Pendulums sway, back and forth, back and forth. A suspension in time, space, and mentality. History will always repeat itself, never truly progressing. The swing is a boat— suspended with a false sense of security. Pushing forward with such strength, only to be taken backwards with the same, but diminishing momentum. The sculpture, the monument, the transition from boy to man, girl to woman. From home to isolation. 

Haidar is a coming of age story told through the eyes of a 10 year old boy growing up in a war-torn context. The production centers around the on-stage creation and destruction of a large metal swing that serves as a metaphor for escape. Told in palindromic framework, the show reverses at a midpoint to explore the same sequence of events through the eyes of Haidar’s female friend, Radiah.             

Exploring themes of family, time, and inequality, Haidar serves as a work that reflects the world we live in today. My position as the Artistic Director and Choreographer for the production was a challenging, but fruitful. My position involved the design and construction of the swing, directing creating the lighting design, working with the cast, and helping the directors to execute their vision.