Insights into Dabkeh

Jerusalem-born Hanna Tams is a Palestinian choreographer, dancer and teacher who believes in the power of movement as a catalyst for societal change. Hanna started dancing at the age of 10 and grew up imitating the movements of his older sister in ballet class. In 2006 he answered an open call to join a modern Dabkeh group in Jerusalem and, without any prior formal education, took his first step into the professional dance world. Building on his local experiences, he furthered his dance knowledge by attending diverse international advanced programs and intensive trainings in London, Paris, Barcelona, Austin, Saint Paul and New York amongst others. In 2012, Hanna founded the dance company Douban in Jerusalem, providing dancers with professional training, performance opportunities and collaborations with international artists. Besides his commitment to professionalizing the dance scene, he advocates and engages in sensitive social issues. His work earned him a US Emerging Young Leader award in 2017. He also won first prize for Best Choreographer in the Pal Folklore Competition for three years in a row. In 2019 Hanna completed a master's degree in Choreography at Liverpool John Moore University. Eager to improve the infrastructure of Palestinian society through art, he founded the Douban Dance School, the first of its kind in Jerusalem, in 2020. As a performance-maker, Hanna has choreographed more than 15 productions to date. He continuously works on developing his own authentic style by fusing different dance styles and forming a unified and accessible movement language.