Dabke workshop with El-Funoun Dance Troupe member Shaden Qous

Calling all dabke dancers, movement lovers and Palestinian knowledge seekers!

We are excited to invite you to this 90 minute dance workshop for intermediary dabke dancers under the tutelage of El-Funoun’s Shaden Qous.

This unique workshop aims to reinforce the longstanding folk traditions of dabke, while fortifying physical and emotional strength through dance and movement, building on El-Funoun’s long standing heritage.

Widely considered the lead Palestinian dance company in Palestine and the diaspora, El-Funoun was established in 1979 by a small group of enthusiastic, creative and committed artists. The Troupe has developed an innovative style of dance deeply-rooted in Palestinian and Arab folklore and informed by elements of contemporary dance movement.

The workshop will be run by Jerusalem based trainer and dancer Shaden Qous, who has been a dedicated member of El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe since 2015, where she continues to contribute as dancer, trainer and assistant choreographer. She is also a member of the African community and a dynamic figure in the Palestinian performing arts scene.

Her teaching experience extends internationally, and she has recently been delivering workshops in Norway, Spain and beyond.

• This dabke workshop is aimed at those who already have a basic knowledge of dabke movements.
• The event is 16+.
• Limited tickets available.
• All ticketing proceeds will go to El-Funoun Dance Troupe.
• Ticketing policy: No refunds.

This event is presented by The Sonic Agent, in partnership with Shubbak Festival, El-Funoun Dance Troupe and Juzour Dance Collective.

Information on Dabke Workshop

Interested in learning traditional Palestinian dabke. Join dancer / trainer from the premiere dance troupe in Palestine. Watch demonstrations of El-Funoun's dabke style and dance school of thought and learn the basic steps to traditional Palestinian dances.  The interactive training workshop will provide participants the opportunity to explore:

●  The role of dabke in shaping Palestinian identity and culture.

●  dance steps and sequences that comprise traditional Palestinian dabke called Dal’ouna.  

●  Improvisation of the laweeh, the principal dancer who leads the dabke circle.

 What you need to know: 

• Please arrive 10 minutes early. 
• Bring a bottle of water
• Arrive in comfortable clothes, as we will be moving and dancing. 

About El- Funoun:

Widely considered the lead Palestinian dance company in Palestine and the diaspora, El-Funoun was established in 1979 by a small group of enthusiastic, creative and committed artists. The Troupe has developed an innovative style of dance deeply-rooted in Palestinian and Arab folklore and informed by elements of contemporary dance movement. The Troupe’s repertoire includes 16 major dance productions and over 1,500 performances throughout historic Palestine, regionally, and internationally. In Palestine, El-Funoun has developed a school for contemporary Palestinian dance, training hundreds annually. It has carried out dabke workshops throughout the West Bank, in the Arab world and internationally.

About Shaden Qous:

Shaden Qous, based in Jerusalem. She has been a dedicated member of El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe since 2015, where she continues to contribute as both a dancer, trainer and assistant choreographer. She is also a member of the African community and a dynamic figure in the Palestinian performing arts scene.

Shaden has worked extensively as a dance trainer, notably at the Popular Art Center Dabke School, where she taught children for several years. She also played a key role in training Bara’em El-Funoun, the youth division of El-Funoun, and has led dance workshops for children and youth in Jerusalem schools. Her teaching experience extends internationally, and she has recently been delivering workshops in Norway, Spain and beyond. 

Beyond dance, Shaden is a multifaceted artist with exceptional talents in singing and painting, often weaving her artistic expressions together to create unique, interdisciplinary works.