When the children gather
Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre (YSDT) is thrilled to collaborate for the third consecutive year with The Walk Productions on a site specific performance to welcome Little Amal to Alabama, home state of YSDT Artistic Director Samar Haddad King on October 11, 2023.
Inspired by the 1963 Children's Crusade in Birmingham, which helped lead to the eventual passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, When the children gather uplifts the power of youth in pursuit of social, climate, racial and economic justice. In this live site-specific performance created for City Walk BHAM, Little Amal gathers with over 40 youth in collaboration with musician Lonnie Holley for a march to raise the voice of young people. Created by Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre and produced by Create Birmingham, in association with the Alabama School of Fine Arts Dance Department under the direction of Wes Chapman (former Principal Dancer, American Ballet Theatre) and presented by The Walk Productions in partnership with Handspring Puppet Company and The Office Arts (US Production Partner).
Little Amal, the internationally-celebrated 12-foot-tall puppet of a 10-year-old Syrian refugee girl, will be arriving in Birmingham, Alabama on October 11 2023 as part of her epic 6,000-mile journey across the United States this fall. Throughout the two-month trek, which will span more than 35 U.S. cities and towns for 100+ events, some of the country’s most influential cultural institutions and artists will come together to greet Amal and add their unique color to the rich tapestry of America’s story.
It's always free for the public to meet Little Amal. Help us get there and raise the funds we need to create this live site specific performance with a contribution of any amount today! Every dollar raised will be matched by our local producing partner, Create Birmingham!
Watch this trailer from last year's collaboration with Little Amal When fear is a raging bull: a traveling site-specific performance for Lower Manhattan activated by over 60 local dancers (including youth, pre-professional and professional artists), parkour performers and live musicians.