Technique classes and lecture are free and open to the public.
AfroDabke Dance Classes
February 26–March 5
MW 4:50–6:20 p.m.
TR 2:55–4:10 p.m. & 4:50–6:20 p.m.
Room 320, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
Drop-ins welcome; attend one technique class or several!
Lecture: "Art under Conditions of Oppression"
March 2, 12–1:30 p.m.
Film Forum, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts
"This presentation addresses the impact of socio-political oppression on artists and explores the concept and role of artistic resistance to internal and external oppression whereby art is used as a non-violent form of struggle for human rights. It also sheds light on some examples we are facing at Popular Art Centre in organizing cultural events, as well as how we in El-Funoun Palestinian Dance troupe deal with dance and what it means for us, even on a technical level."
Locally Grown Dance Performance
While at Cornell, Sharaf will perform his solo “To Be ...” in the Locally Grown Dance concert March 5–7 at 7:30 p.m. in the Schwartz Center's Kiplinger Theatre. Tickets for Locally Grown Dance are available at schwartztickets.com or at the Schwartz Center box office, 1:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Monday–Saturday.
About the Artist:
Sharaf DarZaid is a Palestinian artist and art manager with several years of experience in dance. He completed the International Baccalaureate in high school, and then went on to study at Birzeit University, graduating in 2009 with a B.A. in Business Administration. In 2012, Sharaf graduated with an M.A. in Art Management from the Utrecht School of the Arts, Netherlands. In 2015, he published his book Art Management in an Environment of Oppression.
Currently, Sharaf works as Projects Manager at Popular Art Centre (PAC) and coordinates the Palestine International Festival, the Dance School, and other projects.
Sharaf is a folkloric and contemporary dancer, trainer, and choreographer with EI-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe, Palestine’s leading dance group. He is a dancer and choreographer in different local and international professional dance productions and festivals.
DarZaid trains youth groups at Popular Art Centre dance school, co-coaches and directs different Training-for-Trainer courses, gives Palestinian folkloric dance and Palestinian contemporary dance workshops, and has trained and/or established youth dance groups in marginalized communities and refugee camps.
This Guest-Artist-in-Dance program has been made possible through the generous gift of Cheryl Whaley and Eric Aboaf.
