El Funoun History
El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe was established in 1979 by a small number of enthusiastic, talented and committed artists. Since then, El-Funoun has been crowned as the lead Palestinian Dance Company . In Palestine, as well as among Palestinians in exile, El-Funoun has achieved an unprecedented popular recognition; in fact, quite a few of the Troupe's songs and dances have become household tunes.

Aims & Vision
Since its inception, El-Funoun has aimed at expressing the spirit of Arab-Palestinian folklore and contemporary culture through unique combinations of traditional and stylized dance and music. The Troupe's repertoire comprises folkloric dance forms called "Dabkeh", in addition to more elaborate choreographed forms that embody El Funoun's own unique vision of Palestinian Dance.

El-Funoun played a key-role in establishing the Popular Art Center, a community organization committed to raising awareness about the arts and opening opportunities for community members to participate in artistic activity and expression. The Center offers classes in traditional dance, ballet, Jazz music, puppets and drama, in addition to a host of other programs. Through the Center, El-Funoun's message has propagated to many schools, organizations and localities.

El-Funoun believes in building cultural bridges with the world, both to have a healthy exchange of experience, ideas and techniques and to present the long-suppressed Palestinian culture before other nations.

El-Funoun is widely recognized as the cultural entity that has played the most significant role in reviving and reinvigorating Palestinian dance and music folklore. This accomplishment is particularly important, since it effectively countered the systematic attempts by the Israeli occupation to suppress the Palestinian national identity through banning or expropriating any forms of Palestinian cultural expression.

Personnel
El-Funoun is composed of fifty dancers, singers, musicians and support personnel. It is an independent, non-profit organization that is virtually entirely volunteer-based. The members are therefore motivated by the vision of the Troupe more than by any other factor. This not only keeps the Troupe's administrative cost quite low, but also ensures a strong sense of belonging to and ownership of the group. This resolve coupled with a driving commitment to artistic excellence and to authentic Palestinian art afforded El-Funoun its current leading position.

Performances
In Palestine, the Troupe holds an impressive track record of over one thousand performances since 1979, including its very well attended performances in Palestine International Festivals of 1992 through 1997. Moreover, El-Fu noun has participated in the following:

• Expo 2000 Hanover, Germany

• Tour in Lebanon, April 27 - May 3, 2000

• Expo 98 Lisbon, Portugal

• US Tour (5 cities) in 1998

• Raatvick International Folklore Festival, Sweden in 1996

• Babylon International Festival, Iraq 1996

• Jerusalem Festival, United Arab Emirates in 1995

• Jarash International Festival Jordan, in 1994

• US Tour (20 cities) in 1991

• US Tour (15 cities) in 1986 

Awards & commendation Certificate
El-Funoun has won several commendation certificates and awards, most prominent among which is the Palestine Award for Popular Folklore 1997, the highest honor award given in this field by the Palestinian Authority.

Productions
http://www.el-funoun.org/produc.html