Dabke is a living cultural practice indigenous to Bilad al-Sham—encompassing present-day Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. More than a dance tradition, it is a collective performative ritual that weaves together movement, live music, voice, rhythmic footwork, and intergenerational communal expressions such as Zalghouta, Awiha, clapping, stomping, and vocal calls.

Although widely associated with weddings and festive celebrations, Dabke has long occupied broader social and political contexts, including public gatherings, demonstrations, parades, and acts of collective resistance. Rooted in oral histories, it is often traced to communal practices of compacting mud rooftops in village architecture, where synchronized stomping reinforced both physical structures and social bonds. Across generations, Dabke has evolved into a powerful expression of belonging, solidarity, and attachment to land.

This training begins with an immersive introduction to audiovisual materials from the Hayakel Baalbeck archives, with which Nancy was actively involved between the ages of 13 and 18. Rather than focusing on the precise transmission of choreographic technique, the workshop emphasizes the embodied logic, rhythmic structures, and collective flow that define Dabke as a social practice. Particular attention will be given to the styles traditionally practiced in Baalbeck, Lebanon.

Participants will explore foundational rhythms, stepping patterns, and repetitive movement sequences while tapping into several Dabke forms, including Al-Shamaliyya, Al-Baddawiya, Al-Zaino, and Al-Askariyya. The program culminates in the creation of an open Dabke circle, inviting participants to experience the dance as a shared space of collective flow, listening, and communal presence.