While in battle I’m free, never free to rest

In this performance, Cullberg's experienced dancers come together with practitioners from the street dance community in a dialogue that explores the language of movement from different perspectives, with as many as 19 dancers.

The music, created by Neda Sanai, takes Iranian folk songs and gives them new life through a process of deconstruction. This musical landscape provides a backdrop for a performance that is as much a reflection as a celebration of the diversity of dance. The poetry, contributed by BAM - Burcu Sahin, Athena Farrokhzad and Merima Dizdarevic, weaves its way through the performance, adding depth and resonance. Hooman Sharifi's choreography challenges and explores, while the lighting design and costumes create a visual framework that emphasises the thematic core of the performance.

This performance, which had its world premiere on 15 November 2023 at Orionteatern in Stockholm, represents a new phase for Cullberg.

It is an invitation to experience dance's ability to convey complex emotions and ideas, a reminder of the power of art to unite and inspire. For those seeking a deeper understanding of the language and potential of contemporary dance, ‘While in Battle, I'm Free, - Never Free to Rest’ offers a unique opportunity to engage with Cullberg's visionary approach.

Hooman Sharifi

Sharifi is a Norwegian choreographer with roots in Iran. His dance career started with hip-hop in his youth, and continued with classical and modern ballet training in his twenties. He studied choreography at the Oslo National Academy of the Arts and is particularly interested in artistic expressions at the intersection of dance, theatre and visual arts. In 2000, he established his own company, Impure Company, which specialises in highlighting social commitment and politics in art.

Sharifi's movement language is often physically challenging, intense and powerful, exploring the deeper emotions behind power, political systems and violence through precise movement and other scenic means. Sharifi was the theatre director of Carte Blanche from 2014 to 2018. He has continued to work as a choreographer and dancer within the framework of Impure Company, and has produced several productions in recent years with great focus both internationally and in this country.

His latest production was Sacrifice While Lost in Salted Earth, in which he collaborated with eight Iranian dance artists and a musician who all live in exile. The production premiered at the Montpellier Dance Festival in 2022, and has been performed at the Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, the Julidans festival in Amsterdam and at Dansens Hus.