Cairo's dervishes spin for their supper
Religious devotion is at the heart of the stylized spinning.
Color and devotion
A whirling dervish 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.
Religious devotion is at the heart
Whirling dervishes from the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe during a performance in April at the El Sawy cultural center in Cairo, Egypt. Religious devotion is at the heart of almost everything.
Cairo's dervishes take selfies, too
Whirling dervishes, members 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.
Prayer before performance
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.
Rooted in ecstatic movements of Sufi Muslim mystics
Whirling dervish Mahmoud Rizk, adjusts his "sikke," a brown tall felt cap made of camel wool, backstage before a performance in late April. 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.
"Like a white bird flying in the sky"
Whirling dervish Ali Taha, a member of the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, waits backstage before a performance in May in Cairo, Egypt. "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."
Seeking a state of delirious oneness with God
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.
Stylized spinning dancers
Whirling dervishes from the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe spin during a performance in late May 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.
Religious devotion is at the heart
Whirling dervishes members of the Al-Tannura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe spin during a performance in May at the 15th century Ghouri Palace, in Cairo, Egypt. Religious devotion is at the heart of almost everything.
Interacting with audience
A whirling dervish 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.
Art form rooted in religion
Whirling dervish Sayed Abdel Basir, center, spins during an April performance in Cairo, Egypt.
After hours
Whirling dervishes from the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe, from left, Mahmoud Rizk, Ali Taha, Ahmed Elhely, and Sayed Abdel Basir, laugh after a performance, at the Darb 1718 culture center, in Cairo, Egypt.
After the performance
Whirling dervishes Mahmoud Rizk, right, Ali Taha, and Sayed Abdel Basir, ride their motorbikes as they leave a performance in Cairo, Egypt.
Movement with meaning
A whirling dervish spins during an April performance in collaboration with the Al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe at the El Dammah Theatre in Cairo, Egypt.
Spinning for supper
Whirling dervish Mahmoud Rizk, spins during a performance last week at the Darb 1718 cultural center, in Cairo, Egypt.