The Dabke is an Arabic folk dance that started in the mountainous regions above the Mediterranean coastline and the Tigriss River. When the Dabke dance was first created it was mainly danced by people of the villages and towns of Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq, and some quasi-bedouin tribes that were living in nearby territories.
The region that I am going to focus on is Lebanon. In Lebanon, the Dabke dance was originally formed because of the different seasons Lebanon was exposed to.
When the weather changed in Lebanon, the villagers had to adjust accordingly and they ended up forming a dance based on building their homes.
The term, Daloonah, is a form of improvised singing while dancing the Dabke. In the ancient times of the Dabke, Daloonah (improvised singing) was created and added to keep the men working in the cold weather warmer because singing helped them stimulate their blood pressure to produce more energy while working in the cold. In today’s Lebanese culture the Dabke is still danced and is one of the Lebanese’s most famous traditions.
The Dabke has been passed down from generation to generation and is performed in almost every Lebanese household. The Dabke passed down throughout history has been made livelier
and more joyous and is usually performed or danced at weddings, special occasions, and family gatherings.
However, when the Dabke was first created the dance was slow and static. The dance progressively began to change after the First World War when many immigrants were coming to Lebanon, and the dance has further changed in minute ways from generation to generation.
Today the Dabke is a line dance where everyone stands in a line holding hands facing outwards or to the audience (if there is an audience). The dance usually starts with a musi
cian playing a solo and then the dancers start to move together creating a synchronized movement and step.
This usually consists of stepping with the left foot and right foot and then crossing the left foot and right foot over. Each of these steps has a little hop, kind of like a Greek dance. While dancing the Dabke, there is one main leader, usually a male called the “Lawweeh” who is expected to be the most skilled in the group of dancers.
The Lawweeh should be able to improvise and is usually extremely light on his feet. The Lawweeh directs the dancers to slow down or speed up and helps keep the energy of the dance while giving directions. He also may sing out in song, break out of the line to imp
rovise by himself, or try and get more family members or audience members to join the line as well.
The Dabke is a dance that has been passed down over time and still resonates with many people all over the world. Like many other dance forms, Dabke started in a culture that was going through struggles, looked for ways to make things enjoyable, and turned to dance.
I believe the Dabke dance will continue to be passed down through the generations and will hopefully continue to remind people of how their roots as a culture were established and how they are heavily impacted by their ancestors and historical traditions to
day.
There are six main types of dabke dance: al shamaliyya, al sha’rawaiyya, al karadiyya, al farah, al ghazal, and al sahja. The type of dabke we will be discussing is al shamaliyya.
This is the most common style of dabke and is danced by both men and women joining hands in a line or circle. The typical dabke step involves the left foot crossing over the right two times and is normally accented with a variety of different hops.
Each line has a lawweeh, or leader, that is the most skilled and controls the tempo and energy of the line. Sometimes a handkerchief or small stick is used to join the lawweeh with the rest of the dancers.
The leader improvises and shows off more diff
icult moves. They can choose to break from the line and dance in the center or switch positions with another person in line. The music is very distinct and has very strong downbeats and typically contains the oud, mijwiz, tabla, daff, and arghul instruments.
Tips To Know Before You Begin Dabke Dance
1. Know which country the bride and groom’s family are coming from. Each region has its’ own variations of the dance and music. Jordan alone has nineteen different styles of dabke!
2. Listen to the music. If you are unfamiliar with dabke or are new to the dance, listen to popular songs
and artists to get the feel for the beat. There are even several YouTube videos and websites that will teach the basic steps.
3. Practice moves as a lawweeh. Dabke can last for several hours at a time. This means chances are high that you will get a shot at being the lawweeh at some point. If you know the basics, start branching out and find some new footwork, spins, or tricks that will impress the rest of the dancers and audience. If you are
new, don’t panic! You can stick with the basic steps (or follow the tip below) as long as you don’t stop or slow down the line.
4. Pay attention to other dancers. Not sure what to do? Pay attention to the more experienced dancers and try to copy their moves. It’s a great way to fit in or stand out!
Now that you know a little about the dance, go out and have a great time! Here’s a link of a large Syrian wedding I performed at and the dabke line! Mostly everyone in the video was new to dabke, but they learned quickly and had a great time! Bet tawfeeq!
