Al Fajr, Marie (France/Egypt)

Marie has been dancing since her early youth and has learned various dance techniques and forms of physical training. She studied Egyptian dance with Suraya Hilal from 1989 to 2004 and subsequently worked closely with her. Marie al Fajr is a highly qualified dancer and teacher. She has danced with the Hilal Dance Company, holds a diploma from the Hilal School in London, and is certified as a licensed teacher at the highest level by Hilal Art Foundation.

Today, she has her own company and contributes to creating a modern form of Egyptian dance that is still rooted in traditional aesthetics. Since the age of 15, she has travelled extensively in Middle Eastern countries. She gained her in-depth understanding of Arabian art and culture through her academic studies (diploma in the Arabic language and aesthetics of Arabic art). For several years now, she has established her second home in Cairo and has developed a sensibility for Arab and European culture. Here, she gets her inspiration, always searching for authentic forms of the country’s traditions – tahtib, sufi-zhikr and other popular expressions, including music. These impressions feed her research and help her to cultivate a contemporary expression in her choreography and teaching. With her talent, knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm, she is invited to international workshops throughout Europe.

Marie Al Fajr has created and danced in numerous stage productions. Her major achievements that are ground-breaking in the art form are Schemm en Nassim – une odeur de brise (2004) and Roda ou le jardin des desires (2009).

Schemm en Nassim is a sublime contemporary dance performance based on the traditional Egyptian dance language, inspired by ancient Egyptian aesthetics. The programme has been officially invited to Egypt and was performed in the Forum for Independent Theatre Groups in Bibliotheca Alexandria, attracting enormous public interest and press coverage.  Shemm en Nassim has also been performed in Germany, France and Italy and is available on DVD.

Marie Al Fajr’s latest programme, Roda, premiered at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris in 2009. Once again, with her creative genius, she transcends tradition without separating from it. In both programmes, Marie Al Fajr works with the well-known Egyptian-Armenian composer Georges Kazazian, who shares a similar creative path.

DVD tip Schemm En Nassim

Heinle, Claudia (Germany/Switzerland)

While studying politics and management at the universities  Konstanz Copenhagen and  Jerusalem, she developed a special interest in Middle Eastern culture and discovered her passion for Egyptian dance. In 1992 she met the choreographer Suraya Hilal with whom she trained for 12 years to become a fully qualified dancer and teacher licensed by Hilal Art Foundation.

As manager of Suraya Hilal, she produced two major stage programmes, touring all over Europe with the company and the musicians and performing at prestigious festivals and theatres including Queen Elisabeth Hall in London, Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, Cankarjec Dom in Ljubljana, Theaterspektakel in Zurich, Café de la Dance in Paris, Tanzhaus in Düsseldorf, Tanzhaus in Stockholm, and Gothenburg Festival, among others. During this time, she actively contributed to establishing a unique aesthetic rooted in Egypt’s rich dance and music culture. She produced numerous CDs and dance videos under the label of Hilal Art. In 1996, she founded tanz raum, a company that is today an international platform for Egyptian dance and music and an independent music label. She founded her own dance company, Cie tanz raum in 2006 with Ibrahim el Minyawi, Caroline Chevat and Karin Schemmann, and is a dancer for Cie Al Fajr (Paris). She performed with the latter at the International Festival of Independent Theatre Groups in Bibliotheca Alexandria, Egypt, in 2009.

Claudia draws inspiration from her work with other artists and through training to further develop her dance, teaching and creative processes. She studied with the Chinese doctor Wu Runjin in 2004 and 2005 to learn about the flow of chi and to gain a deeper understanding of Eastern philosophy. Through tanz raum music projects, she has undertaken regular and extensive research trips to different parts of Egypt. In 2008 she completed her teacher’s certificate in GIROKINESIS®. In 2009 she was awarded a certificate from the Arab Republic of Egypt (El Minya Governorate) for her excellent performance at an  two-week course on tahtib with artistic director and dancer Yahia Abdel Alim.

Claudia teaches at an international level and her dance productions, which include Aluaan, Voices from Egypt, and Abyad, are characterized by her personal style and passionate commitment. They have been performed in Germany, Switzerland and France. The complete version of Abyad with live music by Ibrahim El Minyawi and Ali El Minyawi celebrated its premiere in February 2008 in Switzerland. The programme has also been officially invited to Lebanon and Egypt.

DVD tip Abyad