Ali Chahrour exposes the Kafala system in a powerful stage work.
The Lebanese choreographer Ali Chahrour made a lasting impression at DE SINGEL in 2023 with his acclaimed production The Love Behind My Eyes. Now he returns with When I Saw the Sea, a political indictment of systematic and intersectional violence against women.
When a homeland is torn apart by conflict or climate disasters, and people trade in the familiar for the unknown, in their quest for happiness some find themselves in new forms of uncertainty. This is the story of hundreds of thousands of African and Southeast Asian migrant workers in Lebanon. Lured by promises of opportunity and prosperity, they become ensnared in the Kafala system. Described by Arab governments as a standard employment framework, but by NGOs as a breeding ground for exploitation and modern slavery.
For his latest production, Chahrour brings together three women who fell victim to the Kafala system but managed to escape. When I Saw the Sea is a poignant testament to resilience and justice. For the first time, the three female migrant workers tell their own story. Through dance, music, and gripping testimonies, they give a voice to their invisible counterparts.