Thikra

A site-specific performance piece has been created by internationally acclaimed, multi- award-winning choreographer Akram Khan and Wadi AlFann artist Manal AlDowayan, who represented Saudi Arabia at the 60th International Venice Biennale. Khan joined forces with AlDowayan to create a cross-cultural performance piece. Fourteen dancers combine the traditional Indian classical dance, underpinning Khan’s choreography with contemporary rhythms and gestures inspired by the desert landscapes and ancient myths of AlUla. Thikra features an original music score by celebrated composer Aditya Prakash, with contributions from pioneering musician Loulwa Al Sharif and local musicians from AlUla Music Hub.

AlDowayan has collaborated with Madrasat Addeera, AlUla’s art and design centre, and the local artisans to create banners for the opening sequence. Furthermore, the artist has designed costumes, weaving traditional craft techniques with contemporary aesthetics, using natural dyes and pigments made to reflect the tonalities of AlUla’s landscape. Visual aesthetics include set and costume design, banners, make-up and jewellery which take inspiration from the landscape, rich history and heritage including the Nabateans and geometric motifs to signify the role and symbolism of each protagonist.

Thikra resonates with AlUla’s commitment to engaging multi-generational local audiences and fostering cultural development across movement, music and design. The performance is inspired by local traditions and engages young Saudi professionals through workshops and training sessions led by Akram Khan Company and Manal AlDowayan. The musical composition includes recordings of local percussionists and members of the AlUla community, who play a key role in the opening sequence and procession. The programme stages an interface for artistic encounters in the arts sector, to ignite aspirations for the local creative ecosystem and to inspire the young generation. Community workshops have been led by performers Jumana Al Refai and Bilal Allaf.

Performing alongside some of the world’s greatest dancers, a group of forty local people has formed a procession that meets guests at a circular stage, set against the monumental cliffs of Wadi AlFann’s desert canyon. The audience sat under the stars on traditional Sadu-woven carpets. They have experienced an imagined gathering where performers expressed the retrieval of a lost past to find healing and transcendence. Thikra reflects the idea that without a past, there is no future.

Commissioned by Wadi AlFann, Thikra takes inspiration from AlUla’s heritage, dramatic topography, undulating vistas, remarkable geological structures, complex natural ecosystems, and local communities. The world premiere of Thikra was part of Wadi AlFann’s dynamic site-specific performance programme. Following its premiere in AlUla, Thikra will embark on a world tour as Akram Khan Company’s major new production for 2025, adapted as an indoor performance, bringing AlUla culture, heritage and artistry to audiences worldwide.

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