MEDIATHEK

'Dance with the seven veils' was created in reaction of the hijab- controversy on the beach in Cannes in 2016. The project tells stories of seven different mythical figures about veiling, from princess Draupadi from the Mahabharata, the Japanese Kaguya, the Iraqi Inanna and off course Salome.
 
These ancient stories alternate with stories from women from Amsterdam-West. They share their personal stories about wearing the hijab.
 
The headscarf remains a sensitive issue. 'Dance of the seven veils' shows different perspectives on the veil, in a broader discussion about beauty and religious freedom. The performance is inspired by the famous dance from the opera 'Salome' by Richard Strauss. The Iranian composer Aftab Darvishi made 7 dances for cello, inspired by the seven musical cultures of the stories, undoing Salome's story of its exotic veils. Mouna Laroussi dances, and tells the story of the woman on the beach in Cannes, Sian, who falls through time and meets her mythological sisters.
 
The piece was performed in debate-centre de Balie in the middle of a increasing tensions between the venue and the Muslim community, due to anti-muslim sentiments uttered in a program one week before the show. The hall was full of angry members of the civil society, ready to attack the programmers of the venue. The performance, with its many different perspectives on religion, women and society, created a space to approach the discussion afterwards in a different, more emotional way.