Beytna
premiere, 6 April 2016, Tanzquartier Wien
"Beytna," is a unique dance performance around the concept of sharing, where four choreographers and four musicians from Lebanon, Korea, Palestine, Belgium, and Togo come together over a banquet of food. Despite their diverse cultural backgrounds and artistic experiences, they reshape a communal and traditional family reunion into an artistic meeting of dance, music, and cooking.
Witness as they talk, drink, laugh, dance, and eat, transforming this simple gathering into an intricate, captivating performance. "Beytna" invites you into a world of compassion, and friendship. It is a simple invitation into the home of the other. An invitation to the artist's profession and choreographic statement, as much as it is to the forms and situations of the past.
Duration
80’
Concept & Choreography Omar Rajeh In collaboration with Koen Augustijnen, Anani Sanouvi, and Hiroaki Umeda Music Composition Ziad Ahmadie, Youssef Hbeisch, Samir Nasr Eddine Performed by Omar Rajeh, Koen Augustijnen, Ziad Ahmadie, May Bou Matar, Jihun Choi, Youssef Hbeisch, Samir Nasr Eddine, Afif Merhej, Imad Balani, Anani Sanouvi Percussion Youssef Hbeisch, Joss Turnbul Voice Nohad Rajeh Scenography Omar Rajeh Costumes Mia Habis Technical Director Christian Francois Sound Engineer Jean-Christophe Batut, Philippe Balzé Lighting Design Victor Duran Manzano, Christian François Graphic design & Video Animation Joe Elias/Nimslabs Administrator Ilitza Georgieva Coordination & Diffusion Amina Onsy
Photos by D.Matvejev | Jean Philipse | Pavlos_Vrio_RialtoFestival | Paul Bourdrel _ Les Nuits de Fourvière
A production of Cie Omar Rajeh & Maqamat Co-produced by BIPOD-Beirut International Platform of Dance, Tanzquartier Wien, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, CCN de La Rochelle / Cie Accrorap-Direction Kader Attou, Theater im Pfalzbau-Ludwigshafen, and Fondazione Fabbrica Europa.
Beytna was first created with Le Trio Joubran
“With good friends … and good food on the board … we may well ask, when shall we live if not now?”
- M.F.K. Fisher, The Art of Eating
an interview with Omar Rajeh & Anani Sanouvi at Les Nuits de Fourvière 2023 and a short video teaser on the right
Beytna_9 years of touring…
upcoming tour dates
2025
31 January 2025 | The Arts Center, Abu Dhabi, UAE
21 & 22 February 2025 | Festival de Liège, Belgium
7 & 8 March 2025 | Belgrade International Dance Festival, Serbia
2024
8,9,10,11 March 2024 | WOMADelaide, Adelaide, Australia
31 May 2024 | Malraux, Scène Nationale Chambéry Savoie, France
11 & 12 October 2024 | Torino Danza, Torino, Italy
3 December 2024 | BALLET PRELJOCAJ PAVILLON NOIR Centre Chorégraphique National, France
5 December 2024 | Théâtre Durance, Scène Nationale Château-Arnoux, France
7 December 2024 | Chateauvallon-Liberté Scène Nationale Toulon, France.
2023
July 14 & 15 | Les Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon, France
September 27 | Mercat de les Flors , Barcelona, Spain
2022
July 1 | Le Danzatrici Festival en plein air, Bari, Italy
June 3 | Rialto Contemporary Dance Festival, Limassol, Cyprus
2020
July 9 & 10 | Mannheim Sommer Festival, Mannheim, Germany
August 17 - 22 | Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh, UK ( Covid-19 cancelation)
2019
January 30-, 31 & February 1 | Theatre de Strasbourg Scène Européenne, Maillon, France
May 3, 4, 5 | Ruhrfestpiele, Recklinghausen, Germany
November 8, 2019 | LeNeufNeuf Festival, Toulouse, France
2018
February 14 | Stadsschouwburg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
February 17 | Bundeskunsthalle, Bonn, Germany
March 27,28 | Centquatre, Paris, France
April 18 - May 3 | Steps Festival, Switzerland
April 19, 20 | Bulle, Switzerland
April 22, 23 | Gessi, Switzerland
April 25 | Vernier, Switzerland
April 28 | Pully, Switzerland
May 1, 2 | Kaserne, Switzerland
May 4-5 | Vilnius, Lithuania
2017
Jan 18, 19, 20 | Desingel, Antwerp, Belgium
Feb 17 | Hellerau, Dresden, Germany
June 10, 11 | Theater Der Velt, Hamburg, Germany
June 27, 28 | Theatre de la Ville de Luxembourg, Luxembourg
July 7, 8 | Julidans, Theatre Bellevue, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Aug 6, 7 | Boulevard, S-Hertogenbosch, Germany
Sep 8-9 | Tanztheater, Hannover, Germany
Sep 27 | Concertgebouw, Brugge, Belgium
Oct 6 | Tafelhalle, Nuremberg, Germany
2016
April 6, 7 | Tanzquartier Wien, Austria
April 9, 10 | Maison des Arts de Creteil, France
April 13, 14, 15 |BIPOD - Beirut International Platform Of Dance, Lebanon
May 13, 14 | Fabrica Europa, Stazione Leopolda, Florence, Italy
Nov 28, 29 | Theater Im Pfalzbau, Ludwigshafen, Germany