The “On Marche” Festival 2025: A Celebration of Contemporary Dance in Marrakech, Focusing on Africa, Youth, and Hope
The 18th edition of the International Contemporary Dance Festival On Marche will take place from April 4 to April 12 in Marrakech, highlighting four core values: hope, youth, the audience, and Africa. As in previous years, the festival will transform the city into a true artistic crossroads, featuring performances, screenings, discussions, masterclasses, and showcases by Moroccan and international artists.
This edition will welcome companies from Belgium, France, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Spain, and Lebanon, enriching the program with a diverse range of free performances.
Over the years, the festival has succeeded in establishing contemporary dance as a legitimate art form in Morocco, thanks to the support of longstanding partners such as the Wilaya of Marrakech-Safi, the Marrakech-Safi Regional Council, Es Saadi Marrakech Resort, the French Institute, and the Higher School of Visual Arts (ESAV-Marrakech), among others. In 2025, the festival will take a significant step forward with the signing of a three-year agreement between the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication and On Marche, opening up new perspectives for the development of contemporary dance in Morocco.
The festival’s founder and director, Taoufiq Izeddiou, emphasized that this partnership marks a turning point in the support for artistic creation and its transmission to younger generations. Another partnership with the Federation Wallonie-Brussels will allow three Belgian artists to perform in Morocco for the first time, further fostering cultural exchange.
The festival continues its mission to support young talent through Nafass – On Marche, the first school of thought for choreographic arts in the country. The TAKLIF Award, created three years ago, supports young choreographers with artistic residencies in Morocco and abroad to develop their first creations. The winners of the 2023 and 2024 editions will present their performances at this year’s festival.
An important new feature this year is the introduction of a three-year training program in partnership with the Dar Bellarj Foundation, aimed at thirty teenagers. They have begun their training with internationally renowned dancer and choreographer Bernardo Montet. The result of this work will be showcased in a performance titled “Melach, the Salt of the Stars. Opus 1” (France/Morocco) on Wednesday, April 9, at the Dar Bellarj Foundation.
The festival also promotes the inclusion of the public in the choreographic experience. A unique participatory project will bring together 70 dancers and non-dancers for a public performance, led this year by choreographer Olivier Dubois. This project, titled “Parade”, will take place in the Jemaâ El-Fna square on Saturday, April 12, offering a new way for the public to engage with dance.
Finally, the festival will celebrate Africa through several outstanding performances. Among the must-see events, “Black” by Oulouy (Spain/Côte d’Ivoire) on Monday, April 7, “Three Times Alone” by Salia Sanou (Burkina Faso) on Tuesday, April 8, and “Dancing the Boza” (concept by Taoufiq Izeddiou/documentary by Khalid Mouna) on Thursday, April 10.
With this new edition, On Marche continues to advocate for a vision of dance that transcends borders, engaging with contemporary realities, the struggles and dreams of Africa, while opening dance to all perspectives and external influences.
