Thikra

World Premiere: Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts, AlUla: 25 January 2025
World Premiere of indoor adaptation: Montpellier Danse: 22 June 2025

Thikra: Night of Remembering is Akram Khan Company’s latest production created in collaboration with award-winning visual artist Manal AlDowayan.

Thikra draws inspiration from AlUla’s ancient landscapes, mythology and cultural heritage to evoke the idea that “without a past, there is no future.”

Combining Bharatanatyam and contemporary voices, the piece is performed by an all-female ensemble, accompanied by an original score from Aditya Prakash, sound design by Gareth Fry, lighting by Zeynep Kepekli and dramaturgy by Blue Pieta.

 

"As I stand humbled within the vastness of this epic desert known as AlUla, I feel the urge to unearth the many cultures that have passed through here."

Akram Khan

Thikra: Night of Remembering

By Maxime Dos

Trailer

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Director / Choreographer Akram Khan

Visual Director / Costume and Scenography Manal AlDowayan
Narrative Concept Manal AlDowayan & Akram Khan
Creative Associate / Coach Mavin Khoo
Composer & Soundscape Designer Aditya Prakash
Sound Designer Gareth Fry
Lighting Designer Zeynep Kepekli
Associate Lighting Designer Imogen Clarke
Dramaturge Blue Pieta

Rehearsal Directors Charlotte Pook, Angela Towler, Chris Tudor

Performed by 11-13 dancers
Pallavi Anand, Ching-Ying Chien, Kavya Ganesh, Nikita Goile, Samantha Hines, Jyotsna Jagannathan, Mythili Prakash, Azusa Seyama Prioville, Divya Ravi, Elpida Skourou, Mei Fei Soo, Shreema Upadhyaya, Jin Young Won, Kimberly Yap, Hsin-Hsuan Yu

Featured music in score
“The Elephant’s Funeral” by Sushma Soma with Aditya Prakash

“Gyura Beli Belo Platno” by London Bulgarian Choir
Directed by: Dessislava Stefanova

Musicians (in recorded composition)
Aditya Prakash, Ananya Ashok, Loulwa Al Sharif, Melanie Pappenheim, Sohini Alam, Zafer Tawil, Sumesh Narayanan, Layth Sidiq, Megan Shung, Jay Julio, Naseem Alatrash, Guhan Venkataraman, Doyeon Kim, Dimitris Menexopoulos, Isaac Alderson, Sushma Soma, Praveen Sparsh, V. Prakash Ilayaraja, N Deepan, N Vijay, M Rajendran, Chris Votek.

Site-Specific Community Engagement Programme Director Christine Maupetit
Site-Specific Community Movement Directors Jumana Al Refai and Bilal Allaf

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