KMs of Resistance

A dance that offers access to the social struggles of our contemporary society.

Mehdi Dahkan

Alice Ripoll

France-based Moroccan choreographer and performer Mehdi Dahkan uses the body to interrogate social constructs prevalent in the Maghreb today.

In the piece KMs of Resistance, Mehdi seeks to explore the act of celebrating as a form of protest and resistance. The work draws inspiration from the Chaabi dance gatherings which sparked resistance movements and were used to transmit coded information during Morocco’s struggle for independence.

Dahkan aims to create a performance that offers subtle yet festive access to the social struggles of our contemporary society. This project will be the final part of a trilogy he has conceived based on ritual, protest, and desire.

Mehdi Dahkan at the Forecast Forum, on his work for Forecast.

In late October, 2024 Dahkan and his mentor, choreographer Alice Ripoll, met for a Work-stay in Bahia, Brazil, where they worked on developing the solo performance that Dahkan presented at the Forecast Forum into a choreography with several dancers. Watch the work-stay video here: