the transformative power of movement

©Maria Cheilopoulou

Empty City

Premier: 2. October 2024 - 20.00, Tanzhaus
3. – 5. October 2024 - 20:00, Tanzhaus
6. October 2024 - 18:00, Tanzhaus (Relaxed Performance)

Book your tickets here

«Empty City is a testimony to coping with life and the search for belonging. It's a story of different people coming together and weaving a tapestry of community and belonging that transcends differences in history and faith.» Aly Khamees

Empty City is inspired by the mysterious City of the Dead, an ancient necropolis in the centre of modern Cairo. There, graves and mausoleums that once served as final resting places have been transformed into houses that the living and the dead now inhabit together in a bizarre way. In Empty City, people take centre stage in an artistic reflection on the complicated dance of life in a rapidly changing world. Seven dancers bring their own stories to create a performance that celebrates resilience, cohesion and the transformative power of community. A universal story about the human spirit that survives and thrives even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Team

Artistic Director / Choreography Aly Khamees
Creative Director / Production Jelena Mair
Coach / Outside Eye Romain Guion
Dramaturgy Tanzhaus Zurich Simon Fröhling
Co-Creation and Performance Alina Aegerter, Amélia Graber, Chien Ching Ying, Issue Park, Nadika Mohn, Vanessa Morandell, Reiner Heidelberg

 
Music Composition Marcel Gschwend
Light & Stage Designer Iris Rohr


Co-Production Tanzhaus Zürich 
Partnership Orient Production (Tour Management)

Supported by Stadt Zürich Kultur, Fachstelle Kultur Kanton Zürich, Binding First Dance, Anne-Marie Schindler Stiftung, Elisabeth Weber Stiftung, Migros Kulturprozent, Schweizerische Interspretenstiftung SIS

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©Caroline Schmidt

Rhythm of Reverence - a Prelude

31. August 2024, Tanzhaus Zurich
45’ min Sharing
Entrance free. Come early!

Future Production

Rhythm permeates every aspect of life, making it an integral part of our existence. Dance, being deeply rooted in every culture and revered as a divine practice, holds the potential to facilitate spiritual growth and forge connections with the divine. Our research aims to delve into the rituals, practices, and dances of various cultures, with the intention of creating a performance that highlights the intrinsic bond we share as human beings. We seek to showcase how movement rituals lie at the core of societal well-being, taking the audience on an enchanting and transformative journey. This ensemble comprises both professional and non-professional artists hailing from different walks of life, spanning various ages, professions, and backgrounds. This work in progress is co-created in the framework of our Open Format Workshops and our collaborative choreography approach.

Team

Artistic Director / Choreography Aly Khamees
Creative Director / Production Jelena Mair
Rehearsal Assistance Alina Ägerter
Coach / Outside Eye Romain Guion
Dramaturgy Tanzhaus Zurich Simon Fröhling
Music / Creative Input Mohammed Shafik

Movers & Collaborators Amélia Graber, Ching-Ying Chien,
Karen Mora Gutierrez, Kim Strobel, Inese Janusa, Martha Gjikolaj,
Martha Mutapay, Simona Santamaria, Virginia Guzmán

Koproduktion Tanzhaus Zurich 

©Hitzigraphy

NASLAH

How do norms and stigmas become entrenched in our consciousness, and how can we break free from these inner prisons? Aly Khamees addresses these questions in his powerful and thought-provoking dance solo, Naslah*. Inspired by the rich tradition of Egyptian street dance with knives, which dates back to Pharaonic culture and is practiced on joyous occasions such as weddings as well as during rivalries in the form of competitions, the knives symbolize additional arms on the body with which the dancers cut or paint in the air to express their own soul voice. Fittingly, Naslah also takes inspiration from conversations with people of different backgrounds from Khamee's childhood neighborhood in Cairo and his adopted home in Zurich, which always revolved around the topic of discrimination based on origin or appearance. Khamees aims to tell the stories of people on the margins of society and open up new perspectives on global conditions through his choreography, stating that «In dance we can experience our common humanity».

Team

Artistic Director / Choreography Aly Khamees
Creative Director / Production Jelena Mair
Coach / Outside Eye Romain Guion
Dramaturgy Tanzhaus Zurich Simon Fröhling
Performance Aly Khamees

Music Composition Ahmed Saleh
Light & Stage Designer David Baumgartner

Coproduction Tanzhaus Zürich 
PartnersOrient Production (Tour Management)

Produced with the support of City of Zurich Culture, Canton of Zurich Culture Office, Ernst Göhner Foundation, Landis & Gyr Foundation, Anne-Marie Schindler Foundation, Swiss Performers Foundation SIS, Migros Culture Percentage

*In Cairo slang, "Naslah" refers to a sharpened spoon used in prison for personal protection.