Maria Hassabi: Us

A 6m bench along the front edge of the stage compresses the space into a narrow, linear runway. Five dancers trace this boundary through a sequence of calculated tableaus, their bodies caught between rest and anticipation. The bench acts as a structural pivot, serving simultaneously as physical support and a choreographic frame. Facing the audience directly, the cast establishes a shared field of attention. Both individually and as an ensemble, as well as among themselves and with the viewers, the dancers navigate presence in real time. The performance unfolds within this shared alignment, fostering a quiet exchange of attention and perception.

This is part of the fifth edition of Perform Sharjah, Sharjah Art Foundation’s season of curated performances that serve as an engaging space for exploring, remembering and imagining – “treating the body as a site of artistic inquiry, the programme shifts fluidly between intimate reflection and collective experience”.