Badke (remix)

The title is a deliberate reversal of dabke, the name of the Palestinian folk dance and starting point of the performance. With backgrounds in traditional dabke, contemporary dance, hip-hop, capoeira or circus, the Palestinian performers bring a contemporary version of this dance that is traditionally reserved for (wedding) celebrations. Badke(remix) displays vitality and a passion for dance as a form of resistance. There is a conscious choice for a contemporary version of the folk, non-academic variant, an explosion of joy that speaks of connection, an affirmation of belonging somewhere. This kind of collective physicality is rarely seen in contemporary dance with its emphasis on individuality and reflection.

Through the festive surface of Badke(remix), that other reality breaks through, like cold gusts of wind through the cracks of a poorly insulated house. But in the end, the thought prevails: we will not let ourselves be done to, by anyone. We dance until we drop.