Gathering

Gathering is a multidisciplinary participatory performance that is partly a stage work and, at the same time, an interactive experience between the artists and the audience. Gathering is written, directed, and designed by the artistic director of YSDT, Samar Haddad King, who chose to work with the Vivaldi version: The Four Seasons by Max Richter, as well as original music (performed live on stage) and her own texts. Inspired by her experience as a Palestinian-American, Gathering tells the fictional story of a besieged village and a woman’s struggle to reconcile her fragmented memories, all within the course of one evening.

Created in collaboration with seven dancers from the YSDT company (from Japan, Palestine, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United States) and six artists based in Europe, each performance of Gathering is a unique event, shaped by the contributions of these artists. Gathering invites the audience to participate or simply observe the collective action, offering a truly immersive experience.

YSDT aims to transcend traditional stage boundaries to create connections between diverse communities through the universal language of shared creation.

Photos Sarah Dhobhany, Jeenah Moon

Production of the 2025/26 European tour: Au Contraire Productions in co-production with the Festival des Arts de Bordeaux (FAB),the Scène Nationale – Carré-Colonnes / Bordeaux Métropole, La Manufacture CDCN, Scène nationale du Sud-Aquitain, Théâtre d'Angoulême – Scène Nationale, Scène Nationale – Brive-Tulle, La Coursive – Scène Nationale, Scène Nationale – Aubusson, Le Moulin du Roc – Scène Nationale, and TAP – Scène nationale de Grand Poitiers, with the support of the Ministry of Culture as part of the “Mieux produire Mieux diffuser” initiative.

This engagement is supported in part by Mid Atlantic Arts. This project is presented with the support of Ettijahat - Independent Culture, and F.U.S.E.D., a program of Villa Albertine and Albertine Foundation. With residency support from Le Grand Jeu : Artistic research, creation, and experimentation in nature.

Sarah-Dhobhany
Sarah-Dhobhany

DISTRIBUTION

Samar Haddad King
Conception, Text and Direction
Samar Haddad King
Created by
Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre
Choreography
Samar Haddad King in collaboration with the performers
Dramaturgy
Enrico Dau Yang Wey
Associate Director
Stephanie Sutherland
Rehearsal Direction
Zoe Rabinowitz
Lighting Design
Muaz Aljubeh
Music
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons recomposed by Max Richter
Original Music
Samar Haddad King
Costume and Set Design
Nancy Mkaabal
Production manager (YSDT)
Frances Caperchi
With
Samaa Wakim, Mehdi Dahkan, et Adan Azzam, Nadim Bahsoun, Charles Brecard, Dounia Dolbec, Yukari Osaka, Zoé Rabinowitz, Arzu Salman, Natalie Salsa, Yousef Sbieh, Enrico Dau Yang Wey, et Ash Winkfield.

DATES

TNBA Bordeaux:
With FAB, La Scène Nationale Carré Colonne, La Manufacture CDCN
– 10.08.2025 at 8:00PM
– 10.08.2025 at 8:00PM
– 10.10.2025 at 8:00PM
– 10.11.2025 at 6:00PM

Scène nationale du Sud-Aquitain:
– 10.14.2025 at 8:00PM

L’Empreinte, scène nationale Brive-Tulle:
– 11.14.2025 at 8:00PM
– 11.15.2025 at 7:00PM

Théâtre d’Angoulême – Scène Nationale:
– 11.18.2025 at 8:30PM

TAP, Scène nationale de Grand Poitiers:
– 11.20.2025 at 7:00PM

Le Moulin du Roc, Scène nationale:
– 11.22.2025

La Coursive, Scène Nationale La Rochelle:
– 11.25.2025

Scène Nationale D’Aubusson, Théatre Jean Lurçat:
– 11.27.2025

USEFUL INFO