Theater Forever: Artizans / KH / Units
This year, ITA once again joins forces with hip-hop dance festival Summer Dance Forever for a theatre program packed with thrilling performances. Karim Khouader presents a teaser of his new group piece Roses that reminds us that with imagination, anything is possible. And with Artizans, we will have French hip-hop legends onstage, showcasing their timeless influence and energy! The fierce all-female hip hop collective UnitS hits the stage with a short but powerful showcase.
Festival Summer Dance Forever
Run time 135 minutes, incl. intermission
Genre Dance
Language Language No Problem
From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., you can visit the documentary Afrobuck in The Bookshop at ITA for free. At the Rotonde at ITA, the exhibition Ekaterina Mikheeva can also be visited for free during these times.
Karim Khouader: ROSES
Running up to the world premiere in December, choreographer and dancer Karim Khouader gives us a teaser of his new piece Roses. This performance unfolds like a film — a piece of fiction. At its heart: the heist of a grand jewelry store hiding a rare elixir named Roses, a high-quality fragrance that awakens dreams and offers an escape from reality. What begins as a story within a story (mise en abyme) soon drifts into the realm of the fantastic.
-|-
The protagonist, a sensitive soul, dreams of escaping his working-class neighborhood to find his place in the world. A reversal of reality occurs, revealing the duality within him, plunging us deep into his imagination. Driven by a taste for risk, he’s capable of anything to survive. Yet, his poetic gift, his elegance, magnetic presence, and soul-stirring aura set him apart — his essence touches hearts and inspires dreams like no other.
From 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., you can visit the documentary Afrobuck in The Bookshop at ITA for free. At the Rotonde at ITA, the exhibition Ekaterina Mikheeva can also be visited for free during these times.
ARTIZANS
ARTIZANS... meet the dancers of the Clubbing, Battle and Freestyle generation! Seven legendary dancers from the 1990s and 2000s reunite on stage to revive the energy and spirit of a defining era. Set against the backdrop of live DJ sets and virtuose dance rounds, they create a vibrant space for exchange—confronting their inspirations, influences, cultures, styles, and identities.
-|-
Guided by a triple focus on memory, transmission, and self-affirmation, these guardians of the temple showcase the excellence of hip hop made in France. For over two decades, they have embodied its values and legacy on the international stage.
About Summer Dance Forever
Summer Dance Forever is one of the world’s leading international hip-hop dance festivals. Every August, dancers and audiences from around the globe gather in Amsterdam to enjoy virtuosic dance performances, explosive battles, soulful club nights, workshops by top dancers, and much more.
Reviews
art director / choreography Karim Khouader
direction and texts Sébastien Amblard
assistant Youri Fedida
music creation Judicaël Mathurine
lighting design Romane Lavigne
styling Julia Tembo
performers Johanna Faye, Quentin Mariello, Judicaël Mathurine, Kevin Moulin, Theodora Guermonprez, Karim Khouader