Eman Hussein

Austrian premiere

The solo dance piece Smell of Cement explores the movement repertoire of construction workers. In her research on large construction sites, choreographer Eman Hussein observed striking similarities to contemporary dance. Not only is the pain and sweat of the work inscribed in the sweating bodies, but also the emotional burden of precarious employment and the agonising distance from their families. The scorching sun, the sharp smell of cement, the fragility of these bodies repeating the same rhythmic movements with dance-like precision for hours on end, at great heights, on unstable ground, engulfed by noise, dust, and great danger – all this inspired Eman Hussein’s hypnotic choreography set on a scaffolding. 
Prior to the performance, the dance film Belia (2021) by Eman Hussein immerses viewers in the day-to-day work at an auto repair shop.

Concept, choreographer & director: Eman Hussein 
Sound design: Youssra El Hawary 
Dramaturgy: Nedjma Hadj Benchelabi

With kind support of Halaqat Brussels, Pro Helvetia Cairo