About

Samer Raya is a farmer, Palestinian dancer, and choreographer from Saffa, west of Ramallah, with dabke as his foundational dance practice. Founder of Street Dabke and performer with El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe and BADKE REMIX, he works across folk and contemporary practices rooted in land, memory, and collective movement.

His work is shaped by the rhythms of land and farming, the communal energy of night weddings, and his extensive experience with El-Funoun, with whom he has performed, taught, and choreographed internationally since 2010.

Street Dabke is a participatory movement project that brings Palestinian folk dabke into public and community spaces through simple, accessible workshops inspired by the atmosphere of weddings and social gatherings. The practice is flexible and can happen anywhere — in studios, parks, streets, and public spaces — inviting anyone to join, learn the rhythm, and feel the collective energy of the dance.

Samer is also a founding member of Ard El-Ya's, a community-based agricultural cooperative in Safa village that practices organic farming and encourages reconnection with the land. In addition to his artistic work, he is the co-owner of Ka2nu Beit, a community-oriented restaurant in Ramallah.

His artistic philosophy centers on the belief that movement carries memory — that the body remembers the land, the stories, and the people who shaped it. Through his work, he aims to expand dabke beyond its traditional form, create spaces for collective exploration, and build projects that bring together dance, heritage, and community building.