Contents

List of Illustrations

Acknowledgements

INTRODUCTION

1 Meeting dancers, making stories and meaning making

Meeting dancers

Making stories

Meaning making

PART 1: ‘WHY CAN’T I DANCE IN THE STREETS?’

2 Politics and performance entwine

Hala’s story

3 Surveillance weaving through body, mind and performance

Mey’s story

4 Occupation, to occupy and to be occupied

Nadia’s story

PART 2: ‘ARE THESE BORDERS MAKING ME MORE CREATIVE?’

5 Breaking boundaries and borders of dance

Noora’s story

6 Freedom inside and outside of dance

Rania’s story

7 Censorship choreographed, propaganda performed

Dalia El Abd’s story

PART 3: ‘I’M A FEMALE CONTEMPORARY DANCER […] AND BY THE WAY, I’M ARAB, IS THAT A PROBLEM?’

8 The female dancing body in the Arab world

Dalia Naous’ story

9 Society and the struggles of the dancer

Nadra’s story

CONCLUSION

10 Dreaming for the future

Notes

List of Interviewees

Bibliography