposed by Kadir doesn't involve too many coordinated moves and is fortunately one which the girls briefly practised with me. The music starts and the dance begins. As the dance progresses the initial group of eight breaks into two groups of four, and then into four pairs. What they lack in skill they make up for in enthusiasm. The audience appreciate their effort and the mistakes are quickly forgiven. Even Şah Sultan seems to approve, although her husband is clearly not impressed. Ahmed is engrossed in the performance and I think I detect which girl has caught his eye. I still have reservations about him choosing a sexually inexperienced girl, but that is his choice to make. However there is still one more dance after this and I doubt Kadir and Serhan Pasha will have finished playing their games.
The dance ends and I'm pleased that all eight girls have contributed to a lively, if flawed, performance. Ahmed points to the three girls he has chosen for the final dance; Aysun, Nuray and Anna. Based on dancing ability, I can't fault his choice, even though I would have been happier if Anna wasn't one of those selected. The young girl who made up the eight also deserved to be selected, but I think Ahmed felt uncomfortable choosing a girl who can only have recently reached puberty.
Kadir and his father are remarkably silent during the lengthy interlude before the final dance. They still appear confident that one of the more experienced girls will dance her way to victory. But Ahmed's choice doesn't need to be based on dancing ability alone. It's not so much the grace of the dancer that matters as her ability to fill Ahmed with desire for her body. The reality is that tonight's choice is about animal lust rather than establishing a longer term relationship. He's expected to make his choice based purely on a girl's physical appeal. It's why I think Ahmed might be better choosing an experienced girl like Gülriz. That's assuming he is willing to face Ramazan's anger. A longer term relationship with Aysun or Nuray could be put at risk by an unsatisfactory first union.
The final dance is ready to begin. I look at the girls standing by the door ready to make their entrance onto the dance floor. Even the older girls look nervous, and with good cause. I've practised a veil dance a few times, but never performed one before a male audience. The new girls have only received a description and they haven't practised one at all. They are reliant on their own imagination and courage, which ironically is probably the best approach to performing this dance. A veil dance has unmistakable sexual overtones, which is obviously why it is to be performed now. There are many versions of veil dances, varying in the number of veils a dancer wears, and whether the girl should end up naked or clothed. Of course a girl could accidentally lose her clothes during the dance if she's not careful. The trick is not to entangle yourself in the veils. The more veils you begin with, the harder the dance. I've practised one with five veils without mishap, but the famed dance of the seven veils is still too daunting for me to willingly attempt.