For the seventh year in a row, approximately 1,600 students and community members attended a sold-out cultural showcase of Arab expressions. The showcase was held Saturday at the Michigan Theater and featured many artistic performances, including group dances, spoken word poetry, original songs, skits, and a fashion show. This year’s theme, “Our Liberation,” focused on current events in the Arab world and aimed to showcase the historic perseverance of national self-determination.
The event was sponsored by the University of Michigan’s Arab Student Association and the Arabesque Dance Troupe, a Middle Eastern dance group, to give students an opportunity to celebrate Arab culture.
In an interview with The Michigan Daily, Arab Expressions director Alaa Alawamleh, a third-year public health student, said Expressions provides a platform for Arab student experiences and a sense of community on campus. said.
“The reason I wanted to become a coach is because I felt that if we don’t start expressing ourselves, or at least make an effort, no one will express ourselves,” Alawamle said. “Especially on campuses that don’t have a large Arab population, sometimes our stories get lost. We’re too scared to introduce our culture or talk about what we do with our families back home. I feel like it might be the case, but I think it’s really important to create spaces that bring people together to celebrate our shared identity.”
Many of the performances celebrated Palestinian culture and called on the university to divest from companies profiting from Israeli military operations in Gaza. The sweatshirts, designed by Palestinian artists, were sold as Expressions merchandise during the show, with all proceeds going to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Alawamre said he chose the theme “Our Liberation” to uplift the Palestinian liberation movement and highlight the power of resistance through cultural expression.
“We have put the spotlight on Palestinian dance to show resilience and to show that no matter what happens, the Palestinian movement is here to stay,” Alawamle said. “Their culture will remain here. It will always be their tradition and we will continue to showcase it.”
Joseph Haddad, a UM alumnus and former Expressions dancer, told the Daily he’s excited to see how the event grows.
“Before I graduated, I worked for Arab Expressions for three years,” Haddad said. “It’s nice to see the legacy I left behind and the event flourish. I still have friends on the show. It’s been a great group of people. I’m grateful for what they’ve done this year and the advice and advice I’ve left behind. I’m looking forward to seeing how they put the tips to use.”
Neil Nackash, a public policy senior and Expressions dancer, said the event allows him to see similarities between the different cultures of the Middle East and North Africa and bond with other dancers.
“We started (practicing) once a week in early October for about an hour and a half,” Naccash said. “My dances are Chaldean and Iraqi dances. We can see and celebrate the many similarities and differences between cultures. Especially as we meet many people we didn’t know before. , we are building a community because we can share the cultural richness of the Middle East and North Africa.”
LSA senior Shruti Ravindran, a belly dancer with Expressions, said participating in Arabesque taught her about other cultures and new dance forms.
“I’m not Arab, but I think it’s very important for people to explore cultures other than their own,” Ravindran said. “I think this is a really great way for me to immerse myself in other people’s cultures and learn more about what it means to be Arab. Thank you very much.”
Alawamre said the Arab Student Association and Arabesque provide a space for all members of the Arab community to celebrate themselves and their heritage through dance.
“Many of the dancers, including myself, are new to dance,” Alawamle said. “I had never danced a cultural dance before. I was very nervous and at first I thought it was impossible for me. But the choreographer and other people who felt the same way as me… Being able to spend two hours a week with 20 people and learning their dances personally awakened a great deal of confidence in me and my ability to be proud of where I come from and my dancing. .We do. That should always be celebrated.”
Daily Staff reporter Christina Zhang can be reached at: [email protected].