The Ibdaa Dance Troupe

The Ibdaa Dance Troupe consists of twenty-eight teenaged boys and girls. The first generation of youth dancers came together in 1994 as part of a cultural exchange project with the French organization, Discovery. For the past twelve years the Ibdaa Dance Troupe has toured extensively throughout Europe, the United States, and the Middle East. They have become Palestine’s youth ambassadors, participating in international conferences in Sweden, in youth summer camps in Greece and Hungary, and performing for world leaders such as the Pope and members of the United Nations General Assembly. (Read More)

The Ibdaa Drama Program

Ibdaa’s drama program began in early 2005 with twenty-five boys and girls. Drama serves as an excellent means of individual and group expression, especially for Dheisheh’s refugee children who have few outlets to express themselves. Ibdaa’s drama activities help the children to live in the present, develop a clear understanding of roles in day-to-day living, form relationships with others, use their imaginations freely, and live creatively in everyday life. In addition, the drama activities improve children’s empathy and understanding for others. (Read More)

The Ibdaa Music Program

Ibdaa staff and volunteers conduct intensive music instruction courses designed to prepare students to play in Ibdaa’s Music Ensemble. The thirty boys and girls, between the ages of eight and thirteen, from Dheisheh refugee camp are learning to play instruments such as the piano, violin, guitar, kaman (Arabic violin), tabla (Arabic drum), ‘oud (Arabic guitar), and nye (Arabic flute). In addition to learning to play these six instruments, the children also take courses in singing, reading, and writing music. (Read More)