An intimate yet universal portrait of struggle, resilience, and belonging.
Just One Tile: A Span and a Fist
Islam Elarabi
© Moustafa Abdelaty
30'
Just One Tile: A Span and a Fist
Islam Elarabi
© Moustafa Abdelaty
30'
“Where I come from, a tile can become a stage,” says Egyptian choreographer and dancer Islam Elarabi, describing his autobiographical solo. A performance that blends contemporary dance with mahraganat, a musical style that emerged in Cairo’s working-class neighborhoods in the early 2000s (a disruptive expression of a rebellious young generation, later known as the “sound of revolt” of the Arab Spring). Elarabi asserts the dignity of a community and an art form that carries with it social, political, and emotional depth.
Power, pride, fear, anger, and joy take shape in a dance that blends physical power and poetic sensibility. *Just One Tile* conveys the urgency, hope, and desire for freedom of those who continue to dance in defiance of all forms of oppression.
Double Bill: A Night of Resistance
The show is part of the "A Night of Resistance" event and is followed by *Black*, a dance performance by Ivorian choreographer and performer Oulouy.