CIR Lifestyle
The Institut français du Cambodge (IFC) and Overseas Cambodian Investment Corporation (OCIC Group), one of Cambodia’s leading real estate and urban developers, are proud to present a new artistic residency featuring French choreographer Dalila Belaza. The renowned artist will lead workshops in partnership with international schools and NGOs throughout her residency, and as well as present her latest creation Figures in a public performance at the John Crawford Theatre, Canadian International School of Phnom Penh.
During her residency in Cambodia, Dalila Belaza will lead workshops with selected partner institutions in Battambang with the NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak (October 17-19), at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh (October 27-28), and at the Canadian International School of Phnom Penh, where she will conduct three workshops with middle school students to introduce them to contemporary dance. A school matinee performance will also take place on Thursday, October 23rd for students and community partners.
Experience Dalila Belaza’s Acclaimed Choreographic Work
A highlight of the residency will be a special public performance of Figures on Friday, October 24th at 7 p.m. at the John Crawford Theatre, Canadian International School of Phnom Penh. This is a unique opportunity for the Cambodian public to experience Dalila Belaza’s acclaimed choreographic work.
Read More: The French Institute of Cambodia and OCIC Group: A Creative Alliance for Culture
With Figures, Dalila Belaza investigates the possibility of a universal rite, inventing an imaginary traditional dance “without origin or territory” that connects the present to eternity. Fluid and seemingly abstract, carried by subliminal lights and soundscapes, this body surrendered to the unconscious belongs to all the communities of humanity. In Belaza’s work, dance transcends pure movement to become a dialogue between body and light, creating what she calls “states of light”—ephemeral moments where the visible and invisible merge, guiding the audience’s imagination between the concrete and the dreamlike.
This performance is the last event of the Olympe de Gouges cycle: Women of Power and Women of Action, organized by the French Institute of Cambodia as part of La Nuit des Idées 2025, a global cultural event organized by French Institutes on the theme “The Power to Act,” inviting reflection on the capacity to transform the world and respond to contemporary challenges.
OCIC Group’s support underscores the role of the private sector in promoting cultural enrichment. Alongside this partnership, OCIC has demonstrated its own commitment to cultural preservation, notably Through developments like Techo International Airport, the Canadian International School of Phnom Penh, and many urban development projects, OCIC continues to invest in Cambodia’s future—not only through infrastructure but also through imagination and international collaboration.
Event Details:
- What: Figures by Dalila Belaza – Contemporary Dance Performance
- When: Friday, October 24th, 2025 at 7:00 p.m.
- Where: John Crawford Theatre, Canadian International School of Phnom Penh
- Tickets: $8 (full fare), $5 (under 18), to be purchased on the Institut français’ website
https://www.ifcambodge.com/community/event-rsvp/?event_id=792
Dalila Belaza
As a child, Dalila Belaza did not dance, she listened. The tales, transmitted through oral tradition within the family circle, infuse her imagination and give her a taste for storytelling. These stories, the cradle of her practice, come to life on stage through bodies. After years spent working with her sister, choreographer Nacera Belaza, she founded her own company in 2020 following her encounter with the folk group Lous Castelous. Her approach is built around research aimed at linking the memory of folk rituals and contemporary dance.
“I’m looking for the intimate, mysterious and unchanging story that lies dormant within us, that speaks to us in an essential sense and that can bring us together. To do this, I create the conditions that allow us to open up and question our intimacy, as if to extract from it a reinvented human story.” Dalila Belaza
