Whirling Dervishes in Cairo facts:
Cairo’s Whirling Dervishes are members of the Mawlaiyya sect of Sufis, followers of a semi-mystical branch of Islam. Sufis were originally associated with poverty and self-denial and wore rough woolen clothes next to their skin – the name Sufi originates from suf the Arabic for wool.
Sufis aspire, through meditation, recitation, dance, and music, to attain union with God. The Whirling Dervishes, so called because of their ritual spinning dance, offer a rare glimpse of this otherwise underground phenomenon.
The group performs twice-weekly at the Al-Ghouri Complex. Questions of authenticity aside, the show is a marvelous spectacle.
Dancers in brightly colored outfits turn like spinning tops while a line of musicians creates a hypnotic pulse, tossing their heads jerkily from side to side. Performances are popular so it is necessary to arrive well before the 8 pm start time to be sure of a seat.
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