Our Story
Established in 2014, Jafra is a Palestinian Dabke dance group committed to preserving, celebrating, and sharing the rich cultural heritage of Palestine through dance.
For over a decade, we have been learning, practicing, and performing Palestinian Dabke, bringing its powerful music, intricate steps, and deep cultural meaning/history to audiences both within our community and beyond.
For us, Dabke is more than just a dance. It is a connection to our roots, a celebration of our identity, and a way of keeping Palestinian traditions alive and passing them on to future generations. Every step, stomp, and formation carries a story of community, resilience, pride, and belonging.
Jafra
noun · Levantine folk song
Jafra is the name of one of the most cherished folk songs of the Levant, sung for generations across Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. Like many dabke songs, its words shift from singer to singer and village to village, but it is always recognised by its rhythm: a melody of love, longing and devotion, the kind sung at weddings to carry a couple and a community into celebration.
We chose the name because it captures exactly what we’re building: something instantly recognisable as ours, carried forward by each new generation who sings it, yet never quite the same twice. That’s our group too. Rooted in tradition, alive in the present, and made new every time we dance.
Four ways we keep the dance alive
Performing
Weddings, engagements, cultural festivals and private celebrations.
Educating
Sharing the rich Palestinian culture and meaning behind Dabke.
Workshops
Open sessions for anyone who wants to learn, regardless of background.
Fundraising
Supporting Palestinian community causes and charities through dance.
