Thikra<\/em> is a collaboration between choreographer, Khan, and Saudi visual artist Manal AlDowayan who designed set and costumes. \u00a0Originally staged in the AlUla desert, Saudi Arabia, it has been reworked as an indoor experience.<\/p>\n The printed programme describes the background, themes, and creative team. I skim-read it before the show, then carefully afterwards. In the Need-to-Know section it states \u201cThikra <\/em>explores the (AlUla) landscape\u2019s richly diverse culture along with sacred practices from around the world to reflect on our contemporary existence, paying homage to those who came before\u201d. A little portentous? I would have welcomed a ballet-style programme outlining scenes step by step. The company did employ a dramaturg (Blue Pieta) to assist with clarity and purpose, but, even so, it is difficult to accurately describe what is on stage. Ritual for sure. Khan is clear about that.<\/p>\n All Photos: \u00a9 Camilla Greenwell<\/em><\/p>\n Imagine yourself in a remote ancient desert place \u2013 a crossroads for cultures and sharing ideas \u2013 here women gather \u201cto remember an Ancestor who long ago taught the tribe to be free\u201d.<\/p>\n In the dark it is the soundscape heard first (Aditya Prakash and Gareth Fry) then focused overhead lights (Keynep Kepekli credited) highlighting still figures on stage. In a recorded soundscape \u2013 often so loud it overwhelmed the visual elements \u2013 drumming, pulsating drumming, and singing accompanied the dancers. What unfolds is a ritual to honour the past. \u00a0Movement motifs are repeated, manipulation of long hair particularly.\u00a0 There is animal imagery; a huntress drawing an imagined arrow. I got confused by the multiple (it seemed) deaths and revivals, then gave myself over to being in the moment.<\/p>\n The dancers were exquisite with their mix of Bharatanatyam and contemporary dance expertise: Azusa Seyama Proville, a mature scarlet-clad matriarch, Ching-Ying Chien a white clad spirit. I particularly enjoyed the seven dancers who provided a Greek style chorus. With their unison work \u2013 frequently very slow and controlled as only highly trained dancers can manage \u2013 they grounded the production, keeping me in the zone. Greek myth was conjured again in the soundtrack with recognisable snippets from \u2018Dido\u2019s Lament\u2019 from Henry Purcell\u2019s opera. \u201cRemember Me\u201d, a singer asks plaintively. Yes, I will remember this night, but it didn\u2019t touch the marrow of my bones.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I would have loved to experience Thikra <\/em>under a desert sky, that is maybe chilly, or windy, but you know you are in the elements.\u00a0 It\u2019s difficult to evoke this in the theatre and I feel Thikra<\/em> only partly succeeded in capturing, what must have been a unique, evocative experience.<\/p>\n Thikra <\/em>is a transition. Khan\u2019s last production for his company of twenty years with the baggage of that admin, the need to raise funds to keep the core business functioning \u2013 to something more artistically flexible. Rather like moving house, throwing out things you no longer need or feel are rooting you to the ground. Maybe time to head off and live in a touring van for a while.<\/p>\n Over the years Khan has created solo work and large-scale pieces. We will have to wait and see what comes next. Collaboration for sure, as that is what inspires him. \u00a0Next steps please!<\/p>\n (\ud83c\uddec\ud83c\udde7) by Anna HOLMES Contemporary dance doesn\u2019t stand still, and nor should it, if it is to remain relevant to our times.\u00a0 We were reminded of this with Thikra: Night of Remembering, Akram Khan\u2019s last work for his company before it closes. Thikra is a collaboration between choreographer, Khan, and Saudi visual artist Manal AlDowayan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3006,"featured_media":67645,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[135,72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-67644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exklusiv","category-performance"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3006"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67644"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67644\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67654,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67644\/revisions\/67654"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/67645"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=67644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Akram-Khan-Thikra-A-Night-of-Remembering-Image-Credit-Camilla-Greenwell-22-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Akram-Khan-Thikra-A-Night-of-Remembering-Image-Credit-Camilla-Greenwell-11-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.danceforyou-magazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/akram-khan-company-1024x673.jpg\")