CAIRO: While protests rage outside the Ministry of Interior hoping to finish a revolution by deposing a military regime that never quite left, other groups have been marking this one-year anniversary in celebration of events, that, while maybe unfinished, have nonetheless forever changed Egyptian history. Seminars and forums with academics and parliamentarians, such as University of Cairo political science professor Amr Hamzawy, have drawn intellectuals; social media bloggers and students have met at multi-media launch parties such as the “18 Days in Egypt” evening event; and the Cairo Opera House put on a gathering last week of some of Egypt's best known artistic talent to present their own celebration of the revolution. This star-studded performance—the 25th of January Revolution Celebration—included poets reading new work about the Tahrir Square protests, singers Reham Abd el Hakim and Mohammed el Helwa performing traditional songs, Selim Sahab's orchestra, and Omar Khayrat conducting his original compositions. Khayrat also composed the music for choreographer and ballet director Erminia Kamel's new dance piece, The January 25th Revolution. The evening, which began with a moment of silence honoring the martyrs of the revolution, opened with Kamel's dance depicting Egyptians in white, suffering, protesting and assaulted by young men in military uniforms. By the time dancer Sahar Helmy Helaly appeared on stage in a brilliant emerald gown as mother Egypt, many in the audience were in tears. Helaly is one of only two Egyptian women in Kamel's Cairo Ballet Company. “I lose so many young Egyptian girls in my ballet school,” said Kamel. “They so often don't stay after a certain age due to pressure—from their families, society, their peers. They show up in my office one day in a hijab and say they cannot continue.” This problem is nothing, however, says Kamel, compared to what she fears for the future of this Western art form under an Islamic Parliament. “I am very worried,” she says. “Our entire budget is in Parliament's hands.” ** The authors of this piece blog at Egyptunplugged BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/tkJe6 Tags: Jan25, MOI, Protests, Revolution Section: Egypt, Op-ed
