CAIRO: Last week audiences at the Rawabet Theater in Downtown Cairo were treated to a stunning performance of contemporary dance. Shari'a, or a “Street” in Arabic, consisted of various interrelated contemporary dance performances by seven dancers. The show was directed and choreographed by Mounir Saeed, a members of the Cramp Contemporary Dance workshop, and was performed last Monday and Tuesday night. On the opening night, the audience was brimming, packing the small theater well beyond its means, in the anticipation of seeing their favorite performers. Dancers began the show with an impressive show of agility, strength and coordination. Each of the performers also presented their own solos showcasing their art individually as well. Performances took a symbolic tone rapidly moving from one theme to another. A combination of humor, thoughtfulness and the dancers effectively reflected the dreams, frustration, and trials and tribulations found on the streets of Cairo. With unfailing vigor and energy the dancers continued to skillfully perform throughout the night to the very end. Though the show was recently criticized for a lack of professionalism, the audience by all means was highly engrossed in the performance. Each performer had varying levels of range and years of experience but what a performer may have lacked in years of professional experience was reclaimed by their ability to captivate, communicate and engage the willing audience through the universal language of movement. Lighting and set design was simple but allowed the audience focus to concentrate solely the movement of the dancer. Scenes were enhanced with live acoustic music giving each performance a natural rhythm and melody. Non-Arabic speakers could be relieved to find that the show's principal message could be understood through the universal language of movement. Take a look at the video below to see some of the performances most vivid scenes. Rawabet is a theater neatly tucked in between Townhouse Center for the Arts and dozens of coffee cafes behind Talaat Harb Square where Cairo's art community often gathers. The theatre often hosts a collection of free art performances. Check the schedule in downtown Cairo for more listings of upcoming dance, theatre and musical performances. BM
