What is "dabke"

Dabke is a modern Levantine Arab folk circle dance of possible Canaanite or Phoenician origin. It is performed in Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, Palestine, Hatay and Northern Saudi Arabia.

Dabke combines circle dance and line dancing and is widely performed at weddings and other joyous occasions. The line forms from right to left. The leader of the dabke heads the line, alternating between facing the audience and the other dancers. In English, its name is also transliterated dabka, dabki, dabkeh.