The Zar and Sufi are religions that use drumming and dancing in the ceremonies. Both ore of particular interest because both are practiced in the Middle East. 

The Zar 
The largest number of practitioners are today found in the Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia - places which have traditions which have disappeared today in Egypt. The zar today is practiced more as a relaxation and as spiritual healing for stressed or troubled persons. The sacrificial animal may or may not be a part of this modern ceremony. In Sudan they are outlawed by Shari'a law in 1983 but it would appear that ceremonies are on the increase. The Zar is technically prohibited by Islam. Most leaders of Zar are women and most participants are women. 

Diriye Abdullahi, a native of Somalia, says that the zar is basically a dance of spirits, or a religious dance - kind of leftover from the old African deities, a variant of what we describe in the west as "voodoo". The old African deities were headed by two figures; Azuzar (the male, assoc. with Osiris) and Ausitu (the female, known in the west as Isis). Ausitu (or Aysitu in Somalia) is still celebrated and given offerings by pregnant women so that she will provide them with a safe birth. He describes it as a ritual dance which is mostly observed by women, especially older women. This corresponds to the practice of older African religions, in which older women were the priestesses. He maintains that younger women, especially unmarried women, are not generally thought to be "worthy of a visit by the spirit of Zar, who chooses domicile or residence in the person who is his choice." 

"Each woman moved to the pulse of the drum .... The sick woman's movement increased in intensity and speed, her eyes half closed, she appeared totally oblivious of her surroundings, abandoning herself completely to the dance. Her movements flowed freely from the inside out, from her torso to her limbs, gaining strength and speed as she came full circle around the imposing altar to where the helpers were... till finally, she threw her arms up and was about to fall, but the Kodia guided her to the floor..." 
-From a description of an Egyptian Zar ceremony 

The Zar is not an "exorcism" as people often describe it because the spirit is accommodated and placated; it is not exorcised. The patient is advised to "be continually attentive to her spirits, perform such daily work as they require, avoid dirt, and refrain from negative emotion." Failure to do this may result in a relapse. The fact that this advice is as valid for modern western women as it is for zar patients testifies to the very practical nature of the zar experience.

The Zar ritual is a cathartic experience, which functions for women in these cultures as effectively as does psychotherapy in western culture. It involves several critical aspects which all contribute to its success as therapy:
1) the patient is the center of attention, and receives the help and concern of her friends and relatives. Her experience and feelings are recognized as valid. As Dance Therapist Claire Schmais explains, "It is community based, followers and members are not sent away to be cured'....it creates a sense of community while it heals, embracing the individual within a community. 2) Rituals are used to creating the setting. It has specific players and roles: a leader, a drum core, a "patient" and participants. These rituals include an altar, the smell of incense, and costumes. Songs are chanted and drums play trance-like rhythms. The zar provides a multisensory experience with sights, sounds and smells. 3) The ritual sharing of food, which creates communion in all cultures and times. 

1) Through the sense of "moving together", a sense of closeness builds between members of the group. This is true whether the participants are trained as dancers, or not. Also, the experience of being the center of
attention is, in itself, a therapeutic experience, when surrounded by friends. A gathering at the time of crisis in someone's life, one of welcome, or one to say farewell would be entirely natural.

2) "Ritual" can mean something as simple as burning incense, placing flowers in a room, or lighting candles. Anyone who has performed for an audience can appreciate how important it is to "set the stage", and create
an appropriate mood. Wearing costumes is certainly familiar to all of us as part of what makes the dance a special experience. Something as simple as handling out hip scarves and veils at a dance "demo-lecture" can add to the experience for non-dancers. As dancers, we can also testify to the hypnotic effect created when the right drum rhythms are used. The function of the "leader" is also important because it keeps the group on track, and frees everyone else from worrying about "what to do next". The drums also serve to focus everyone's attention on the ritual aspect of what's happening, and set the mood and flow of the event with rhythm. 
3) Eating together is a familiar way to end the ritual which brings people closer together, and helps each one 

The Sufi 
This is another religious dance.

The Whirling Dervishes belong to the Sufi and of course there are great difficulties in presenting what really is meant to be a religious activity as a stage performance. I saw them at Whitby and there they did really try to get the audience involved and the leader attempted to get the audience involved so as to experience even a hint of what the whole thing was about. People were very willing though turning constantly in one direction simply got you giddy and gave you more leg strain rather than spiritual fulfillment. My boyfriend seemed to have the sense not to do this but instead stand on one spot and gently swing his arms to and fro. Yes he reported there is definitely something to it, though the music was perhaps too "New Age" more simpler and acoustic drums may have been better. But it must have struck some note somewhere as the Sufi leader went to the trouble of seeking him out and had a long chat with him. So what was the conversation all about? The one thing that he reported that the Sufi leader said that in Everyone, European or not, has the potential, you need to find the key.