Egyptian dancers on show in Jakarta
Egyptian dancers on show in Jakarta
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Spinning and spinning, the man wearing a multicolored,
multilayered skirt over his traditional white Egyptian galabea
costume spun round and round, all the colors of his costume
becoming a blur of rainbow mozaic.
Spinning to the music and without stopping, he suddenly threw
a layer of his skirt over his head, enveloping him and turning
himself into a beautiful giant spinning top. Then up went the
skirt altogether, spinning high above his head, like a huge
martabak dough ready to be fried.
It was a treat to see the Tanura, the Sufi mystical dervish
dance, reenacted here in Jakarta as part of the month-long
JakArt@2003 festival, by the Reda Folkloric Troupe from Cairo,
Egypt.
The whirling dance was not a sacred dance, of course, but
rather a modified, and secular, version inspired by the many
traditional dances in 27 regions of Egypt.
But it was steeped in symbolism, nevertheless. The spinning
signified the heavenly bodies encircling the sun and the
discarding of skirts the abandonment of worldly ties.
Since Mahmoud Reda established the Reda Folkloric Troupe in
1959, the company has enthralled many audiences in more than 60
countries, and introduced them to the richness and magic of
Egyptian dance.
Starting off with only 15 dancers, Reda Folkloric Troupe now
has more than 150 members, including dancers, musicians and
technicians. The group has presented more than 300 shows
including dances, folkloric songs and ballads.
The group is endorsed by the Egyptian government and has
traveled extensively throughout Egypt to collect folk dances and
promote them to the world.
Reda Folkloric Troupe will perform at the opening of IDOLS
photography exhibition at 7:30 p.m. on June 11, 2003, at Senayan
Square, South Jakarta. For more information call JakArt@ at 021-
5265762, 2524705.
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Spinning and spinning, the man wearing a multicolored,
multilayered skirt over his traditional white Egyptian galabea
costume spun round and round, all the colors of his costume
becoming a blur of rainbow mozaic.
Spinning to the music and without stopping, he suddenly threw
a layer of his skirt over his head, enveloping him and turning
himself into a beautiful giant spinning top. Then up went the
skirt altogether, spinning high above his head, like a huge
martabak dough ready to be fried.
It was a treat to see the Tanura, the Sufi mystical dervish
dance, reenacted here in Jakarta as part of the month-long
JakArt@2003 festival, by the Reda Folkloric Troupe from Cairo,
Egypt.
The whirling dance was not a sacred dance, of course, but
rather a modified, and secular, version inspired by the many
traditional dances in 27 regions of Egypt.
But it was steeped in symbolism, nevertheless. The spinning
signified the heavenly bodies encircling the sun and the
discarding of skirts the abandonment of worldly ties.
Since Mahmoud Reda established the Reda Folkloric Troupe in
1959, the company has enthralled many audiences in more than 60
countries, and introduced them to the richness and magic of
Egyptian dance.
Starting off with only 15 dancers, Reda Folkloric Troupe now
has more than 150 members, including dancers, musicians and
technicians. The group has presented more than 300 shows
including dances, folkloric songs and ballads.
The group is endorsed by the Egyptian government and has
traveled extensively throughout Egypt to collect folk dances and
promote them to the world.
Reda Folkloric Troupe will perform at the opening of IDOLS
photography exhibition at 7:30 p.m. on June 11, 2003, at Senayan
Square, South Jakarta. For more information call JakArt@ at 021-
5265762, 2524705.