The Temple Dancer

Description

Tawfiq al-Hakim’s eyes were opened to the world of art early on, through the window of Muhammad Ali Street, which represented a microcosm of the world of traditional Arabic music ensembles, instrumentalists, and the masters of the “Awalem” (a type of traditional Arabic music). This experience left a profound mark on his soul and mind, to the point that he decided to draw inspiration from the model of “Usta Hamida al-Iskandaraniyya,” whom he met early in his life and who was the direct cause of his passion for art and his love of music and singing, a passion that would remain with him throughout his life. In “The Temple Dancer,” al-Hakim dedicates his two short texts to the first person who taught him the word “art.” “Usta Hamida” appears in the book as an artistic model and an objective correlative from which al-Hakim views the world of the “Awalem,” the traditional Arabic music ensembles, and the Muhammad Ali bands and instrumentalists. This is in the first piece, which he titled “The Awalem,” and its events take place on a train traveling from Cairo Station to Alexandria, carrying an oriental music ensemble to perform at an event in the home of a prominent figure. Then comes the second text, from which the book takes its title, “The Temple Dancer.” Its events also unfold on a train traveling from Salzburg to Paris, punctuated by a passionate encounter between a writer and a dancer.

A delightful artistic experience, rich in depth and simplicity, captured by the author with his refined sensibility, characteristic skill, elegant style, and masterful dialogue.