CREATIONS
Rakiya The Artist, Choreographer & Artistic Director in 10 questions
- Rakiya The Artist, as an Artist how do you define dance? it is an immersion with a 360 ° vision like the turtles, where you perceive the worlds, the others and yourself. Thanks to this real authentic vision that I was able to balance myself through dance.
- Rakiya The Artist, what is your best artistic memory?
the spectacle in the Great Moroccan South, it was indescribable, I like to go where I am not expected, places “luxurious in appearance” do not attract me at all. On an emotional level, my strongest memory: when I worked on the realization of Path of life path of body, I relived intense moments of my past with each repetition. - Rakiya The Artist, Choreographer when and how did the idea for a
new show come about?
It is simply life which points the finger at you, a question, a reflection, and if you are attentive you can see the movement genesis of the project. In general, my inspirations often come when I’m in Istanbul, I don’t know why, but honestly I have some clues on why, maybe the subject of a future show… Rakiya The Artist, what are your goals as a choreographer? To live an experience, to break the codes, to open the fields of possibilities. I am very sensitive to the conditions of women in the world and to minorities. Remain honest: the majority of my creations are built on an improvisation where I come to graft decided moments. I need to be surprised every time I dance, to stay spontaneous and listen to my inner being. - Rakiya The Artist, with which artists would you like to collaborate?
First of all with musicians like Ghalia Benali, titi Robin or Orange Blossom, for the choreographers there are some very good ones in my region like Sofiane Chalal or Afid Zekhinni (with whom I have already collaborated for “Once upon a time oriental dance ”), Carolyn Carlson, Ohad Noharin and above all Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
I like to meet others especially when I am touched by the sensitivity of their artistic work. Writers and actors, painters and any form of art or not, I would like to do everything in this life. - Rakiya The Artist your productions are independent, how do you proceed as artistic director?
Yes indeed from the start I wanted to make my productions from A to Z. For me it is a way of remaining free. At present, I am completely ready to receive aid from sponsorship or any other form of aid, because my projects are becoming more and more important. - Rakiya The Artist how is the artistic direction of Compagnie Arabesque going?
In 2020 we will be celebrating twenty years already, but at the beginning of the history the company was a troop, it is in 2017 that it is transformed into an official company and recognized by the Federation Wallonia Brussels performing arts. It is a superb reward and a new breath in future projects! - Rakiya The Artist what difficulties do you encounter in Belgium in your work as a choreographer?
The first thing that comes to my mind are dancers, finding motivated multidisciplinary dancers who can engage in the medium term and who like risk. Then the opportunities in Belgium are not as present as in a country like the Netherlands or the United States, it is clear, but hey the opportunities I create them alone. Is the profession of choreographer recognized in Belgium? No not really, but it is not specific to the choreographer, it is a general ignorance in all the dance professions in the broad sense. - Rakiya The Artist, you are a multidisciplinary dancer, how do you define your style exactly?
I love contrasts, water and fire, things and their opposites, paradox in all its splendor. I need to consume dance with all the sauces, perhaps by my plural origins too? And I encourage young dancers to do the same, let’s avoid compartmentalization, it’s never positive, let’s mix, mix! - Rakiya The Artist, are you currently working on a project?
Yes of course! I define myself as hyperactive, I am in full reflection on identities… but I do not say more. I’m thinking of producing this show for 2021, if all goes well. In addition to this show, I am working on setting up a dance project never before done in Europe. I reserve the surprise for you soon …
Creations
Azulejos new show under construction
Meeting of a singer, a flamenco guitarist, an Arab percussionist and a dancer to express yourself “Azulejos” in Portuguese from the Arabic word “Al-zuleij” which means “small polished stone”.
It is a tile or a set of decorated earthenware tiles. These tiles are decorated with geometric patterns or figurative representations during the period A tradition that dates back to the 13th century in Portugal, Spain, and the Maghreb countries.
Premiere on Sunday June 20 at 3 p.m. at Arabesque.
Look (S)
What is my perspective on things, on the past on the current situation that we all live with from a point of view specific to the individual, family and culture. Is my angle of view correct? is my gaze a source of judgment? Does my point of view influence my gaze and all my senses?
The perspective that life offers us is definitely fueled by the way we look at things or not, in this experimental choreographic work, we have with all the actors questioned our own habits of life and
movement, the pandemic have allowed us to live this experience 24 hours a day. Are we capable of questioning everything by a simple change of gaze?
Dance and poetry – A dancer & an actress
Save the planet – counted dance and magic show
A marvelous show for young and old where dance, theater and magic meet …
synopsis: Natural disasters are unfolding, the climate is changing: our planet is in bad shape Help Naya, Alona, Thétys and their friends to find the magic objects through the dances and cultures of the world in order to restore peace. Tick, tock, tick, tock… Hurry up, time is running out in order to save the planet
Mosaic
A dancing, festive and poetic journey through the mosaic of Arab cultures: from Morocco, to Egypt via Algeria, Tunisia, Iraq, Turkey,….
Raices- Roots
“Raices” means Roots in Spanish. It is a creation that addresses the decompartmentalized vision of dance according to Rakiya The Artist ©. The dancers of the Arabesque Company evolve in this show from a traditional flamenco to an unbridled flamenco and influenced by the various ramifications of Spanish Dance.
Resonance
As part of the Corps en Accord project developed by the Asbl Arabesque, Résonance will be presented during the second edition “ Cabaret d’Art ” project.
