Dark Circles' World Premiere ALADDIN, HABIBI Explores New Territory

Dallas' Dark Circles Contemporary Dance celebrates the opening of its 2018-19 Season in the U.S.A. with a brand-new immersive evening-length creation conceived and choreographed by international award-winning choreographer and founder of Dark Circles Joshua L. Peugh inspired by the story "The History of Aladdin, or The Wonderful Lamp."

The new work-titled Aladdin, Habibi-explores how time, culture, and imagination have transformed the original tale of Aladdin and his magical lamp. Peugh, one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch," has envisioned the show as a 90-minute performance in the round with audience members seated on pillows and rugs around the perimeter of the dance floor. The audience will be surrounded by scenic elements, giving the audience an intimate shared experience with the artists and each other inside the world of the show.

"This is new territory for me as a choreographer," says Peugh. "This is the first time I've created a work of this length and complexity. We have 11 weeks to create a world that is touching, entertaining, and accessible."

"All of the creations we've done over the last five years are being synthesized in this project: the themes and topics we've explored; the movement vocabulary we've developed; the combination of new dance, new music, live musicians, new costumes, scenic elements; all of it will come together in this new work. Creating an evening-length Aladdin, Habibi is the next step for me as a choreographer."

Aladdin, Habibi is a modern meditation on American rhetoric regarding the Middle East and the stereotypes associated with Middle Eastern races and cultures. The work touches on magic and religion, women's rights, violence, public pressure, domestic politics, and foreign policy.

A new score for the work has been commissioned from composer and SMU Meadows School of the Arts alumnus Brandon Carson and will be performed live by a six-piece band on a mixture of Arabic, African, and western instruments. The production will feature lighting and scenic designs by Bart McGeehon. Susan Austin will provide the costume design.

"Dancers are storytellers," says Peugh, "and Aladdin's story is a fascinating one to retell. It's full of contradictions not only in the original story itself, but also in its origins (the story first appears in writing in a manuscript by a Frenchman in the 1700s). Contradictions are an inspiring place for me to create from."

Aladdin, Habibi is presented by The Elevator Project through a partnership between the AT&T Performing Arts Center and the City of Dallas' Office of Cultural Affairs. Performances will run October 11-14 at Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre, Studio Theatre. Tickets are $25.

For more information, visit DarkCirclesContemporaryDance.com.

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