Many visitors to Cairo are familiar with the whirling dervishes — the
stylized spinning dancers who perform across the city at cultural
centers, cruise ships, hotels and weddings.
The art form draws its roots from the ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a state of delirious oneness with God.
But Amr el-Toney, founder of the Mawlawiyah dervish dance troupe, says there are also parallels to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt.
El-Toney says there is evidence painted on the walls of temples and tombs that ancient Egyptian mystics would also whirl in circles as a form of meditation. Later, the 13th century Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic Jalaleddin Rumi used musical instruments and complex body movements for a similar purpose, and formed the original Mawlawiyah fraternity of Sufi Muslim mystics.
El-Toney's crew is more of a crowd-pleasing dance troupe than any sort of religious order, but he says the roots and the inspiration of the ancient Mawlawiyah shine through.
"We aim to keep the balance between the Sufi recitations and modern signing style, looking to leave our own heritage to the coming generations," el-Toney said. "All of the words of our recitations are about loving God."
Religious devotion is at the heart of almost everything. The spinning of the dervish dancers is partially meant to symbolize the way Muslim pilgrims performing the Hajj pilgrimage ritually circle the cube-shaped Kabaa in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, el-Toney said. Even the name of the troupe comes from the Arabic word "mawlana" which means "our lord" — a reference to God.
The dancers themselves earn between 100 and 250 Egyptian pounds (between $13 and $32) per performance. But many of them describe it as far more than just a job.
"I'm ready to dance for free, especially with the Mawlawiyah dervishes," said troupe members Ali Taha. "While whirling I feel like a white bird flying in the sky."
(AP)
In this Thursday, April 23, 2015 photo, whirling dervish Sayed Abdel
Basir, center, a member of the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance
Troupe spins during a performance at the ?El Sawy cultural center in
Cairo, Egypt. The dervishes perform across the city at cultural centers,
cruise ships, hotels and weddings. The art form draws its roots from
the ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a state of
delirious oneness with God.
In this Saturday, May 30, 2015 photo, whirling dervishes from the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe spin during a performance at
the 15th century El-Ghouri Palace, in Cairo, Egypt. Many visitors to
Cairo are familiar with whirling dervishes - the stylized spinning
dancers who perform across the city at cultural centers, cruise ships,
hotels and weddings. The art form draws its roots from the ecstatic
movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a state of delirious oneness
with God.
In this Thursday, April 23, 2015 photo, whirling dervishes from the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe during a performance at the
?El Sawy cultural center in Cairo, Egypt. Religious devotion is at the
heart of almost everything. The spinning of the dervishes is partially
meant to symbolize the way Muslim pilgrims performing the Hajj
pilgrimage ritually circle the cube-shaped Kabaa in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In this Thursday, May 28, 2015 photo, whirling dervish Ali Taha, a
member of the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, waits
backstage before a performance, at the ?El Sawy culture center in Cairo,
Egypt. The dancers earn between 100 and 250 Egyptian pounds (between
$13 and $32) per performance. But many of them describe it as far more
than just a job. "I'm ready to dance for free, especially with the
Mawlawiyah dervishes,” said Taha. “While whirling I feel like a white
bird flying in the sky."
In this Thursday, April 23, 2015 photo, a member of the Al-Tannoura
Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, jokes with Mahmoud Ahmed, 11, inside
their dressing room, before a performance at the ?El Sawy cultural
center in Cairo, Egypt. The dancers themselves earn between 100 and 250
Egyptian pounds (between $13 and $32) per performance. But many of them
describe it as far more than just a job. Ahmed attends school and leaves
the group temporary whenever he has to study for his exams.
In this Friday, June12, 2015 photo, Amr el-Toney, founder of the
Mawlawiyah dervish dance troupe prepares songs ahead of a performance at
the Darb 1718 cultural center in Cairo, Egypt. “We aim to keep the
balance between the Sufi recitations and modern signing style, looking
to leave our own heritage to the coming generations,” el-Toney said.
“All of the words of our recitations are about loving God.”
In this Thursday, April 30, 2015 photo, a whirling dervish spins during a
performance in collaboration with the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage
Dance Troupe at the El Dammah Theatre in Cairo, Egypt. The art form
draws its roots from the ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics
seeking a state of delirious oneness with God.
In this Thursday, April 23, 2015 photo, whirling dervish Sayed Abdel
Basir, center, a member of the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance
Troupe, prays inside a dressing room, before the group performs at the
?El Sawy cultural center in Cairo, Egypt. The dancers themselves earn
between 100 and 250 Egyptian pounds (between $13 and $32) per
performance. But many of them describe it as far more than just a job.
