In the golden silence of the AlUla desert, where history is etched into the rock and memory hangs thick in the air, a new cultural movement is taking shape. Thikra: Night of Remembering is more than a dance, it’s a tribute to memory, community, and the timeless inspiration drawn from the land itself. Conceived by world-renowned choreographer Akram Khan and Saudi visual artist Manal AlDowayan, and commissioned by Wadi AlFann, AlUla’s Valley of the Arts, Thikra premiered as a site-specific performance during AlUla Arts Festival 2025. Now reimagined for global stages, it carries with it the stories, symbols, and spirit of AlUla.

How AlUla inspired Thikra

Wadi AlFann: a desert stage like no other.
Set against a backdrop of towering sandstone cliffs and vast open skies, AlUla’s dramatic landscape was not just the setting but the soul of Thikra’s debut. The outdoor premiere immersed audiences in a multisensory experience where dance, nature, and memory converged in perfect harmony.

Crafted from the land, shaped by heritage.
Manal AlDowayan’s costume and scenography design used natural pigments and traditional Saudi craft techniques, collaborating with local artisans from Madrasat Addeera. The textiles carried layers of meaning, referencing AlUla’s Nabataean past and the stories of the women who lived and remembered there.

The Opening Night
Forty local performers, artists, and musicians joined Akram Khan Company for a breathtaking evening that blurred the line between performer and place. Under the stars of AlUla, past and present merged in a procession of memory and movement that left audiences transformed.

Meet The Creators

A master of memory and movement.
Akram Khan’s work fuses Indian classical dance with contemporary storytelling. In Thikra, he brings an all-female cast to the stage, inspired by ancestral wisdom and deeply influenced by his mother’s strength. His choreography gives voice to women’s stories, grounded in both tradition and innovation.

A visionary voice from Saudi Arabia.
Manal AlDowayan’s work explores memory, identity, and the female narrative in Arab culture. With Thikra, she created a visual world rooted in AlUla’s craft heritage and natural materials - each detail a symbol of layered time, designed to resonate globally while honouring local roots.