Last night Keith and I enjoyed traditional Palestinian singing and dancing at a community center. The performers were youth: the dancers teenagers and the singers younger. An eight year old played the oud, his arms barely making it to the strings of this pot bellied instrument.
A five year old kept beat on a hand drum with surprising ability. His beats were sure, even if his legs did not reach the ground, and wrapped instead around the legs of his chair.
They sang songs that the audience knew, and often sang along. One child stole the show - there's always one! He sang with the enthusiasm of your favorite Bollywood star, with the similar gestures of a big grin, raised chin, and flowing arms.
One poor soul kept singing after the music had stopped, and the crowd chuckled. The boy's mouth opened in a huge, embarrassed smile, revealing a missing tooth. He clasped his face in his hands and turned around, giggling. He turned back to the audience, everyone laughing together, and gave his sister a push.
The teenagers performed a few Dabka dances. Dabka is a traditional Palestinian folk dance. Dabkas are danced at weddings and other celebrations. Today it is also a form of resistance. Here's a YouTube clip of Dabka dancing that is representative of what we saw:
A five year old kept beat on a hand drum with surprising ability. His beats were sure, even if his legs did not reach the ground, and wrapped instead around the legs of his chair.
They sang songs that the audience knew, and often sang along. One child stole the show - there's always one! He sang with the enthusiasm of your favorite Bollywood star, with the similar gestures of a big grin, raised chin, and flowing arms.
One poor soul kept singing after the music had stopped, and the crowd chuckled. The boy's mouth opened in a huge, embarrassed smile, revealing a missing tooth. He clasped his face in his hands and turned around, giggling. He turned back to the audience, everyone laughing together, and gave his sister a push.
The teenagers performed a few Dabka dances. Dabka is a traditional Palestinian folk dance. Dabkas are danced at weddings and other celebrations. Today it is also a form of resistance. Here's a YouTube clip of Dabka dancing that is representative of what we saw:
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