Neteru Dance Night
International Dance Day Celebration 2026 | Dubai, UAE
A multidisciplinary celebration of dance
Neteru Dance Night is a multidisciplinary dance event created to celebrate International Dance Day through performances, workshops, film screenings, and cultural exchange. Founded by Per Ankh Cultural Organisation, the event brings together artists and audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds to explore dance as a language of dialogue, creativity, resilience, and human connection.
The inaugural edition highlighted the multicultural dance landscape of the UAE while fostering intercultural understanding through artistic participation and shared experiences. A significant milestone of the project was its official recognition by the International Dance Council (CID) at UNESCO — becoming the first World Dance Day celebration in the UAE to be featured on the official International Dance Day platform.
- Celebrate International Dance Day through a high-quality multidisciplinary artistic programme.
- Create opportunities for artistic exchange and collaboration among dancers, choreographers, and audiences from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Increase public engagement with dance as a form of artistic expression, cultural dialogue, and social connection.
- Promote values of inclusion, resilience, cultural diversity, and peace through movement-based experiences.
- Strengthen the visibility of contemporary and multicultural dance practices within the UAE.
Workshops, performances & screenings
Workshops
- Kathak Dance Workshop led by Swarashri Shridhar (India/UAE)
- Folk in Motion Workshop led by Rania Aizouky (Syria/UAE)
Performances
- "Compression" — a contemporary performance featuring professional artists based in the UAE.
- Sanchari — a Kathak performance exploring storytelling, resilience, and innovation.
Film Screenings
- La Vie En Noir by Fatma Mohamed (ATAOTA)
- Aweel by Faiz Mustafa and Mohamad Fawzy
- Why We Fight by Alain Platel and Mirjam Devriendt
Networking & Community
- Artist-audience dialogue sessions.
- Informal networking connecting dancers, choreographers, cultural practitioners, and arts audiences.
Participation & reach
- Per Ankh Cultural Organisation (Project Lead)
- Over X Theatre Company
- International Dance Council
- Live at Play (Venue Partner)
- Participating independent artists, choreographers & cultural practitioners from the UAE and the wider region
- First International Dance Day celebration in the UAE officially featured on the CID World Dance Day platform.
- Established a new platform for multicultural dance exchange in the UAE.
- Strengthened connections between local and international dance communities.
- Increased public awareness of dance as a tool for cultural dialogue and artistic innovation.