Caracalla Dance Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Caracalla Dance Theatre is an internationally renowned dance company based in Beirut
, Lebanon
.
founded the Caracalla Dance Theatre in 1970. He envisioned creating a new language in dance that merged Western and Oriental techniques. Abdel-Halim Caracalla was born in Baalbeck, a city known for its annual international cultural event, the Baalbeck International Festival
. Caracalla studied in New York with Martha Graham
in the 1960s. He continues to be the artistic director of the dance company and closely cooperates with his children, Alissar
who is a choreographer and Ivan who is a director.
in Japan
in 1972. Since then, the company has traveled extensively all over the world, and in particular in North America and Europe.
"All credit to Abdel-Halim Caracalla for devising and producing such entertaining, exotic and exciting dance-drama..."
"A contemporary dance form that blends the great of the Orient with the earthiness of Western modern dance..."
Beirut
Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
.
History
Abdel-Halim CaracallaAbdel-Halim Caracalla
Abdel-Halim Caracalla is the founder and artistic director of the Lebanese dance company Caracalla Dance Theatre.-Youth:Abdel-Halim was born in Baalbeck, Lebanon in 1940...
founded the Caracalla Dance Theatre in 1970. He envisioned creating a new language in dance that merged Western and Oriental techniques. Abdel-Halim Caracalla was born in Baalbeck, a city known for its annual international cultural event, the Baalbeck International Festival
Baalbeck International Festival
The Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and best-known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival...
. Caracalla studied in New York with Martha Graham
Martha Graham
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer whose influence on dance has been compared with the influence Picasso had on modern visual arts, Stravinsky had on music, or Frank Lloyd Wright had on architecture.She danced and choreographed for over seventy years...
in the 1960s. He continues to be the artistic director of the dance company and closely cooperates with his children, Alissar
Alissar Caracalla
Alissar Caracalla is a Lebanese dancer and choreographer. She is the founder and director of the Orientalist Dance Company and the Caracalla School of Dance, which is simply known as "Studio Caracalla: L'art de la Danse."...
who is a choreographer and Ivan who is a director.
Performances
The company's international debut was at the Festival of OsakaOsaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1972. Since then, the company has traveled extensively all over the world, and in particular in North America and Europe.
- Mystery of the Bizarre (1974)- World Tour
- The Black Tents (1978)- World Tour
- Shot of Glory (1980)- World Tour
- Taming of the Shrew (1982)- World Tour
- Echoes (1985)- World Tour
- Midsummer Nights Dream (1990) - Lebanon
- Elissa, Queen of Carthage (1996) - Beit MeryBeit MeryBeit Mery is a Lebanese town overlooking the capital Beirut. The town has been a summer mountain resort since the times of the Phoenicians and later the Romans Romans The name derives from Aramaic and it means "The house of my Lord or Master"...
, Lebanon - Andalusia, the Lost Glory (1997)- Baalbeck International FestivalBaalbeck International FestivalThe Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and best-known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival...
, Lebanon - Much Ado About Nothing (1999)- Baalbeck International FestivalBaalbeck International FestivalThe Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and best-known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival...
, Lebanon - Andalusia, the Lost Glory (1999)- Peacock TheatrePeacock TheatreThe Peacock Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Portugal Street, near Aldwych. The 999-seat house is owned by, and comprises part of the London School of Economics and Political Science campus, who utilise the theatre for lectures, public talks, conferences,...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, U.K. - Two Thousand and One Nights (2001)- Baalbeck International FestivalBaalbeck International FestivalThe Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and best-known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival...
, Lebanon - Two Thousand and One Nights (2003)- BIEL, BeirutBeirutBeirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, with a population ranging from 1 million to more than 2 million . Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coastline, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport, and also forms the Beirut Metropolitan...
, Lebanon - Two Thousand and One Nights (2003)- Peacock TheatrePeacock TheatreThe Peacock Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, located in Portugal Street, near Aldwych. The 999-seat house is owned by, and comprises part of the London School of Economics and Political Science campus, who utilise the theatre for lectures, public talks, conferences,...
, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, U.K. - The Villager’s Opera! (2006)- Baalbeck International FestivalBaalbeck International FestivalThe Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and best-known cultural event in the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean. Since 1955, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world have flocked to the city of Baalbek in the Beqaa Valley of Lebanon to attend the annual festival...
, Lebanon - Knights of the Moon (2007-2008)-Forum de Beyrouth, Casino du LibanCasino du LibanCasino du Liban is a casino located in Maameltein, Jounieh in Lebanon and is 22 km north of Beirut.With an area of about 35,000 square meters, the casino has around 400 slot machines and 60 gaming tables. It has a showroom, night club, theater, banquet facility and five restaurants. The casino was...
Press
- Daily Telegraph
"All credit to Abdel-Halim Caracalla for devising and producing such entertaining, exotic and exciting dance-drama..."
- Evening Standard
"A contemporary dance form that blends the great of the Orient with the earthiness of Western modern dance..."