For his new production, Thikra: Night of Remembering, Akram Khan brings together an international cast of Bharatanatyam and Western contemporary dancers, renewing the cultural, traditional, and artistic exchanges that have shaped his entire career. The renowned choreographer and dancer, a central figure in the last two decades of REF’s history, conceived and developed this new creation in the AlUla desert, Saudi Arabia, at Wadi AlFann, the newly established “Valley of the Arts.” Thikra — meaning “memory,” “remembrance,” “thoughts of the past,” and “commemoration” in Arabic — evokes through dance the idea that without a past, there can be no future. The performance unfolds as a nocturnal ritual where memory and the present merge, guided by ancestral knowledge, the power of remembrance, and collective healing. However, Thikra is not merely a dialogue between East and West; rather, it emerges from the collaboration between the performers, bringing forth the traditions and rituals inherent in Bharatanatyam while reframing them through a contemporary lens. The collective voice of this all-female ensemble transcends stylistic boundaries, emphasizing lived experience, the continuous transformation of civilization, and the deep connections between memory and identity.
Akram Khan is one of the most acclaimed dance artists worldwide. Over 24 years, he has created impactful works such as Jungle Book Reimagined, XENOS, Until the Lions, DESH, and Giselle. His creations blend kathak and contemporary dance, telling powerful and relevant stories. He has worked with artists like Juliette Binoche, Sylvie Guillem, Florence and the Machine, Anish Kapoor, and Nitin Sawhney. A key moment in his career was choreographing for the London 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. He has developed a strong partnership with English National Ballet, creating Dust, Giselle, and Creature. He has received numerous awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award and the Bessie Award, and was appointed MBE for his contribution to dance. In 2022, he was named Chancellor of De Montfort University. He is an Associate Artist at Sadler’s Wells Theatre and collaborates with institutions like Curve Theatre in Leicester.
Manal AlDowayan is one of Saudi Arabia’s most significant contemporary artists, working internationally. Her work, which spans photography, sound, sculpture, and participatory practice, explores traditions, collective memory, and the role of women. She represented Saudi Arabia at the 2024 Venice Biennale. Her works have been exhibited at major institutions such as the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (USA, 2023), the Royal Ontario Museum (Canada, 2023), and the Louvre Abu Dhabi (2023). She has participated in events like Desert X AlUla (2020) and the Setouchi Triennale (2022). Her works are in collections like the British Museum and Centre Pompidou. AlDowayan has participated in artist residencies, including the Robert Rauschenberg Residency (USA, 2015) and the Delfina Foundation (UK, 2009). She holds a Master’s in Contemporary Art Practice in Public Spheres from the Royal College of Art, London. Born in Dhahran in 1973, she lives and works between London and Dhahran.
Director / Choreographer Akram Khan
Visual Director / Costume and Scenography Manal AlDowayan
Narrative Concept Manal AlDowayan & Akram Khan
Music Composer and Soundscapes Aditya Prakash
Sound Designer Gareth Fry
Lighting Designer Zeynep Kepekli
Creative Associate / Coach Mavin Khoo
Dramaturge Blue Pieta
Rehearsal Directors Charlotte Pook, Angela Towler and Chris Tudor
Musicians (in recorded composition) Aditya Prakash, Loulwa Al Sharif, Sushma Soma, Ananya Ashok, Melanie Pappenheim, Sohini Alam, London Bulgarian Choir, Zafer Tawil, M Vijay, N Rajan, N. Deepan, Dimitris Menexopoulos, Amal Waqar, Zafer Tawil, Naseem Alatrash, Layth Sidiqi, Megan Shung, Guhan Venkataraman, Jay Julio, Megan Shung, Isaac Alderson, V. Prakash Ilayaraja, Ayesh Hodayban Alkhamaaly AlEnezi, Maged Ahmed ElAtiek, Tarek Saleh ElAtiek, Sultan Gaber El Alawi and Haitham Ahmed Mohamed
Dancers Pallavi Anand, Ching-Ying Chien, Kavya Ganesh, Nikita Goile,
Samantha Hines, Jyotsna Jagannathan, Mythili Prakash, Azusa Seyama Prioville, Divya Ravi, Aishwarya Raut, Mei Fei Soo, Harshini Sukumaran, Shreema Upadhyaya, Kimberly Yap, Hsin-Hsuan Yu, Jin Young Won
Producing Director Farooq Chaudhry
Executive Director Isabel Tamen
Technical Director Zeynep Kepekli
Technical Manager Michael Cunningham
Production of Visual Direction Carla Giachello
Company Manager Emma Cameron
Technical Stage Manager Harry Abbott
Touring Production Manager Anthony Forrester
Sound Engineer Enrico Aurigemma
Lighting Engineer Imogen Clarke
Lighting Supervisor Stephane Dejours
Wardrobe Supervisor Anne Marie Bigby
Set Builder Tin Shed Scenery
Photographer Camilla Greenwell
Commissioned by Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts, AlUla
Primary Co-producing Partner Bagri Foundation
Indoor adaptation co-produced by Berliner Festspiele, Brown Arts Institute at Brown University, Montpellier Danse Festival, Pina Bausch Zentrum, Sadler’s Wells, Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Théâtre de la Ville Paris
Supported by Arts Council England
