Dabke is a Levantine Arab folk dance that originated in the mountains of the Levantine region, including Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria. It is a unifying dance that is performed at weddings, family gatherings, and other joyous occasions. The dance combines circle dance and line dancing, and the line forms from right to left, with the leader of the dabke alternating between facing the audience and the other dancers. The dancers hold hands and move in a synchronized manner, with intricate steps and stomps. The most common version of dabke involves the dancers stepping with the left foot and right foot and then crossing the left foot and right foot over, requiring a small hop as they are done. There are six main types of dabke dance: al shamaliyya, al sha’rawaiyya, al karadiyya, al farah, al ghazal, and al sahja, with al shamaliyya being the most common style of dabke.

The dance begins with a song that has a slow introduction in the background, and the dancers start to move together very slowly. When the music begins to speed up, the dancers increase their speed, and their footwork becomes more intense. The lead person in the dabke is expected to be one of the most skilled in the group of dancers, as he/she is responsible for maintaining the synchronized footsteps and the pace of the group.

Dabke is a dance for everyone, and it is a way to share historical narratives and vibrant folk legacies. It is a symbol of struggle and survival for the people, and it has a social function that goes beyond meaningful, culturally relevant steps and dance into a spectacle of traditional dress, unity, and even social protest.

In summary, dabke is a Levantine Arab folk dance that combines circle dance and line dancing, and it is widely performed at weddings and other joyous occasions. The dance involves intricate steps and stomps, and the dancers move in a synchronized manner. Dabke is a unifying dance that symbolizes the importance of family, community, and tradition.