- Title: Whirling dervishes delight Amman audience
- Date: 1st June 2017
- Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (MAY 29, 2017) (REUTERS) WHIRLING DERVISHES, MEMBERS OF MAWLAWIA SUFI GROUP, ON STAGE VARIOUS OF DERVISHES SPINNING
- Embargoed: 15th June 2017 12:42
- Keywords: Jordan Amman musical show whirling dervishes holy month Ramadan nighs
- Location: AMMAN, JORDAN
- City: AMMAN, JORDAN
- Country: Jordan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA0016JG43TH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Whirling dervishes clad in white robes took to the stage in downtown Amman, entrancing audiences on one of the first nights of Ramadan.
The event is part of a month-long festival taking place during the holy month.
"Today, we kick off the Ramadan artistic evenings, in which we host religious and Sufi music performers from different countries including Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Serbia and Lebanon, as well as a Jordanian group," said Samir Kheir, director of cultural affairs at the Amman municipality.
"Our aim is to revive the city centre's cultural identity, and to mark the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan. We also want to celebrate the designation of Amman as the capital of Islamic culture for the year 2017," he added.
The evening featured a mystical Sufi song, music and dance show by the Egyptian group, Mawlawia, whose founder, Amer Tuni, said Sufi culture is an important part of Islamic heritage.
"One of the many characteristics of Islamic and Arab heritage is Sufi music. Sufi music uses all kinds of performing arts, including poetry, story-telling, music, song and choreographed dance. This is very evident in the Mawlawia performances," said Tuni, who formed the group in 1994.
Sufism is a mystical form of Islam with rituals that have been practised for centuries.
The Ramadan cultural evenings will continue throughout the month until the celebration of Eid-al Fitr. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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