Pleine Lune

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Mohamed Mahmoud, known as Toto, was born in one of Cairo’s working-class neighborhoods, where he first learned to dance in the street. A former professional footballer, he transitioned to theatre and performance before finding his voice in contemporary dance. A graduate of the Cairo Contemporary Dance Center under the direction of Karima Mansour, he has performed internationally, notably in Olivier Dubois’s Itmahraj (2021–22), and regularly leads shaabi dance workshops in Marseille and Paris. He is also a co-founder of the Wiwaa Collective, dedicated to amplifying Egyptian artists’ voices in France.

Together with fellow Egyptian artist Islam Elarabi, Toto forms a duo whose collaborative work bridges Cairo’s vibrant street cultures and contemporary performance. During their residency at BiS, they developed Pleine Lune — إكتمال القمر, a duet rooted in Mahraganat, the rebellious street dance form of Cairo. The project explores personal transformation, class identity, and resistance through movement, blending Mahraganat, martial arts, contemporary dance, and sign language.

Their research at BiS focused on refining the choreography and dramaturgy of the piece, exploring how Cairo’s social landscape and the global perception of Mahraganat can shape new dialogues between movement, politics, and identity.

more about Toto

and more about Islam