“We won’t let anyone tell us what to do. We’ll dance until we drop.”

Badke(remix) is a reinterpretation of the dance show featuring ten Palestinian dancers that toured the world between 2013 and 2016, created by Alain Platel’s company Les Ballets C de la B. Now artistically in the hands of Palestinians Amir Sabra and Ata Khatab, Badke becomes Badke (remix), in a process of cultural and political reappropriation that takes place in exceptional circumstances.

The original creation and its long tour gave rise to a generation of professional Palestinian dancers and choreographers, many of whom are active in various parts of the world. Dance has become a real prospect for the future. Badke brought together Palestinians from Israel, Jerusalem, and the West Bank, from very different socio-economic backgrounds, from the urban elite to black Palestinians in refugee camps. The creative process generated a space for exchange and collaboration based on equality, where circus is combined with kickboxing, contemporary dance with traditional dance, capoeira with hip-hop.

This remix was created while the genocide in Gaza continues, evictions in Jerusalem intensify, and parts of the West Bank are reoccupied. Through the festive surface of Badke (remix), that other reality permeates, like cold gusts of wind through the cracks of a poorly insulated house. But in the end, one thought prevails: we will not stop. We will dance until we drop.