Akram Khan’s Giselle

Step into a world where movement becomes storytelling and emotion takes centre stage as Akram Khan’s Giselle by English National Ballet arrives in Abu Dhabi as a special performance film screening 🎥✨. Presented at the atmospheric Cultural Foundation Amphitheatre, this cinematic reimagining of the iconic Romantic ballet offers audiences a powerful and deeply moving experience.

Set in a stark, divided society, Giselle unfolds in a world shaped by inequality and exclusion. Giselle is part of the “Outcasts” — migrant garment factory workers cut off from their livelihoods by an imposing wall separating them from the wealthy Landlords who once depended on their labour. When Giselle falls in love with Albrecht, unaware that he belongs to the privileged class, her story takes a heartbreaking turn 💔.

Betrayal leads to tragedy, and in the second act, Giselle joins the Wilis — ghostly women bound by loss and vengeance. As Albrecht faces their wrath, Giselle must choose between revenge and forgiveness, transforming the ballet into a haunting meditation on love, justice, and redemption 🌙🩰.

Choreographed by Akram Khan, the production is defined by intense, athletic movement and raw emotion. Vincenzo Lamagna’s dark reworking of the original score and Tim Yip’s monumental visual designs heighten the drama, creating an immersive and unforgettable cinematic experience.

This screening reveals Giselle as a timeless story, resonating powerfully with today’s themes of borders, displacement, and humanity — a must-see for lovers of dance, cinema, and storytelling 🎭✨.

📅 Date: Sunday, 15 February
⏰ Doors Open: 18:30 | Screening Starts: 19:00
📍 Location: Cultural Foundation Amphitheatre, Abu Dhabi
🎟 Tickets From: AED 60