In this Friday, June 12, 2015 photo, whirling dervish Mahmoud Rizk,
spins during a performance held by the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage
Dance Troupe, at the Darb 1718 cultural center, in Cairo, Egypt. The
spinning of the dervish dancers is partially meant to symbolize the way
Muslim pilgrims perform the Hajj pilgrimage by ritually circling the
cube-shaped Kabaa in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In this Thursday, April 30, 2015 photo, musicians play tambourines
during a performance in collaboration with the Al-Tannoura Egyptian
Heritage Dance Troupe at the ?El Dammah Theatre in Cairo, Egypt. Many
visitors to Cairo are familiar with whirling dervishes as the stylized
spinning dancers who perform across the city at cultural centers, cruise
ships, hotels and weddings. The art form draws its roots from the
ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a state of delirious
oneness with God.
In this Saturday, May 30, 2015 photo, whirling dervishes members of the
Al-Tannura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage
Dance Troupe spin during a performance at the 15th century Ghouri
Palace, in Cairo, Egypt. Religious devotion is at the heart of almost
everything. The spinning of the dervish dancers is partially meant to
symbolize the way Muslim pilgrims performing the Hajj pilgrimage
ritually circle the cube-shaped Kabaa in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
In this Thursday, April 23, 2015 photo, whirling dervishes memebers of
the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, take a 'selfie' in a
dressing room, before their performance at the ?El Sawy culture center
in Cairo, Egypt. The dancers themselves earn between 100 and 250
Egyptian pounds (between $13 and $32) per performance. But many of them
describe it as far more than just a job.
In this Thursday, April 30, 2015 photo, a whirling dervish part of the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, spins during a performance
at the El Dammah Theatre in Cairo, Egypt. The art form draws its roots
from the ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a state of
delirious oneness with God.
In this Thursday, May 28, 2015 photo, whirling dervish Ali Taha, a
member of the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, poses for a
photograph backstage before a performance, at the ?El Sawy culture
center, in Cairo, Egypt. The dancers earn between 100 and 250 Egyptian
pounds (between $13 and $32) per performance. But many of them describe
it as far more than just a job. "I'm ready to dance for free, especially
with the Mawlawiyah dervishes,” said Taha. “While whirling I feel like a
white bird flying in the sky."
In this Thursday, April 30, 2015 photo, a whirling dervish with the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe spins the El Dammah Theatre
in Cairo, Egypt. Many visitors to Cairo are familiar with the Whirling
Dervishes the stylized spinning dancers who perform across the city at
cultural centers, cruise ships, hotels and weddings. The art form draws
its roots from the ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a
state of delirious oneness with God.
In this Thursday, May 28, 2015 photo, Amr el-Toney, center, founder of
the Mawlawiyah dervish dance troupe, directs dervishes from the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, at the El Sawy culture
center in Cairo, Egypt. “We aim to keep the balance between the Sufi
recitations and modern signing style, looking to leave our own heritage
to the coming generations,” el-Toney says. “All of the words of our
recitations are about loving God.”
In this Thursday, April 30, 2015 photo, a whirling dervish from the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, interacts with the audience,
during a performance at the El Dammah Theatre in Cairo, Egypt. Many
Egyptians and visitors to Cairo are familiar with the Whirling Dervishes
as the stylized spinning dancers who perform across the city at
cultural centers, cruise ships, hotels and weddings. The art form draws
its roots from the ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a
state of delirious oneness with God.
In this Friday, June 12, 2015 photo, whirling dervishes from the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, from left to right, Mahmoud
Rizk, Ali Taha, Ahmed Elhely, and Sayed Abdel Basir, laugh after a
performance, at the Darb 1718culture center, in Cairo, Egypt. The
dancers earn between 100 and 250 Egyptian pounds (between $13 and $32)
per performance. But many of them describe it as far more than just a
job.
In this Friday, June 12, 2015 photo, whirling dervishes from the
Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, from right to left, Mahmoud
Rizk, Ali Taha, and Sayed Abdel Basir, ride their motorbikes as they
leave a performance at the Darb 1718 culture center, in Cairo, Egypt.
The dancers earn between 100 and 250 Egyptian pounds (between $13 and
$32) per performance. But many of them describe it as far more than just
a job.
In this Thursday, April 23, 2015 photo, whirling dervish Mahmoud Rizk, a
member of the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, adjusts his
"sikke," a brown tall felt cap made of camel wool, backstage before a
performance, at the ?El Sawy cultural center in Cairo, Egypt. The
Whirling Dervishes art form draws its roots from the ecstatic movements
of Sufi Muslim mystics seeking a state of delirious oneness with God.
Religious devotion is at the heart of almost everything. The spinning of
the dervish dancers is partially meant to symbolize the way Muslim
pilgrims performing the Hajj pilgrimage ritually circle the cube-shaped
Kabaa in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
