Dance of Osman Taka

The Dance of Osman Taka (Albanian: Vallja Çame e Osman Takës), Greek: Οσμαντάκας or Σαμαντάκας) is a traditional dance in Greece and Albania. In Albania it is mainly danced by Cham Albanians. The dance bears the name of Osman Taka, a 19th-century Muslim Cham Albanian guerilla fighter who fought against Ottoman forces. It is a famous variation from the Albanian Cham repertoire of the older Çamçe dance.

Osman Taka was jailed in Yanina and was sentenced to death. When he was asked to give his final wish, he wanted to dance. The folk tradition says that his dance was so beautiful that the local gendarmes of the Ottoman army, did not execute him. After some days he was caught again and was killed in Konispol.

The dance follows a strict tempo with emphasis in the "attitude, style and grace" of the dancer. It is a 2
4 meter with steps "slow-quick-quick". The dance is a row dance, with a lead dancer performing skillfully executed steps. He then drops to his knees, arches his back and extends his chest upward, forming a bridge. The other dancers then step forward onto the lead dancer's stomach and dance on top of his stomach. The dancers hold each other from the hands, bend 90 degrees upwards at the elbows. It takes a sturdy hand, especially if you are supporting the first or last person of the line. This symbolizes the strength and centrality of the lead dancer as he forms a bridge with his body for the other men to cross over.

The dance is part of the repertoire of Epirote music in Greece and of the Cham music in Albania. The Dance of Osman Taka is a Cham dance well known throughout Albania and has been performed at some number of national occasions. The dance is performed alongside instrumental accompaniment of lute, violin, tambourine with clarinet alongside vocals.

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