Rabat – From March 14 to April 6, Marrakech will once again host the “On Marche” festival, an annual celebration of dance, spirituality, and cultural dialogue.
This year’s edition coincides with Ramadan, highlighting themes of reflection, communal sharing, and mystical exploration throughout its programming.
For choreographer and festival founder Izeddiou Taoufiq, the festival is “a collective celebration and an individual mystical journey.
Attendees can expect an immersive schedule of contemporary dance, workshops, masterclasses, and free public performances, all designed to echo the contemplative rhythm of Ramadan.
This year’s festival also marks the 25th anniversary of Taoufiq’s company, highlighting Morocco’s growing prominence in the international contemporary dance scene.
The festival spans nine days across multiple venues, including the Resort Marrakech Saadi Es and the Étoiles du Fna el Jemaa Cultural Center, and incorporates multidisciplinary performances, film screenings, and artist-public dialogues exploring spiritual and social values.
As always, the festival emphasizes participatory experiences.
Daily iftars, after which dance and visual arts performances unfold, invite festival-goers to share meals and conversations with choreographers, dancers, and visual artists, forging connections that extend beyond the stage.
“Dance is not just a performance, it’s a dialogue, an imaginative space where art reaffirms the human capacity for meaning,” Taoufiq said in a press statement.
The festival’s international scope is evident in its programming, which features collaborations with artists from Spain, France, Algeria, Mali, Mozambique, Tunisia, and Egypt.
Highlights include the “Images in Dances” cinematographic cycle and curated photo exhibitions that explore ritual, rhythm, and contemporary choreography through an anthropological lens.
Supporting the next generation of Moroccan choreographers, “On Marche” continues its TAKLÎF program, a creative incubator offering mentorship, residencies, and technical guidance in dramaturgy, choreography, and dance management.
Finalists from across Morocco and the diaspora will showcase their works, while workshops and residencies aim to embed the festival’s ethos in a younger generation of artists.
