Events

Event details

Dancers from El-Funoun, the premier Palestinian dance group based in Ramallah, will be visiting Minnesota again on their tour of the United States in September 2026 to carry out a series of dabke workshops for beginners and advanced dancers. These gatherings promise to provide a rare opportunity for participants to learn more about the vital Palestinian artform of dabke, develop dabke skills, and make connections with community members.

El-Funoun’s work merges dynamic dance, storytelling, and audience participation to offer an intimate window into the lives and legacies of El-Funoun’s dancers. Through the voices and movements of five performers, stories of long-time members unfold, tracing cultural roots across generations, from parent to child. More than a performance, this is a living archive of memory, identity, and the enduring spirit of dabke as both resistance and celebration.

Your attendance at these workshops and performances will be a material form of support for El-Funoun as they fundraise for their survival and the ways they preserve the cultural legacy of dabke. If you are unable to attend in person, please donate to El-Funoun here.

Events will take place at various locations. Please note where the event you are interested in will be.

Workshops

All workshops take place at Red Eye Theater. Class registration comes with a promo code for a free ticket to the El-Funoun Performance on Friday or Saturday night.

CLASS FEE
We are asking a sliding scale fee of $25–$50 per class as well as for audience members of the Thursday performance. Nobody will be turned away for lack of funds. This is the minimum registration ask, but we encourage you to be much, much more generous if you are able. Funds will go directly to support El-Funoun’s on-going work in Palestine and worldwide to keep Palestinian dance, music, and culture alive and thriving.

September 9, 2026: Community Dabke Workshop

Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 6:30–8pm at Red Eye Theater

This workshop is open to folks of all experience levels and identities and will be an introduction to Palestinian Dabke and learning the basic steps.

LEARN MORE + REGISTER HERE

 

September 10, 2026: Dabke Workshop for Experienced Dancers

Thursday, September 10, 6:30–8:00pm at Red Eye Theater

This workshop is designed for experienced dancers, choreographers, and anyone who is interested in deepening their understanding of traditional Palestinian dabke, including dalouneh and tayara.

LEARN MORE + REGISTER HERE

 

September 12, 2026: Dabke Workshop for Children & Caretakers

Saturday, September 12, 10–11:30am at Powderhorn Park, near the newly renovated playground near E 35th St and 15 Ave S.

Designed for kids and their caretakers, this workshop is an introduction to basic steps of traditional Palestinian dances while teaching simple choreographies that can be used in protests. This family-friendly interactive training explores the role of dabke in shaping Palestinian identity and culture.

LEARN MORE + REGISTER HERE

 

Performances + Screenings

September 11, 2026: El Funoun Performance ft. Yalla Drum

Friday, September 11, 7pm (doors 6:30pm) at Red Eye Theater

Experience the vibrant heritage of Palestinian dance in a powerful two-hour event with members of the renowned El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe. El Funoun will be joined by the Yalla Drum ensemble by New Arab American Theater Works.

LEARN MORE + GET TICKETS

 

September 12, 2026: A Night We Held Between: Screening + Discussion

Saturday, September 12, 5pm (doors 4:30pm) at Red Eye Theater

Join Mizna for a film screening of A Night We Held Between (Noor Abed, 2024, 30 minutes), featuring El Funoun, followed by a conversation with Noora Baker (El-Funoun), Leila and Noelle Awadallah (Body Watani), facilitated by Erin Robideaux Gleeson (FD13).

Film ticket comes with a promo code for a free ticket to an El-Funoun Performance on Friday or Saturday night at Red Eye Theater.

LEARN MORE + GET TICKETS

 

September 12, 2026: El Funoun Performance

Saturday, September 12, 7pm (doors 6:30pm) at Red Eye Theater

Experience the vibrant heritage of Palestinian dance in a powerful two-hour event with members of the renowned El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe.

LEARN MORE + GET TICKETS