Akram Khan Archives - Dancephere

No Future without a Past

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.”

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

Akram Khan – GIGENIS

November 20th – 24th, 2024 Sadler’s Wells, London
January 11th – 14th, 2025 Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, Paris
February 12th – 16th, 2025 The Joyce Theatre, New York
April 10th, 2025 UCSB Arts & Lectures, Santa Barbara
April 17th – 19th, 2025 The Kennedy Center, Washington
60 minutes

Akram Khan
Returns to His roots

So that was where he came from, and the story puts in place several elements that went on to recur throughout Khan’s career: classical kathak, contemporary dance, commercial dance, famous figures, international touring, a strong technique and a compelling stage presence. Yet to “come from” somewhere is about more than personal biography: it’s also about cultural milieu.
Sanjoy Roy

A choreographer and dancer rooted in the tradition of his practice, and a creative interpreter of stories that need to be ‘felt’ – Akram has revolutionised the world of dance. His deeply moving style is simultaneously poetic, innovative and experiential underpinned by intelligently crafted narrative structures. With his bilingual mastery of Kathak and contemporary dance, he has developed a uniquely individual voice as a protagonist of cross-cultural encounters. It is this very encounter, that provokes a personal need for this new creation: a unique work featuring an ensemble of seven renowned artists of Indian Classical Dance (including Akram himself) and seven live Indian Classical musicians.

Drawing from his deep-seated connection to traditional practices and his ability to weave narratives through movement, Akram’s GIGENIS transcends time, invoking the collective memories of our civilisation. It is not just a performance but a profound statement — a testament to the enduring resonance of tradition in a rapidly changing world.

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No Future without a Past

Akram Khan Returns to His roots

Akram Khan
Returns to His roots