New York Arab Festival (NYAF) is honored to curate and present a Centennial Tribute to the history and memory of the iconic dancer, choreographer and actress Samia Gamal. Born in Egypt a century ago, Samia Gamal toured the world with her paradigm-changing dance techniques and made New York one of her favorite hubs for her performances that took the city by storm decades ago. As a gesture of resisting the erasure of Arab art histories, and the history of dance, New York dancers and choreographers Angie Assal and Soumaya MaRose will feature in a double-bill celebrating the artistry of Samia Gamal’s iconic dances, in an evening of joy, grace and beauty dedicated to Baladi-dance, or what’s commonly known as Raqs Sharqi.

About New York Arab Festival

New York Arab Festival (NYAF) is New York City’s first Arab and Arab American art and culture festival, taking place during Arab American Heritage Month, celebrating the song, dance, fashion, performance, ideas, and cuisine that have made Arab heritage part of American heritage. Join us for our 4th edition this year at venues across New York City and upstate New York, with satellite programs taking place overseas, April and May 2025. Curated by Adham Hafez, managed and produced by NYAF's founding producer Cindy Sibilsky, and urbanist and artist Adam Kucharski. NYAF is a project initiated by HaRaKa Platform and powered by Wizara.