The dazzling choreography by the all-women dance band created a world full of wonders  for schoolchildren at Sharjah International Book Fair

 
Sharjah, November 12, 2025 

One human face and countless sparkling silver arms moving in a line behind it in an illuminated dark stage paid homage to nature’s myriad forms at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025) as the Italian dance group Black Widow took centre stage in a mesmerising shapeshifting performance titled “Echoes of the Hands”.

The inspiring show by the all-women dance band, a winner of the Golden Buzzer award on Italia’s Got Talent, was the ultimate treat that schoolchildren needed to make their day out at the book fair unforgettable. They cheered and gushed in excitement as 15 dancers swayed back and forth and performed visual tricks. The artistes’ hands became blooming flowers, lamps, or fire as they paid tribute to nature in all its original charm.

According to the band’s creative directors Lorenzo Piantoni and Jessica Demaria, performing in front of so many kids was special. “Black Widow group is led by the Italian dance collective Urban Theory, and we have a specific dance style which involves the arms, creating illusions and shapes. Our style is dramatic and elegant and at the same time we create a hypnotic and illusionary effect. Our themes pay homage to nature and today’s performance included elements like fire and water,” explained Piantoni.

“This is our first time in Sharjah and we hope to be here again. The crowd was amazing and their energy just wowed us.” remarked Demaria.

Sharjah International Book Fair 2025 is a 12-day event, organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA) under the theme ‘Between You and a Book’. Visitors will get the opportunity to experience more than 300 cultural events led by 158 Arab and international guests, 750+ workshops in Arabic and English covering writing, editing, publishing, and creativity and 85 stage performances from 12 countries.

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