Rakiya The Artist comes back to us in a new creation: ” Resonance “. With this new show the artist invites us to discover what resonates in her in her life as a woman, daughter, mother of wife and “worker of the body. »And which gives birth to his movement, his movements, his emotions and his sensitivity.
The body, nature, ancestors, words, noise; how do all these elements take shape in his artistic universe?
The show is interactive, it takes the form of a walk in the beautiful establishment that houses the Asbl Arabesque; place conducive to creation and meetings. Other invited people will take part in this reflection.
75 minutes / 7 dancers / creation March 2019 / participatory show in the form of a walk / workshop included in the show.
Path of life, path of the body
Autobiographical show by and with Rakiya The Artist.
Between legacies, dialogues,
reflections, introspections and sharing, “ Path of life, path of body” invites you to the heart of the artistic universe of this atypical artist, rich in his differences. Belgian artist of Hispano-Moroccan origin, this artist gives us a dance colored by the multiple influences that mark out her life course. In this new creation, both intimate and universal, dance stages this journey and reveals the creative and founding tensions of a personal mythology in which the grace of classical dance, the passion for flamen co, 
the Berber heritage and other influences gleaned from the rhythms of the meetings. “Path of life, Path of body” asks us this essential question of multiple identity, its genesis and its
development, in a society threatened by identity withdrawal and silos . ”
75 minutes / 6 dancers / 1 musician / creation November 2015 / all audiences / 60-minute bodily expression workshop for all.
Artistic Director: Rakiya The Artist.
#Traveling Arab Spring
After the events that triggered the Arab Spring in 2010, what about?
It is on this initial reflection that the project was born at Brussels national airport, during the disappearance on May 19, 2016 of flight 804 Paris Charles de Gaule 
Cairo of the company Egyptair.
An artistic testimony on the situation in the Middle East and the consequences through Art in general. Through the eyes of different artists from the countries concerned by the events, an oriental orchestra composed of four musicians who evolve together through the strong instruments that make up the music of the Middle East.
75 minutes / 3 dancers / 4 musicians / creation March 2016 / all audiences / creative workshop around oriental percussion of 60 minutes for all.
Artistic direction: Rakiya The Artist.
Cabaret d’Art; meet the arts.
After his creation and his moving interpretation in “Path of life, path of body”, Rakiya The Artist is back on stage for a work this time less intimate certainly but just as fascinating. Passion, in fact, is what sets the pace for our choreographer’s approach! Rakiya The Artist has been active in mental health for a few years, it is a sector that particularly affects her: ” For me, the view that society has on mental health is a form of exclusion, in the same way 
as cultural exclusion. »Yes, it touches me! This difference which scares most people, inspires me! “
For this new show, Rakiya The Artist decided to set in motion works made by people struggling to live, to give them life through his reading and his feelings about the work as well as his meeting with 
the artist. In the form of a “walking show”, the spectators will evolve to meet the dances, a form of artistic transhumance.
75 minutes / 4 to 6 dancers / 2 painters / creation March 2015 / creative dance and drawing workshop of 60 minutes for all.
Artistic direction: Rakiya The Artist
“Once upon a time there was oriental dance”
Show performed in four tables, from the Pharaonic era to the dancers of tomorrow. Rakiya The Artist takes us back to a time when dance is the master of ceremonies. Far from the clichés and received ideas of this ancestral art, with humor and lightness. Through this show we understand how oriental dance is today what it is thanks to the rest of the world. These exchanges of wealth have grown and strengthened this art, resulting from fertility rites which is an ode to the sacred feminine.
75 minutes / 6 to 8 dancers / 2 musicians / creation November 2010/60-minute bodily expression workshop for all.
Artistic direction: Rakiya The Artist
Parents / children show
Support and accompany the educational and parental functions.
Dance as an agent of change, the dance that brings us together. Allow us to see and feel things differently. This is the challenge of this adventure. Put in dance the problems encountered between children and their parents, intergenerational conflicts, children’s desire for freedom, parental overprotection, the gaze of the other within our own family. We will also have the opportunity to look at emotions, identify them and recognize them in body language. Defuse conflicts and de-dramatize them to allow everyone to grow. To value the parent and the child, to favor the privileged moments of relationship between the child and his parent. Prioritize times
listening and sharing, the difficulties encountered by parents in the education of their child (ren). Value and support the roles and educational skills of parents.
If you want to organize this type of project contact us on rakiyatheartist@gmail.com
Mons le Manège Square Festival, 2011
As part of the theme ” Arab times “, Rakiya presents a creation ” Rencontres “, between Egyptian oriental dances and Spanish music, like the political climate and the Arab Spring, Rakiya offers cohesion through art.
Self-production / Morocco 2008, creation 
” Homage to Farid el Atrach and Samia Gamal ”
In association with the cultural house of Tiznit. Belgium in November 2007. A show dedicated to the Egyptian singer Farid el Atrach and his great love of the time: the dancer Samia Gamal. The story of their life and their forbidden love, in the golden age of Egyptian cinema. This project was born from the family love for these artists and from a desire to propose to the land of these ancestors of art as a woman artist entrepreneur. This project was a social, relational and emotional triumph in the region. Rakiya graciously gave dance workshops in centers and schools in the region.
Self-production / Belgium 2007 ” Tribute to Farid el Atrach and Samia Gamal ” 
