Shiraz

Once upon a time … there was a festival. World class. In Shiraz, the cultural metropolis in southern Iran. Where Bob Wilson, Peter Brook, Karl-Heinz Stockhausen, John Cage, among others, encountered dance from all over the world. Today, the event's myth inspires a young choreographer. But the utopia ended long before he was born and became an actor – first in Iran and later in Europe, before finally moving on to dance.

In SHIRAZ, Armin Hokmi evokes the ideals of the eponymous 1970s festival that brought together the most diverse artistic worlds – from western avantgarde to traditional dances from Africa and Asia. The group associated with Hokmi addresses these so very different forms and developed a minimalistic-expressionist dance language that joins all of these worlds: a concentrate of universal and intense sensuality that reverts back to the various cultural contexts while not being at home in any of them. A crossover artist, just like the electro-beat in the piece by Iranian EHSXN and Reza R, in its genuine connection between traditional and futurism. This is all reflected in a striking gesture, holding your hand in front of your face, like a path to self-enlightenment that is shared with the audience. SHIRAZ promotes impartiality towards people, cultures and forms of expression. And the cast of the piece is as international as the Shiraz Festival of Arts once was.