Thikra: Night of Remembering in Abu Dhabi

Thikra: Night of Remembering is a contemporary dance production staged in Abu Dhabi and created by Akram Khan, a director and choreographer who has won numerous awards. It is presented under the banner of Akram Khan Company, and the visual world of the piece was designed by the Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan. The work was commissioned by Wadi AlFann, AlUla's Valley of the Arts.

The performance is built around an all-female ensemble of contemporary voices. Its title comes from the Arabic word for memory and remembrance, and the piece is conceived as a night ritual. Women come together for a single night to awaken the spirits of those who came before them. Through a sacred ceremony and a shared act of remembrance, they move beyond the limits of time and join past and present in a gesture of renewal. Movement, memory and heritage are the threads that hold it together.

The venue is the Cultural Foundation in Abu Dhabi, one of the city's long-standing cultural addresses, in the centre of the capital not far from the Corniche. It is a place associated with the arts, literature and heritage, which suits a production so concerned with memory and ancestry. For Dubai residents it is a drive of roughly an hour to an hour and a half, so it works well as an evening trip to the capital.

Thikra suits anyone who enjoys dance as a serious, atmospheric art form rather than a light night out. Contemporary dance theatre is usually watched seated, with the audience following the performance as a single continuous work, so it rewards attention and a quiet mood. It also appeals to people interested in Arab and regional artistic voices, as well as followers of Akram Khan's choreography.

These performances are described as a rare chance to see the company bring this chapter of its history to an end with a work of great force and brilliance. For admirers of Akram Khan Company, that closing note gives the Abu Dhabi dates particular weight.