Taking place at Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation on November 20 and 21, 'Thikra: Night of Remembering' brings contemporary dance to the UAE’s iconic cultural hub, originally founded beside Qasr Al Hosn in 1981.
Celebrated for her landmark multimedia installation at the Saudi Arabia Pavilion during the 60th Venice Biennale, visual artist Manal AlDowayan stands as one of the Kingdom's most compelling contemporary figures. In this ambitious new project, she serves as Visual Director, conceiving both the set design and costumes to weave ancestral Saudi heritage directly into the production's aesthetic framework.
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Originally commissioned by Wadi AlFann - meaning 'Valley of the Arts', AlUla’s global destination for contemporary art - Thikra: Night of Remembering is the latest creation from multi-award-winning British-Bangladeshi director and choreographer Akram Khan. Renowned for his distinct movement language blending contemporary dance with classical Kathak, Khan joins forces with AlDowayan in a monumental cross-cultural partnership. Presented in collaboration with Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Foundation under DCT Abu Dhabi, the performance offers UAE audiences a rare opportunity to witness contemporary international dance and Saudi visual art seamlessly merge on stage.
Thikra - taking its name from the Arabic word for “memory” and “remembrance” - is conceived as a night ritual. The performance gathers women under the night sky to awaken the spirits of those who came before them. Through a sacred ceremony of shared remembrance, they transcend the boundaries of time, uniting past and present in a profound act of renewal. For Thikra, AlDowayan brought traditional craft together with contemporary form: natural dyes echo the tones of the desert landscape, and geometric motifs drawn from the heritage of AlUla mark the role and symbolism of each protagonist.
AlDowayan conceived both the set design and costumes, weaving ancestral Saudi heritage directly into the production's visual world. Speaking about the production, and her role in developing and curating the scenography, Manal AlDowayan said: “Thikra: Night of Remembering is about the power of memory, women’s stories, and the strength of community. It marks a personal milestone as my first time working on both costume and set design, as well as my first collaboration with my friend and great creative force Akram Khan. This unique opportunity has allowed me to incorporate performance into my artistic practice, blending movement, sound, costume and local artistry to honour the past and inspire the future."
The production stands as a deep tribute to community collaboration. The original score was composed by Indian-American singer and composer Aditya Prakash, featuring more than 40 international musicians, alongside ambient recordings of local musicians from AlUla. Moreover, the production was brought to life in partnership with artisans from AlUla’s dedicated art and design centre, Madrasat Addeera, as well as the AlUla Music Hub and local community members.
Thikra: Night of Remembering in Abu Dhabi, Saturday, November 20 & Sunday, November 21, 2026
Cultural Foundation, Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum St, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Tickets starting from SAR 185 per person
Buy your tickets here
Commissioned by Wadi AlFann, Valley of the Arts, AlUla
