'Thikra' Carries AlUla’s Ancestral Tales onto the Global Dance Stage

In 'Thikra: Night of Remembering', dancers move through a world shaped by AlUla’s landscapes, ancient stories and ideas of spiritual memory. Created by Olivier Award-winning choreographer Akram Khan and internationally acclaimed Saudi artist Manal Al-Dowayan, the performance brings contemporary dance together with the Indian classical forms of kathak and Bharatanatyam in an exploration of remembrance, ancestry and collective healing.

Commissioned through Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts, AlUla, 'Thikra' premiered at the 2025 AlUla Arts Festival and has since reached more than 45,000 audiences across Saudi Arabia and Europe.

Taking its name from the Arabic word thikra, meaning memory or remembrance, the production features an all-female cast of contemporary dancers, and reflects on ancestral knowledge. Centred on the idea that ‘without a past, there is no future’, it imagines a yearly gathering where past and present meet for one night to call upon the spirits of their ancestors.

"'Thikra' is a personal and spiritual reflection on remembering, on what we choose to carry forward and what we must lay to rest," Khan says. He was introduced to local tribal traditions and the knowledge held by AlUla's women through Al-Dowayan, who describes the work as centred on "the power of memory, women's stories, and the strength of community.”

Al-Dowayan designed the scenography and costumes using natural pigments and traditional crafts, collaborating with artisans from Madrasat Addeera, AlUla's Arts and Design Center. The designs draw on symbols spanning the region's history, from contemporary culture back to its pre-Islamic Nabatean and Lihyanite civilisations. “As we take this performance around the world, I hope it resonates with diverse audiences, creating a sense of connection, between people, places, and the stories that shape us," Al-Dowayan says. "Remembering is an act of strength, and this piece celebrates that.”

Khan had long wanted to work with an all-female cast combining Indian classical and contemporary dance. “Creating this piece in the vastness of the AlUla landscape was a profound experience, where the dancers and nature became one," Khan says.

'Thikra: Night of Remembering' resumes its US tour in October, following its New York debut at Lincoln Center in July.