The Release: Where Rhythm Meets Memory- Iraqi Dance

Iraqi dance is one of the oldest and most diverse dance traditions in the world, shaped by thousands of years of civilisation, migration, and cultural exchange. From the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates to the cities of the south, each region carries its own rhythm, its own movement, its own story.

We begin with Hija' (هجع), a solo southern Iraqi folk dance that is still grounded and deeply felt. Hija' is the body's way of sitting inside grief, letting it rest quietly within you. From that stillness, we move into Dabaj of Amarah & Basra (دبج أهل العمارة والبصرة), fluid, swaying, and deeply emotional. Dabaj is the body's way of moving through what Hija' has held, letting sorrow ripple outward until it finds release.

These dances carry the deep roots of southern Iraq. Rooted in the cities and communities along the great rivers, together they are a form of storytelling, a way to move through joy, love, grief, and longing, and to find our way back to ourselves.

In our second workshop, we turn to the dances of the Kawliya (كاولية), a community whose roots stretch back to India, woven together over a thousand years of travel through Persia and the Arab world. Their dance carries all of that history in the body, in the shimmy, the sway, the hair, the hands.

In our third and final workshop, we come together, Kawliya in pairs, moving in connection with one another, before closing with Chobi (چوبي), a joyful collective dance that brings us into rhythm as one. After all that has been felt and released, Chobi is the celebration.

Through all three workshops, we move slowly, with breath and guided exploration, creating a space where the body can soften and begin to let go. This is not about performance. It's about presence, allowing yourself to feel, in your own way, at your own pace.

• Trauma-informed guidance (everything is optional, no pressure)
• Gentle grounding and breathwork
• Introduction to Iraqi expressive movement (hands, torso, rhythm)
• Space for emotional release through movement
• Moments of stillness, reflection, and integration

This is a women-only space designed to feel safe, supportive, and inclusive.

No dance experience is needed. Come as you are, with curiosity and a willingness to move.

• Comfortable clothes you can move in
• Yoga mat (optional)
• Scarf or accessory (optional)
• An open heart

31st May: The Release- Where Rhythm Meets Memory

(Haj’a & Dabaj of Amarah & Basra)

30th August: The Connection- Reclaiming Joy & Expression

(El Kawliya – Individual Radeh)

8th November: The Celebration- Moving Together (El Kawliya & Chobi)

If the full price isn’t possible but you’d love to join, a Concession / Pay-What-You-Can Ticket: a lower price or promo code can be offered upon request. For more information, please email: [email protected]

Mariam (She/Her) – Social worker and trauma-informed Iraqi dance facilitator. Rooted in her Iraqi heritage, Mariam empowers participants to feel safe and at home in their bodies through movement, collective expression, and connection.

Rowa (She/Her) – Melbourne-based trauma-informed belly dance and yoga teacher. With a background in traditional Raqs Sharqi and movement medicine, Rowa supports participants in reconnecting with their bodies, releasing tension, and embracing expressive, healing dance.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

BIGBANG studio, 177 Beavers Road, Northcote, Australia

Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

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