Saudi youths perform at ‘An Akoun’ dance show

Around 400 Saudis took to the stage at Princess Nourah Bint Abdul Rahman University in Riyadh on Friday for “An Akoun” dance performance.

Kinetico Dance Company organized its annual recital with a variety of routines, leaving the audience captivated and entertained for two hours.

The show included ballet, musical theater, contemporary, hip-hop, and gymnastics, which were all choreographed and performed by talented Saudi dancers aged four to 26.

Haifa Alrashid, one of the young stars in Kinetico, who performed on Friday, talked about her experience since joining the dancing academy.

“I joined Kinetico when I was five, or six years old. Now, I am 10. My experience was good. I learned to dance better, and I mostly do hip-hop because it is my favorite.” Kinetico Dance Company was established in 2009 — the first, and the, biggest dance company in Saudi Arabia.

Aya Albakoush, a managing partner at Kinetico Dance Company, said: “I started dancing

when I was about 11 years old. I have done it for almost 10 years until I started to become (involved) behind the scenes.”

She explained how the company usually hosts a full season of dance lessons, which includes everything from choreography to technique. Finally, they develop an art piece through an annual show at the end of each year.

“This show follows a theme we are trying to portray, and this year was about finding your inner feminine essence, slowing down, and coming back to yourself as a woman,” explained Albakoush. “Through what we do, and promoting artistic expression is a big part of Vision 2030, trying to really hone-in on our arts and culture in the country, and showcasing our Saudi talents … hopefully, one day, exporting it to the world to understand that Saudi Arabia has a lot to offer.”

The company has done other shows in the past such as “The Outcome,” which was themed around the dancers’ experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.