Students Learn Palestinian Cultural Dance
On March 3, students learned about Dabke with Arabic TA Belal Elkurd who is from Gaza, Palestine. Dabke is a folk dance that combines circle dance and line dancing and is widely performed at weddings, return of travelers, graduation parties, national celebrations and other joyous occasions. The line forms from right to left and the leader (Laweeh) of the Dabke heads the line, alternating between facing the audience and the other dancers. Dabke is a popular dance in Levantine countries like Palestine, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan.
Elkurd (pictured, left) first taught attendees about the traditions surrounding Dabke, a dance that is popular at celebrations including weddings, graduations, and more, and then he showed attendees a few videos of people from Palestine dancing Dabke. Then, attendees learned the basic steps and tried it for themselves.
Elkurd said that he planned the event because Dabke is one of the most important cultural forms of art in Palestine. At the event, he talked about where Dabke originated from and the traditional songs and music played to dance Dabke. He also mentioned that the dance signifies the aspirations and struggles of the Palestinian people since 1948. When Palestinians dance Dabke, it unites them.
Want to learn more about Palestine or the other countries, cultures, and languages represented in the World Languages and Cultures? Come to the TA Talks (meal provided & registration required):
Spain, Palestine, and Taiwan
Thursday, March 31
11:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
https://bit.ly/2022tatalk1
Japan, Germany, and France
Thursday, April 28th
4:30-6:00 P.M.
https://bit.ly/2022TATalk2
If you have any questions about the World Languages and Cultures Department’s Arabic program or are interested in learning about other cultural events offered by the department, be sure to check out the department’s Instagram, Facebook and Twitter or email Hannah Jackson at hannah.jackson@scranton.edu.
