Algerian Rai Dance Workshop w/ Esraa Warda

Join Algerian dance artist Esraa Warda in an immersive Raï dance workshop, delving into its origins, rhythms, and movements to embody Algerian cultural knowledge and experience Raï's signature cathartic groove.

Raï, Algeria's "rebel blues," is a defining musical genre and counterculture of North Africa. Originating in Western Algeria, it explores themes of subversion, exile, love, and loss, reflecting the region's social struggles.

OPEN LEVEL - ALL LEVELS WELCOME
*Wear comfortable loose clothes and light indoor dance shoes or barefoot. Bring a scarf that you can tie around your waist.

Esraa will also be performing at the Ya Amar Spring Gala the same evening.

Workshop fee:
- Early bird: $70 until April 20th
- Regular price $80 (after April 20th)
- Discount: Buy Workshop + Spring Gala show ticket for $90 total until April 27th (save $15)

About Esraa Warda:

Esraa Warda is a prominent Algerian-American dance performer and educator based in New York, specializing in heritage Algerian dance forms like Raï, Chaoui, and Assimi. Her work operates from a decolonial indigenous body knowledge, sexuality, and North African feminism(s) framework. Warda's teaching pedagogy blends traditional embodied formats and community-based learning with a systematic approach to Algerian dance vocabulary.

In 2025, you can find Warda on television on a PBS episode of Bare Feet by Michela Malozzi speaking about the movement and history of Algerian Rai dance, or performing on NPR’s Tiny Desk with Bnat el Houariyat, an all women’s band from Marrakech. Warda has garnered recognition from esteemed publications such as the New York Times, VOGUE Arabia, and The Metric, and even earned her a nomination as one of BBC's 100 Women in 2022.

Algerian RaÏ workshop with Esraa Warda in Toronto!

Algerian RaÏ workshop with Esraa Warda in Toronto!

Event Info

Hosted By:

Melissa Gamal

Melissa Gamal

Join the Conversation

Join the Conversation