The Sufi Tannoura Dance (Al Darawish)

A friend of mine was here in Cairo, so I decided to take her to this amazing performance.

This Sufi- type of the Tannoura dance has a very special characteristic as it relies heavily on the dancer’s unlimited moves in circles. This rounded move is a reflection of a special philosophical concept in the Islam Sufi rituals known as the Mulawia sect. Believers of this concept see the universe stems from the same point of rotation. As the universe starts and ends from the same point, the senior dancer (Lafife) who represents the sun, will always start and end his movement from that point. Meantime, the junior dancers (Hanatia), representing the stars,will be moving around him.

They all move against the clock, in a concurrent circles echoing the four seasons and very much like the pilgrims’ movement around Kaba (The Muslims’ holy shrine).

 

 

Once the senior dancer stretches his right hand upward while the pointing down with his left hand, he would be establishing the connection between the earth and the sky.
  Moving in circles, the dancer is very much like alleviating his wordily burdens, reaching ecstasy in a symbolical attempt to approach heaven. Once he unties the belt around his waist, the dancer would be rhetorically moving upward to heaven. 
    
The dance is full of philosophical concepts reflecting the man’s spiritual dilemma in understanding the universe from the Sufis’ point of view. However, this dance which involves the many religious perspectives of life that could be found at many Muslims states, has been enriched by the colorful variations of the folk Egyptian life style. 

 
 

 

  

The well- known Egyptian musical rhythms that flutter from slow, moderate to accelerated tone add to the action and the spiritual impact of the dance. The very rich and colorful costumes which are authentic reflections of the local environment in Egypt, have been an added value to this dance. Moreover, the verses accompanying Tannoura echoes the Egyptians’ understanding of life and the universe around them.

    

 

Therefore, the Tannoura dance is very much a popular folk Egyptian dance rather than a religious one concerned with the direct religious ritual. This dance is also a reflection of the super quality of the performed action and the integration of the mental and intellectual skills of the dancers.  The praise of the Prophet and the Muslim Saints (Mawlawia), along with other accompanying folk songs, depict the values of friendship, generosity, wisdom and mercy.