Together with Ren Shallman — a young artist from Tibet — and his brother Anas, Abdul Hadi Nahleh set up a dance hall in the heart of Amman’s Jabel el Weibdeh neighborhood called Studio 8. Abdul Hadi’s primary goal was to support independent artists and alternative art projects locally, regionally and internationally, and open a place for community leaders and creative workers to collaborate and work together.
A young, talented Jordanian dancer himself, Abdul Hadi thinks dancing is one of the best ways to express yourself and community with others. His passion for dance has allowed the Studio 8 to thrive, to become a place that houses a variety of different dance workshops, ranging from hip-hop to breakdancing and contemporary dance, all at a small fee to the general public.
Eventually, Abdul Hadi dreams of opening a performing art institution and bringing an international dance festival to Amman to support the many talented local performing artists, and to create a bridge to unite various cultures and people. There’s very little as international as doing an African dance class, taught by an American professional dancer in a little dance studio in Amman, Jordan.
If you live in Amman and haven’t checked out the dance studio yet, visit their Facebook page for more information.
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