Qassem Amin, a dance performance staged by the Egyptian Modern Dance Theatre Company, has been released on Egypt’s culture ministry’s YouTube channel.
The performance was first staged back in 2010 when it carried the title, The Women of Qassem Amin.
It was reworked and staged under the title, Qassem Amin: The Emancipation of the Women in February 2015.
“Who better than Qassem Amin to embody the history of the emancipation of women in the late 19th century?” states Lamia Al-Sadaty in her review of Aouni’s work in French-language publication Al-Ahram Hebdo.
Amin (1863-1908) was an Egyptian jurist and one of the leaders of the modern Arab renaissance.
Al-Sadaty explains that Aouni captured with ease the complex socio-cultural references around Amin, and transported them through dance onto the stage. “The choreographer has praised the female body; he uses it to express deep feelings.”
Qassem Amin: The Emancipation of Women performed at the Cairo Opera House (Photo: Bassam Al-Zoghby)
Aouni is best known for his work over two decades with the Egyptian Modern Dance Theatre Company, during which time he served as its choreographer and artistic director. Since its founding in the early 1990s, the company has staged over 25 performances designed by Aouni.
Aouni has also directed many ceremonies for the ministry of culture and the ministry of armed forces. He has also contributed to various other national celebrations in Egypt.
After he stepped down from management of the troupe after the January 2011 revolution, Aouni has returned over the past years with a few contributions to the dance scene with the same company. One of his latest works is titled, Domoo’ Hadid (Hadid’s Tears), which sheds light on renowned Iraqi-British architect, Zaha Hadid, and it was staged at the Cairo Opera House on numerous occasions. The performance has participated in Bahrain’s Spring of Culture in February 2020.
The release of Qassem Amin: The Emancipation of the Women on YouTube comes within the culture ministry’s ‘Culture Between Your Hands,’ an initiative that aims to bring theatre performances, concerts, and other cultural events to audiences amid the current shutdown of theatres, cinemas, and concert halls over the coronavirus pandemic.
This article was originally posted on Ahram Online on Tuesday, June 16, 2020. To read the full article, click here
This post was written by the author in their personal capacity.The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of The Theatre Times, their staff or collaborators.
This post was written by Ahram Online.
The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.
