Contemporary Dervish Dance

Contemporary Dervish Dance is a Vienna-based artistic act that fuses ancient whirling dervish rituals with contemporary dance and intuitive exploration. With more than 30 years of movement experience and over two decades dedicated to spiritual performance, the artist behind this unique project has performed globally, offering emotionally resonant and visually captivating experiences. These whirling dervish shows are a perfect fit for cultural festivals, artistic events, and private or institutional celebrations that seek depth, beauty, and originality.

Each of the four featured performances brings a unique emotional and symbolic dimension:

• One piece presents a duet between a ground-based whirling dancer and an aerial artist, inspired by the bond between human and divine. The performance delves into universal themes of creation, maternal love, and spiritual ascension. Rather than focusing on suffering, it celebrates unity and mutual support across different types of relationships—be it parent-child, lovers, or companions—encouraging collective growth and awareness.

• A solo work reimagines the whirling tradition through a modern lens, combining spiritual discipline with expressive movement. Through continuous spinning, flowing skirts, and evolving lighting, the whirling dervish dancer explores the dissolution of ego and the joy of becoming. It’s a meditative yet dynamic piece that heightens sensory perception and deepens presence, ideal for audiences seeking both visual elegance and philosophical depth.

• Another production captures the struggle to find meaning within the cycles of life, especially in the face of existential uncertainty. Here, whirling becomes a metaphor for routine, resistance, and rebirth. With dramatic shifts in tempo and mood, the dervish dancer embodies both the desire to transcend and the feeling of being confined by one’s own pursuit of truth. It’s a powerful, emotionally raw performance that touches on inner conflict and spiritual resilience.

• The fourth show is a multidisciplinary, music-infused visual performance that reinterprets a centuries-old whirling practice with fresh, contemporary energy. Originally presented at major national theatres, it has captivated thousands with its originality. Blending live sound, choreography, and symbolic movement, the piece offers a new take on traditional ritual, emphasizing transformation through sound, rhythm, and visual storytelling.

Having touched audiences in more than 35 countries through performances and workshops, Contemporary Dervish Dance offers more than just a whirling dervish show—it delivers a profound, multi-sensory journey. This act is ideal for those looking to bring art that speaks to the mind, body, and spirit into their event.