Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Akram Khan: Choreographing Polyphonic Identities

The article explores how choreographers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Akram Khan use dance to examine identity, migration, and cultural hybridity. Both artists, born from mixed cultural backgrounds—Cherkaoui of Flemish and Moroccan descent, Khan of Bangladeshi heritage—create works that fuse diverse traditions. Their collaboration "zero degrees" (2005) was inspired by Khan losing his passport at a border, symbolizing vulnerability and the fluidity of identity. Cherkaoui's company Eastman (founded 2010) and his role as artistic director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders have produced works like "Fractus V" (presented at Romaeuropa Festival), addressing migration and gender. Khan's "Chotto Desh" (a children's version of "Desh") runs until November 12 at Teatro Vascello as part of REf Kids, a new Romaeuropa Festival family program. The piece uses animation and autobiography to explore growing up and family expectations. Both choreographers emphasize "in-between identity" and relational dance, drawing on Kathak, flamenco, and other forms while collaborating with artists like Antony Gormley, Marina Abramović, and Juliette Binoche. They challenge the notion that tradition degrades through change, instead advocating for a "con-fused" identity that expands dance's possibilities.