Saeed Hani’s Inlet Premieres at Edinburgh Fringe

Influenced by Saeed Hani’s own experience as a refugee, Inlet by Hani Dance – a stirring and beautiful work that explores borders, what walls do to human relationships, and the story of Remus and Romulus through visual art, immersive soundscapes, and intimate storytelling paired with Hani Dance’s distinctive choreographic language – is set to show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this August, as part of Assembly @ DanceBase’s highly anticipated programme, and the Kultur|lx – Art Council Luxembourg (Part of Luxembourg selection 2025).

Walls define us, confine us, control us. In Inlet, an enigmatic contemporary dance work by German-Syrian choreographer Saeed Hani – of Trier and Luxembourg-based company Hani Dance – dancers Francesco Ferrari, Ana F. Melero, and Michele Scappa confront these physical and emotional limits to expose the violence and vulnerability they conceal.

Inspired by the ancient legend of Rome’s founding, where a wall holds symbolic importance, and the myth of Romulus and Remus, where the creation of a wall ignites conflict and transformation, INLET explores the lasting imprint of boundaries, visible and invisible, on society and the human spirit. Through raw, emotionally resonant movement and stark simplicity, the performers embody separation, restriction, and the profound yearning for connection and freedom.

Choreographer Saeed Hani’s own life is deeply woven into the work. Raised in Syria and later seeking refuge in Europe, he has lived through the harsh realities of political, societal, and emotional divisions. His experience lends Inlet an urgent, authentic voice – transforming abstract themes into a personal, lived narrative at a time when global tensions are sharply in focus.

To Hani, ‘Inlet isn’t just a dance piece. It’s a call to examine the walls we’ve built between cultures, communities, and within ourselves – and to ask what it means to break through them.’

Blending visual art, immersive soundscapes, and intimate storytelling, Hani’s distinct choreographic language pushes the edges of contemporary performance – inviting audiences not just to watch, but to truly feel.

Based In Luxembourg City, Hani Dance’s work explores the complexity of the human condition through the versatile medium of movement art and the vulnerability of the naked body. They use bold visuals from multiple sources to explore topics like ego, wars, the Middle East conflict, LGBTQIA+, borders and human psychology. Artistic director Saeed Hani has been creating and touring work internationally for many years, including recent collaborations with Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Saeed’s creative process incorporates dancers’ physical response to specific environments and mindsets into dynamic choreographies that encourage audiences to engage with their imagination and personal experience.

INLET is supported by Kultur|lx – Art Council Luxembourg – Part of Luxembourg selection 2025.

Main Image: Courtesy of Blackgate Media