Asheera 2021

“Asheera” a Canaanite mythical tale that tells the story of a young woman named Asheera who was granted a pomegranate tree from the Gods. Asheera disobeyed the Gods’ orders by giving a branch of the tree to her people to plant in their fields. This angered the Gods who decided to impose collective punishment on her people by destroying their city, first and foremost the pomegranate tree,in addition toexpelling its people. This provoked Asheera to voice her anger and disapproval of the punishment imposed on her people, which led the Gods to further punish her by banishing her to the underworld where her memory was erased.  Asheera then began her journey searching for her lost pomegranate tree and the reconnection with her people. She finds them trying to help her remember her past and regain their strength and power to return to their homeland.

“Asheera” is a multimedia production that presents a contemporary visual story employing words, body, sound and images which take the audience on an emotional journey of love, loss, anger and hope. This sixty-minute Palestinian performance is inspired from the Canaanite period, but reflects injustice and power practices throughout history and until today.

Producer: El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe 

Story, Script & lyrics: Waseem Al-Kurddi 

Director: Noora Baker, Anas Abu Oun

Training and Chorography Supervision: Ata Khatab

Choreography: Ata Khatab, Sharaf Dar Zeid, Laila Bukhari, Khaled Qatamesh, Noora Baker

Assistant Choreography: Mohammed AlTayeh, Samer Karaja, Nidal Kaabi, Majdi Karakra, Nadia Khattab, Lama Abu Fares, Mohammed AlSafadi

Music -Executive producer: Samer Jaradat

Music Arrangement: Yacoub Hammoudeh

Scenography: Rafat Asad

Costumes: Hala Shihab