Told by my Mother
The dance performance by choreographer Ali Chahrour (Beirut, 1989) is a celebration of mothers, their resilience and struggle. Inspired by his own family history and Lebanese residents’ collective memory, Chahrour explores the drive to overcome loss and loneliness through love and tenderness.
Festival Holland Festival
Run time 70 minutes
Genre Dance
Language Arabic
Surtitles English, Dutch
With introduction in the Nieuwe foyer Jun 17, 18 and 19
Meet The Artist afterwards in the Rabozaal Wed Jun 18
Told By My Mother
Chahrour interweaves personal grief with the wider cultural heritage of Arabic folksongs. One of the three main stories in Told by My Mother is that of Ali Chahrour's aunt Fatmeh, who lost her son in Syria in 2015. She kept searching until her death in 2018, but never discovered what happened to him. Chahrour consciously chooses to place amateur performers alongside professional actors, which gives the performance a personal and intimate character. The live music is not only used as a background but plays an active role in the story: musicians and their gestures are also considered a form of dance.
'I want to show the struggle of mothers. To me, they are the real heroines. Their bodies and voices have many powerful traits'
– Ali Chahrour
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An explosive combination of movement, live music and text makes for a heartfelt ode to motherly love. Arabic cultural elements fuse with urban sounds in the music, reflecting both the grief and strength of the stories told.
Told By My Mother highlights the emotional burden mothers carry in their bodies and voices, making for a deeply moving experience.
Ali Chahrour
Dancer and choreographer Ali Chahrour (Beirut, 1989) explores the boundaries between dance and theater in his work. His performances often draw on the rich cultural and religious traditions of the Middle East, exploring themes of mourning, love and community. His approach breaks away from Western codes and models.
About Holland Festival
The Holland Festival is the largest international performing arts festival in the Netherlands and one of the oldest festivals in Europe. Founded in 1947, Holland Festival celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2022.
The festival takes place every June, in and around Amsterdam at various locations, indoors and outdoors, large-scale and intimate, online and offline.
Credits
director Ali Chahrour
choreography Ali Chahrour
cast Hala Omran, Leïla Chahrour, Abbas Al Mawla, Ali Hout, Abed Kobeissy, Ali Chahrour
music Two or The Dragon (Ali Hout & Abed Kobeissy)
director's assistant Chadi Aoun
assistant choreography Chadi Aoun
production Ali Chahrour
production manager Chadi Aoun, Christel Salem
stage design Guillaume Tesson, Ali Chahrour
light Guillaume Tesson
technical director Guillaume Tesson
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lighting manager Pol Seif
sound engineer Benoit Rave
communication Chadi Aoun
copywriting Isabelle Aoun
co-production Zoukak Theatre Company, Arab Fund for Arts and Culture ”AFAC”, Arab Arts Focus with the support of Stiftelsen, Studio Emad Eddin & Ford Foundation, Campania Teatro Festival, Saadallah & Lubna Khalil Foundation, Kunstfest Weimar, Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Mahmoud Darwish Chair/Bozar
with the support of The French Institute of Beirut, Barzakh, Beit el Laffe, KED, Mezyan, T-Marbouta, Tawlet, Eid Press
