Three women wearing traditional embroidered clothing and headbands holding candles in a dark setting, with smoke projected in the background.

Sowt Al Ard (The Sound of the Earth) Theater Show

Sowt Al Ard (the sound of the earth) Show
at Atlas Performing Arts Center and MC Cultural Arts Center

Atlas Intersections Festival

Sowt al Ard (The Sound of the Earth) was co-created and co-written by Sonia Abdulbaki and Fairouz Foty, choreographed by Malikat Al Dabke members Sonia and Mae Abdulbaki with original Arabic poetry and a song arrangement by Sonia Abdulbaki, aweeha written by Sonia and Mae Abdulbaki, artwork by Mona El-Bayoumi and collaboration with Quartertonez Music featuring oud players and Arabic singers Fuad Foty and Alaa Abdulbaki.

The show was a multidisciplinary performance that included Dabke, live Arabic music as well as carefully selected tracks, singing by all, elements of raqs sharqi, tradition, grieving practices, poetry, drums and opera.

The show portrayed a ritual of remembrance and resistance, asking: What stories does the earth carry, and how do we listen? It portrayed the power of voice, sound, and memory - leaving a vibration of resistance, the tenderness of grief, and the earth singing back its own stories.

A man with dark curly hair, beard, glasses, and a patterned scarf is playing an acoustic guitar against a black background with a green light source to his left.
Three women are playing large hand drums on stage, illuminated by warm stage lights. Their focus is on their drums during a performance.
A woman with long dark hair and closed eyes, wearing dark clothing and a veil, holding her chest in front of a red background.
Black and white photo of a woman with long hair, wearing a hooded jacket, looking to the side against a dark background.

Testimonials

“So many people in the community appreciate the Malikat and how you all represent the roots. What a creative and touching performance!”
— Show attendee
“It was an honor to have been there to see all the hard work come to fruition. The tone was pitch perfect, and the way it wove from experience to experience also took everyone through the emotional journey of pride and joy and fun and somber moments and tragedy and shock. Very well-balanced.”
— Anwar Fikri, Comedian
“Brava Malikat for a great performance. You keep outdoing yourselves by artistic innovations which take dabkah to new horizons while maintaining its core traditional elements. You have created a fantastic team of Arab women artists. Mabrouk.”
— Teta
“I truly had chills throughout the entire performance and was fighting back tears because it was THAT beautiful! I love that you highlighted both joy and struggle; because of that, the performance really emphasized the persistence and hope of persecuted people in the face of adversity.”
— Show attendee