Al Tannoura (September 2010)
Dance is always beautiful, reflected in the movement of life itself from
a butterfly flitting around the jasmine bush in my garden to the elegance of
classical dance and the rich tempo of modern jazz; but when it is performed
as a deeply spiritual movement I find it very inspirational.
Such was the case; I realized when I saw the ‘Dance of the Skirt’ for the
first time, performed by the Al 'Tannoura' Dance Group of Cairo, Egypt’s
main Sufi dance troupe. ‘Tannoura’ literally means ‘skirt’ in Arabic, but by
extension it can also mean the dance itself.
I have always found concentric circles appealing whatever the source.
Whenever I am near water, I love to throw pebbles just to watch the ripples
of circles that ensue – an ongoing process of creation. It is this
rotational movement that is a source of great inspiration to me in my
paintings, doodling and photography – and now I understood why in the
spiritual chanting, and whirling movement of this ancient dance form of
religious worship in remembrance of the Prophet and Muslim saints of the
ages.
Al Tannoura is a ritualistic dance that describes a spiritual journey. It
involves many religious perspectives of life that can be found throughout
the Muslim world. It is a dance akin to the one performed by the Mehlewi
Whirling Dervishes but indigenous to Egypt.
Infused with religious chanting and distinctly religious elements, it is not
solely rooted in the Sufi tradition. According to some historians, its use
in religious festivals predates the Mehlewi form founded in Turkey in 1273
CE by followers of Jalal al-Din Mohammed Rumi. Known as the Whirling
Dervishes, it has spread throughout the world – each order manifesting the
dance within its own cultural and spiritual understanding.
The dance unfolding before me, enriched by the colorful variations of
Egyptian folklore, was complimented by the beautiful musical rhythms unique
to Egypt that enhanced the spiritual impact of the dance. The tempo, rhythm,
swirling movements and the artistry of the dancers in the way they
manipulated their ‘tannouras’ ensured that we were mesmerized by the
soothing music and rainbows of colour that embraced us for a moment.
Within the Sufi tradition, the nai (reed flute) holds great significance as
a metaphor. The wind passing through the instrument is not just the breath
of the individual musician, but the breath of God. Indeed, the aim of
concentric whirling by the Sufi dancer is to reach the source of all
perfection, by abandoning one's personal desires and ego, by listening to
the musical accompaniment, by focusing on the one God, and spinning one's
body in repetitive circles; a movement symbolic of planets in the Solar
System orbiting the sun, or as also pointed out akin to the movement of
worshippers walking in circles anticlockwise around the Ka’bah in Mecca,
Islam’s holiest shrine.
The dance is thus a spiritual journey to inner purity, and contrary to
popular belief, it is not to attain a trance like state; but rather a state
of lucidity and clarity, at one with God.
Although performed by a larger group, my photos concentrate on the main
soloist performer that made it easier to capture the artistic movements
central to this hypnotic spiritual ceremony. The whirling can last up to 45
minutes, varying in speed according to the rhythm of the music delivered by
the rababa (folk fiddle), the symbolic nai (reed flute), sagat (cymbals),
and tabla (traditional arabic drum).
Coupled with the beautiful chanting, this unique moment of spiritual clarity
gave us a glimpse into a world where friendship, generosity, wisdom and
mercy unite us … a pause for hope and nourishment for the soul
Dodi Tabbaa 2010