Oktoberdans dedicates a track to new voices from the Middle East. Throughout history Beirut has been an important centre for art and culture, and in recent years it’s also become a vibrant arena for contemporary dance. BEIRUT DAY & NIGHT serves up a fresh selection of performances, lectures, conversations and workshops - and an artistic happening with erotic Arabic pop songs.
Despite the circumstances and the lack of possibilities in many Arab Countries, dance was able to fill the void in the artistic field, to be active and influential culturally, artistically, and socially. The question regarding the essence of dance, opened the door for more questions related to the essence of‘thought’and the essence of the‘thebody’, its dynamics, existence, philosophy, and our perception of it. The question is no longer whether dance should be accepted or not, but how dance can affect how we perceive ourselves and society. This way of thinking is apparent amongst dance artists from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Algeria, Egypt, Palestine and Tunisia. Such perspectives are accentuated in the festival programs in Beirut – which now are seen as potent political, artistic and social events.
BEIRUT DAY & NIGHT is a tribute to this work, and a collaboration with our partners in Beirut and the EU-supported network apap - Advanced Performing Arts Project. The evening is curated in collaboration with the Lebanese company Maqamat Dance Theater and BIPOD (Beirut International Platform of Dance).