HER paintings illustrate the development of dancing through the centuries. She spent years researching this subject. In her latest exhibition, “Enchanted”, Sanaa Ezz Eddin, an Egyptian artist, has achieved her dream with these paintings. "My paintings show the magic of the old days through the development of Coptic, Islamic and religious dancing," says Sanaa, born in 1943. In some of her paintings, she focuses on Sufi dance. One of her paintings shows some male Sufi dancers in action at a religious ritual, with two angels in the sky above them. In the same painting, there are also some verses of Sufi poetry derived from Sheikh Akbar Ibn el-Arabi's (1164-1245) volume Tarjuman Al- Ashwaq. These verses say: “My heart has become capable of every form. It is a pasture for gazelles and a convent for Christian monks. It's also a temple for idols and the pilgrims [to the] Ka'ba and the tables of the Torah and the book of the Qur'an. I follow the religion of love, whatever way love's camels take, that is my religion and my faith.” "Sufi dance is very spiritual. I've seen it in Turkey and in Islamic Cairo at el-Darawish Theatre near Amir Taz Palace. The Sufi verses I use in my paintings have a universal message. It means that because we love God we should love everything He has created," Sanaa told The Egyptian Gazette in an interview. Sufi dance has a very special characteristic, as it relies heavily on the dancers' unlimited movement in circles. This circular motion reflects a special philosophical concept in Islamic Sufi rituals, known as the Mulawia. The dancers start revolving slowly, and then they get faster and faster. Believers in this concept see the universe stems from the same rotation. Moving in circles, the dancer alleviates his wordily burdens, reaching ecstasy in a symbolical attempt to approach Heaven. The dance is full of philosophical concepts, reflecting man's spiritual dilemma in understanding the universe from the Sufi point of view. "This dancing has many noble characteristics and a deep connection to God," she stresses. “It has many religious themes and has also been enriched by Egyptian folklore.” The well-known Egyptian musical rhythms, slow, moderate and fast, add to the action and the spiritual impact of the dance. The very rich and colourful costumes the dancers wear reflect the local environment, having an added impact. There is another painting of some female washm (tattoo) dancers. "Those dancers used to sit in the moulids, offering to tattoo girls and women," adds the artist, who was awarded her doctorate in the design and printing of textiles by the Faculty of Applied Arts in 1992. Sanaa uses cheerful colours in her paintings, giving them a festive atmosphere. "I'm a cheerful person and I like colours," she says. “Enchanted”, an exhibition by Egyptian artist Sanaa Ezz Eddin, is being held at Doroub Art Gallery, 4 Latin America St., Isis Blg, Garden City (2796-2881). The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 9pm, except for Fridays, until June 30.
