Following sold-out tours around the world, Compagnie Hervé Koubi brings 17 dancers to explore the power of movement and human connection in “Sol Invictus” at the Center for the Arts on Thursday, Oct. 22, at 7:30 p.m.
Featuring dancers from France, Algeria, and beyond, the fearless company draws from contemporary dance, hip-hop, capoeira, and martial arts, bringing athleticism and expressive power to a work that celebrates connection, trust, and shared humanity. The New York Times selected “Sol Invictus” as a Critics’ Pick, writing, “They fly. They spin. They change how you see the amazing!”
Named for the “Invincible Sun” of ancient Rome, “Sol Invictus” evokes images of light as it explores the bonds that unite people. For choreographer Hervé Koubi, the work is a declaration of love for dance and its past, present, and future.
“I want to talk about love, mutual help, solidarity, light, and bonds,” Koubi writes in his program notes for the work.
Moving between hip-hop physicality and classical elevation, dancers create a world of rounds, spirals, soaring lifts, and gravity-defying movement. Koubi describes the stage as “a playground of all possibilities.”
The performance is set to a dynamic score featuring music by Swedish composer Mikael Karlsson, with excerpts by American minimalist composer Steve Reich, digital composer Maxime Bodson, and Ludwig van Beethoven. The music moves through contrasting worlds as the choreography shifts between powerful ensemble sequences and moments of stillness and reflection.
Drawing creative strength from Koubi’s Algerian roots and Mediterranean culture, Compagnie Hervé Koubi has become a prominent presence on the international touring circuit, performing at the Joyce Theater, NYU Abu Dhabi, Holland Dance Festival, Venice Biennale, Belgrade Dance Festival, Monaco Dance Forum, and other venues and festivals around the world.
Koubi’s own artistic journey has been shaped by questions of tradition, memory, and identity. After beginning his choreographic project in 2000, he traveled to Algeria in search of his family roots, an experience that influenced his work and his interest in dance as a means of creating connections across cultures and traditions.
Urban dance also deeply influences Koubi’s work. He approaches the interplay of movement techniques as a space for experimentation that can transcend technical and aesthetic boundaries. Since 2017, he has collaborated on his creations with dancer and choreographer Fayçal Hamlat, with whom he shares a common artistic vision.
Koubi was named a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French government in 2015.
This performance is supported in part by gifts from Ms. Ann Goette and Kelli Whitfield.
Following the performance, audience members can engage with choreographer Hervé Koubi during a post-performance discussion.
The company will lead a movement workshop on Tuesday, Oct. 20, from 6-7:30 p.m. in the Cube, located in the Center for the Arts. In this session, participants will explore the fundamentals of urban movement and learn how to transform personal stories into powerful, original choreography. The workshop is free and open to participants ages 16 and up of all skill levels, but registration is required.
Tickets are $25-$60 for general audiences and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Center for the Arts box office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours.
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