Mondavi Center Presents
Al-Juthoor Dabke and Aswat Ensemble
Take Me to Palestine - خدني ع فلسطين
Sunday, April 26, 2026
2:00pm
Jackson Hall
Rooted in tradition and alive with momentum, Al-Juthoor (“Roots”) and Aswat Ensemble unite for a powerful evening of Dabke, music, and storytelling. Drawing on dance and sound from across Palestine and the Arab Levant, this collaboration asserts culture as something lived, shared, and carried forward together.
Grounded footwork, driving rhythms, and rich vocals move in constant conversation, transforming the stage into a space of unity and expression. The performance unfolds in two movements Resistance and Land Back: first, a stirring exploration of resistance through music, dance, and storytelling; then a vision of return, reclamation, and resurgence honoring relationships to the land and heritage.
On Sale Feb 20
Sponsored by
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The Nancy and Hank Fisher Family Fund
Artist Bios
Al-Juthoor
Al-Juthoor
Al-Juthoor, (“Roots”), is a Dabke dance troupe that raises awareness about Arab and Palestinian struggle, culture, and art. Dabke is a dance form practiced throughout the Arab Levant and the Arab world, from Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq. Al-Juthoor empowers the community and youth to take pride in Arab heritage, culture, history, and resistance. Across borders of the diaspora, Al-Juthoor asserts connection and deep roots in the land and to the people throughout the Arab world and SWANA region. Rooted in a belief that culture and arts are inseparable from existence and resistance to oppression, Al-Juthoor practices Dabke as more than a celebratory event; it is an assertion of identity and a practice of cultural resistance against colonial erasure and dispossession. Al-Juthoor understands the connections between struggles throughout history and across borders and seeks to build relations with other artistic and cultural projects aligned with their mission, including Indigenous peoples and people who use art and culture for justice and liberation.
Links
Aswat Ensemble
Aswat Ensemble
Aswat Ensemble is a collective of musicians and singers, of all ethnicities, who present pan Middle Eastern music to the Bay Area community. Aswat Ensemble’s parent non-profit organization, Zawaya, stands at the intersection of culture, art, cultural preservation, and social justice and seeks to contribute to the Bay Area’s multicultural discourse with Arab arts. Zawaya means “aspects” or “corners,” suggesting the many art forms to be discovered and enjoyed in Arab culture. It was founded in 2003 by Nabila Mango and Haya Shawwa Ben-Halim, two Arab-American women who recognized that the challenges faced by the Bay Area Arab-American community required a creative response. With Zawaya, they sought to give the Arab community a voice, including a musical one. Aiming to address stereotypes and misconceptions, Zawaya offers a genuine image of Arab Americans and their rich civilization, which can only be a source of strength for American society.