ABDEL HALIM CARACALLA
FOUNDER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Abdel Halim Caracalla was born in Heliopolis – City of the Sun – one of the most formidable ancient Roman cities of the world, where the temples of Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus, stand majestically in the Bekaa valley of Lebanon. He spent his childhood inspired by these temples and grew to become the pole vaulting champion of Lebanon and the Arab world under the commanding upbringing of his Greek coach who installed in him the Spartan spirit.
Inspired by the dance companies which were performing every summer in front of the Roman temples at the Baalbeck International Festival, Caracalla was mesmerised by the skill of the dancers and their ability to move with such grace and perfection. It wasn’t long thereafter that Caracalla, at the height of his athletic ability, hung up his sports attire and followed the call of his destiny.
In pursuit of his ambitions and dreams, he made his way to London to discover the world of dance. In a twist of fate, he became student at the London School of Contemporary Dance where he received his Master’s in Choreography under none other than Martha Graham, who would forever leave her mark on the young apprentice.
In 1968, he went on to found the Caracalla Dance Theatre, a company which would evolve into the first and most prominent dance theatre of the Middle East, creating a new language based upon the disciplines of western technique intertwined with the identity, movement and traditions of Arab cultural heritage.
IVAN CARACALLA
DIRECTOR
Ivan’s youthful fascination for the magic of the stage, for the power of the music and the unification of dance through mind, body and spirit, flourished from an innocent dream and grew into a lifelong passion and discovery of the performing arts, a devotion which paved the way for his education in Theatre Arts and Film.
Upon his completion of school in London and his pursuit of higher education in Los Angeles, Ivan began his directorial steps in 1994. He developed a firm belief in the power of arts and culture on history and society and has played an integral role in developing the Caracalla Dance Theatre to a prominent international level, a journey not only abetted by the determined guidance of Abdel Halim Caracalla, but also through Ivan’s experience with an array of leading international artists, and most notably the personal influence of the great Maestro Franco Zeffirelli.
Ivan has directed and produced his performances at leading theatres, Opera Houses and festivals around the world.
As the Caracalla Dance Theatre celebrates its 56th anniversary, he and his sister Alissar are based in London, from where they oversee the creative management and touring schedule of the company, and maintain together the cultural message of the Caracalla Theatre and its leading role in the Middle East and the cultural circuit worldwide.
“Artists are the guardians of beauty, and the bearers of creation; without them the light of humanity would be extinct.”
ALISSAR CARACALLA
CHOREOGRAPHER
Alissar is the founder and artistic director of the Caracalla Dance School. She studied in California, graduating with a Bachelors degree in International Communications from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and a Masters in Dance Theory and Choreography from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
As the choreographer of the Caracalla Dance Theatre, Alissar adds an innovative spirit to the unique Caracalla technique and style. From the ballet, Elissa, Queen of Carthage, to her choreography for Sailing the Silk Road and FINIQIA: The Legend Lives On, Alissar Caracalla is becoming the flame of present and future cultures of theatre with the unique artistry of her creative style.
She and her bother Ivan are based in London, from where they oversee the creative management and touring schedule of the company, and maintain together the cultural message of the Caracalla Theatre and its leading role in the Middle East and worldwide.