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Dabke is a traditional dance form found across the Arab world, and is the national dance of Palestine. Most commonly danced at festivals, harvests and weddings, this traditional celebratory dance has become closely associated with political and national aspirations and has come to represent Palestinian identity and cultural resistance in Palestine and the diaspora. Al Zaytouna are renowned for revitalising dabke through the introduction and interplay of different dance influences and traditions, producing contemporary interpretations of this joyful, defiant and vibrant dance form. The group’s new production entitled Between the Fleeting Words is a unique tribute to the work of the late Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, and tells the story of Palestine through the experiences of its people. The show explores themes of identity, struggle, loss and resistance; real issues for many members of the group that contribute to the passion with which they perform.