About this Event
DANSOX welcomes Mohamad Al Halabi (Freie Universität Berlin) and collaborators for a week-long research residency featuring a programme of workshops and events.
Mohamad's research investigates how Muslim Hip Hop Dance practitioners in contemporary Germany negotiate their cultural identities through movement, spiritual reflection, and community building.
During the residency, workshops will explore the notion of "Kinesthetic Sadaqah" - bridging Susan Leigh Foster’s notion of “Dance as Gift” with the Islamic ethic of Sadaqah (voluntary charity). Dance is treated as a reciprocal offering of time, knowledge, and peace-building (salam). Through panel discussions, autobiographical storytelling, and practical movement workshops, artists and participants will engage in a shared micro-diplomacy of belonging and policymaking.
Please see the agenda for the full list of events. Participants may attend whichever events appeal to them. Workshops are suitable for all levels and experience, and spectators are also welcome. Please note there are no events on Monday 23rd November.
Mohamad Al Halabi is a Syrian-German researcher, choreographer, educator, and community advocate operating at the intersection of Muslim youth identity, migration, and performance studies. Bringing two decades of professional experience to the dance field—including performances and collaborations with renowned ensembles such as Sima Dance Company—he bridges deep, practice-led artistic knowledge with critical scholarly inquiry.
Day 1: Friday 20th Nov
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Kick-Off Symposium: Welcome
Info: 2-2.30pm Arrival; 2.30-3pm Welcome remarks with Mohamad Al Halabi and Esther Zitterl
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:45 PM
Speaker: Mohamad Al Halabi
Info: Mohamad Al Halabi: Research and PhD
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:30 PM
Speaker: Selma Duraković
Info: Autobiographical and Artist Storytelling
🕑: 04:30 PM - 04:45 PM
Break
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:30 PM
Speaker: Kadir Amigo Memiş
Info: Autobiographical Presentation and Artist Storytelling
🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:15 PM
Book Talk: Nadia Khan
Info: Dance Histories - A Journey Across the Muslim Silk Road
🕑: 06:15 PM - 06:45 PM
Break & Networking
🕑: 06:45 PM - 07:45 PM
Roundtable Discussion
Info: Dance, Islam, and Kinesthetic Cultural Identity - Open Dialog (Q&A)
• Speakers: Nadia Khan – Kadir Amigo Memiş – Selma Duraković – Mohamad Al Halabi
• Moderator: Esther Zitterl
🕑: 07:45 PM - 08:00 PM
Closing Remarks & Workshop Announcements
Day 2: Saturday 21st Nov
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Research Presentation: Aesthetic Approaches to Religion and Spirituality
Host: Selma Duraković
🕑: 03:30 PM - 03:45 PM
Break
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
Hip Hop Dance Session: Rhythmical Moving
Host: Selma Duraković
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:00 PM
Break
🕑: 05:00 PM - 06:30 PM
Hip Hop Dance Workshop: Lyrical Spirituality in Motion
Host: Selma Duraković
🕑: 06:30 PM - 07:00 PM
Open Discussion, Reflection and Q&A
Day 3: Sunday 22nd Nov
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Presentation: Turkish Migration & Hip Hop in Germany
Host: Kadir Amigo Memiş
🕑: 03:30 PM - 03:45 PM
Break
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
Hip Hop Dance Session: Soul Dance & Cartoon-Style Locking
Host: Kadir Amigo Memiş
Info: How funky is your chicken?
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:00 PM
Break
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Hip Hop Dance Workshop: Zeybreak: Urban Nomad
Host: Kadir Amigo Memiş
🕑: 07:00 PM - 07:15 PM
Break
🕑: 07:15 PM - 07:45 PM
Live Performance by the Ney Musician Burcu Karadağ
🕑: 07:45 PM - 08:00 PM
Closing Remarks
Day 4: Tuesday 24th Nov
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:30 PM
Research Presentation
Host: Mohamad Al Halabi
Info: Intersections: Hip Hop Dance and Sufi Practice
🕑: 03:30 PM - 03:45 PM
Break
🕑: 03:45 PM - 04:45 PM
Hip Hop Dance Session: Choreography & "Foundations"
Host: Mohamad Al Halabi
🕑: 04:45 PM - 05:00 PM
Break
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Hip Hop Dance Workshop: Transcendance
Host: Mohamad Al Halabi
Day 5: Wednesday 25th Nov
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Lecture: Choreo-graphy: Behind the Letters Between the Notes
Host: Kadir Amigo Memiş
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:15 PM
Break
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:45 PM
Exhibition and Artist Talk
Host: Kadir Amigo Memiş
Day 6: Thursday 26th Nov
🕑: 06:00 PM - 08:00 PM
Concluding Session: Synthesis and Closing Remarks
Event venue & nearby stays
Riverside Pavilion, St Hilda's College, Cowley Place, Oxford, United Kingdom
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.