First International Tour in 10 Years - El-Funoun Comes to Canada
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Over 40 Years of Palestinian Dance, Music and Folklore. El-Funoun Comes to Canada
Founded in 1979, El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe has been part of the Palestinian cultural scene for more than four decades. Through dance, music and choreography, the troupe has played an important role in reviving Palestinian folklore while developing it into new forms of contemporary performance.
Their work has travelled from Palestine to stages around the world, with more than 1,000 performances over the years. El-Funoun has created its own productions and music, revived traditional songs and dances, and introduced generations of young Palestinians to a heritage that is not treated as something belonging only to the past.
This October, 30 El-Funoun dancers and troupe members are coming from Palestine to Canada for performances in Mississauga, Montreal and Ottawa. It will be the troupe's first international tour in nearly 10 years.
They are coming with Ya Saheb Al Tair.
So, what exactly is Ya Saheb Al Tair?
This is important, because if you hear "Palestinian dance troupe," you might immediately think of a traditional dabkeh performance.
It isn't.
Ya Saheb Al Tair is a one-hour artistic production that tells a Palestinian story through movement, music, words and choreography. It looks at the relationship Palestinians have with their land, and at what it means for an individual to carry a history and story much bigger than themselves.
Dance is at the centre of it, but it is only one part of the work.
El-Funoun makes its own music. It works with Palestinian songs and rhythms, creates new compositions and develops choreography around them. The troupe takes elements of our folklore that we recognize and gives them a different life on stage.
That has been part of El-Funoun's approach for decades. They don't preserve folklore by keeping it exactly as it was. They preserve it by working with it, teaching it to new generations and allowing it to change.
That is also what makes Ya Saheb Al Tair interesting. You will recognize Palestine in it, but you may not see it presented in the way you expect.
Why bring this production to Canada?
Because work like this deserves to be seen.
For Palestinians living here, there is something very different about seeing 30 artists arriving from Palestine and performing work that has been created there.
There is also something to learn from the fact that they continue to create at all. Under circumstances that could easily bring artistic work to a stop, they continue to rehearse, compose, choreograph and build new productions. That alone deserves our respect and support.
For those who are not Palestinian, this is also an opportunity to discover Palestinian culture through the people creating it.
Not as history or simply as folklore, but through Palestinian artists themselves.
Three cities this October
MISSISSAUGA
Sunday, October 25, 2026
Living Arts Centre Auditorium
Doors: 6:30 PM | Performance: 7:00 PM
MONTREAL
Tuesday, October 27, 2026
L'Olympia
Doors: 6:30 PM | Performance: 7:30 PM
OTTAWA
Thursday, October 29, 2026
Algonquin Commons Theatre
Doors: 6:00 PM | Performance: 6:30 PM
Come see them while they're here
El-Funoun has been doing this work since 1979. They have performed more than 1,000 times, built generations of dancers and created music and productions that have become part of Palestinian cultural life.
Now 30 members of the troupe are travelling from Palestine to Canada for three nights.
If you already know El-Funoun, you know why this is special.
If you don't, Ya Saheb Al Tair is a very good place to start.
Mississauga — October 25
Montreal — October 27
Ottawa — October 29
Tickets are on sale now. Group tickets available.
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Learn more about El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe:
Thanks to our sponsors:
This project would not have been feasible without the generosity of our community partners and supporters.
Gold:
GFA Realty
Silver:
Accento Studios, Canadian Independent Media Foundation, Doctors Against Genocide, Sultan Law, Astemed & Dr. Adel Asfour
Community Sponsors:
ScaleX, Halo & Louf Toronto
And many community personal and business partners
In Collaboration with Palestine Youth Movement (PYM), Canadian Palestinian Foundation of Quebec (CPFQ) and Association of Palestinian Arab Canadians (APAC)