Dancers amaze onlookers in Duhok main square

A group of talented dancers has been performing in harmony in Duhok city's main square to a mix of foreign and Kurdish folk music.

The dancers were not only demonstrating artistic abilities but also showcasing elements of Kurdish history and culture, inspiring curiosity among onlookers.

The group is part of a talent development program for the city's youths. The Duhok Folk Arts Ensemble, operating under the Duhok Arts and Culture Directorate, is leading the initiative, helping train recruits and offering them platforms to perform on stage.

The ensemble works with Swedish musicians and instructors and is supported by the German Goethe Institute to help foster talented youths and give them a chance to potentially stand out internationally.

Ahmed Mushakhti, the head of the Duhok Arts and Culture Directorate and himself a choreographer, told Kurdistan 24 that more than 100 youths interested in music, dance, singing, and acting have entered several tutoring workshops.

Mushakhti explained that the program is a continuation of a previous one and will be followed by another. Swedish arts organizations from Gothenburg have been setting up workshops to train tutors in Duhok better instruct arts enthusiasts in the city. The Kurdish trainees are expected to perform in Sweden and Germany in the future.

"Swedish and Kurdish cultures have many differences. We are trying to show that music and dance unites us but also to showcase and embrace our unique cultures," said Mushakhti, adding that they would maintain cultural ties with Sweden.

The German Goethe Institute has chosen ten programs out of hundreds proposals they got in 2021 to support. The Duhok talent program is one of them.

Rebaz Kareem, one of the dancers, was happy that he was able to learn aspects of European culture from Swedish instructors and thankful for local tutors' efforts. He said he now has much more knowledge about foreign music and dance.

Since its founding in 2013, the Duhok Folk Arts Ensemble has been able to demonstrate a great deal of progress while trying to showcase rich Kurdish sub-cultures from all parts of Kurdistan and training dozens of talented people.