Ansaf - Sima Dance Company

Dubai’s leading contemporary dance company premiere Ansaf, a new work by acclaimed Palestinian choreographer Alaa Krimed exploring important questions and concepts facing the Arab World.

This new work for a company of 10 dancers, set to an original score by the choreographer, is inspired by the writings of Canadian philosopher Alan Deneault about the challenge of mediocrity and its impact on language, ideas, art, culture, and economy. The piece explores the relationship of consumerism and populism with critical thinking and the role of excellence in serving the public good.

Palestinian choreographer, born and raised in Damascus, Alaa Krimed was the 2014 winner of MBC’s Arabs Got Talent.

Commissioned by The Arts Center and produced by Sima Dance Company.

About Sima Dance Company
Sima Dance Company was founded in Damascus, Syria in 2003 by Syrian born-and- Palestinian choreographer Alaa Krimed, known for his unique works in the region. After noticing a void in the Arab contemporary dance landscape, he took the first step towards filling that gap, aspiring to expose the Middle Eastern audience to the art of contemporary dance. Alaa Krimed’s productions were performed in Damascus Opera House, Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts and various theaters in the region.

In 2012, Sima Dance Company moved to Beirut and founded a dance studio there. The studio focused on promoting Arab contemporary dance in Lebanon by further developing the skills of aspiring professionals and qualified dancers. The Company’s efforts were awarded by winning the title of Arabs Got Talent in 2014, the Arab version of the international show, produced by MBC.

In 2015 the company relocated to Dubai and opened its own space Sima Performing Arts in Alserkal Avenue in 2017. Since then, Sima Dance Company has successfully collaborated with main cultural institutions of the UAE: Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Alserkal Avenue, Art Dubai etc. It has regularly performed at Quoz Arts Fest (Alserkal Avenue) since 2016 and were commissioned for a site-specific performance by Art Dubai in 2017, they opened Fujairah Performing Arts Festival in 2018 and were commissioned by the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi for an initiative Arts in Motion – an innovative program combining visual art and dancing. Here the company performed its original choreographies created to the masterpieces of art which have were revealed for the public for the first time at Abu Dhabi Art Week in 2018.

Sima Dance Company engages about 20 dancers who regularly perform with the company. The dancers have been professionally trained worldwide – US, UK, UAE, Germany, South Africa, Japan, Syria, and other countries – which allows the company to benefit from various approaches to creative expression while creating its own unique artistic voice.