Stories in Motion
A Conversation with Members of El Funoun and Jenan Matari October 17, 2025
Join SAWA SoCal for an intimate evening weaving together the power of storytelling and the rhythm of tradition. Journalist and storyteller Jenan Matari sits down with members of the renowned Palestinian dance troupe El-Funoun to explore dabke’s history as a living archive of resistance and joy. The night concludes with a hands-on dabke workshop—inviting everyone to step into the story.
Jenan A. Matari is an award-winning Palestinian American storyteller. Her work centers on narratives of resistance,
resilience and culture, weaving the struggles of Indigenous peoples globally into her advocacy for Palestinian liberation. You can find Jenan on Instagram @jenanmatari, TikTok
@jenan.matari, or visit her website at www.jenanmatari.com.
She lives in exile with her family on the ancestral lands of the
Lenape people.
Los Angeles, CA
10/17/2025
Registration below
El Funoun: The Art of Dabke Presentation
October 18, 2025
SAWA SoCal will be hosting members of El-Funoun on 10/18/2025 for a powerful two-hour journey of Palestinian dance, storytelling, and lineage with some members of El-Funoun Dance Troupe, blending performance and audience participation in a celebration of cultural resilience.
Presentation Description
Experience the vibrant heritage of Palestinian dance in a powerful two-hour event with members of the renowned El-Funoun Palestinian Dance Troupe. Merging dynamic dance, storytelling, and audience participation, this performance offers 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. Audiences are invited not only to witness but to share stories, ask questions, and join in the joy of dancing together.
