Pahlavan

Pahlavan is a dance-theatre performance set in a speculative future where humanity has lost its capacity for empathy. Inspired by the rituals and philosophy of the Iranian Zoorkhaneh, the work follows the reconstruction of a new human through physical training, ethical dilemmas, and collective imagination. Blending contemporary dance, storytelling, improvisation, and audience participation, Pahlavan transforms an ancient practice into a futuristic laboratory, questioning how ethics are learned, embodied, and shared. At a time of growing polarization and certainty, the performance invites audiences to embrace doubt—not as weakness, but as the beginning of responsibility toward one another. 

Bio 
Saeed Asadsangabi is an Iranian contemporary dancer and choreographer based in Berlin. Their work brings together dance, theatre, storytelling, and ritual to explore ethics, identity, and the relationship between the body and society. Drawing inspiration from Iranian cultural traditions and improvisational practices, they create performances that transform philosophical questions into accessible, embodied experiences. Saeed is currently completing a BA in Dance, Choreography and Context at HZT Berlin/UdK and continues to develop works that bridge contemporary performance with Iranian heritage and speculative futures.