Urban dance showcase – AlUla Arts Festival 2026

Villa Hegra presented a day dedicated to dance and performance on 17 January 2026, in collaboration with Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse and with the support of Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, highlighting artists from both the French and Saudi scenes.

Accompanied by dancers and acrobats from the Compagnie de Chaillot, highliner Nathan Paulin performed a highline crossing inspired by Les Traceurs, choreographed by Rachid Ouramdane. Composer and musician Christophe Chassol, meanwhile, offered a musical journey based on some of his most emblematic works, followed by a concert by Saudi musicians.

Emerging from hip-hop culture and representing a new generation of choreographers, Saïdo Lehlouh (CCN de Rennes / collective FAIR-E) presented Break On, a creation combining hip-hop dance and an unexpected musical setting, bringing together French and Saudi talents, including Jeddah-based artist Akram Shah. The work offered a moment of visual and musical poetry at the heart of Villa Hegra’s artistic programme.

Between performances, the audience took part in hands-on workshops and attended a screening of Möbius Morphosis, a recording of the eponymous work created by Rachid Ouramdane and the Collectif XY at the Panthéon in Paris as part of the Cultural Olympiad for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.