Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh
Choreographer, Dance Artist, Artistic Director of Studio 8
Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh is a choreographer, performance maker, cultural organizer.
Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh is the Artistic Director of dance company – Studio 8, the Artistic Director of dance festival – International Dance Encounter Amman (IDEA).
Abd has more than fifteen years of experience in dance performance and dance transmission in Jordan.
In 2017, Abd completed an international master degree in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage in Clermont-Ferrand | Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) | University of Szeged (SZTE) | University of Roehampton.
He also holds a MIS (Management Information System) Diploma and a Bachelor degree in Business Administration. He also holds a MIS (Management Information System) Diploma and a Bachelor degree in Business Administration (BA).
As the artistic director of Studio 8, the director of IDEA festival, Abd has made a significant contribution to Jordan’s performing art ecosystem: nurturing experimentation, creating and producing original art works, fostering the development of emerging artists, sparking dialogue and working closely with local communities.
Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh is a choreographer, performance maker, cultural organizer.
Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh is the Artistic Director of dance company – Studio 8, the Artistic Director of dance festival – International Dance Encounter Amman (IDEA).
Abd has more than fifteen years of experience in dance performance and dance transmission in Jordan. In 2017, Abd completed an international master degree in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage in Clermont-Ferrand, France; Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Norway; University of Szeged (SZTE), Hungary; University of Roehampton, United Kingdom. He also holds a MIS (Management Information System) Diploma and a Bachelor degree in Business Administration (BA). He also holds a MIS (Management Information System) Diploma and a Bachelor degree in Business Administration (BA).
As the artistic director of Studio 8, the director of IDEA festival, Abd has made a significant contribution to Jordan’s performing art ecosystem: nurturing experimentation, creating and producing original art works, fostering the development of emerging artists, sparking dialogue and working closely with local communities.
E D U C A T I O N
2015-2017 Choreomundus – Master in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
University of Szeged, Hungary
University of Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
Choreomundus was the first Erasmus Mundus Master’s program focusing especially on dance as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Erasmus Mundus is the scholarships and academic co-operation program of the European Union.
2013-2014 Business Administration, Bachelor, Al-Balqa’ Applied University, Jordan
2013-2011 Management Information System, Diploma, Amman College, Jordan
E D U C A T I O N
2015-2017 Choreomundus – Master in Dance Knowledge, Practice, and Heritage
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
University of Szeged, Hungary
University of Clermont Auvergne, Clermont-Ferrand, France
University of Roehampton, London, United Kingdom
Choreomundus was the first Erasmus Mundus Master’s program focusing especially on dance as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Erasmus Mundus is the scholarships and academic co-operation program of the European Union.
2013-2014 Business Administration, Bachelor, Al-Balqa’ Applied University, Jordan
2013-2011 Management Information System, Diploma, Amman College, Jordan
C H O R E O G R A P H I C E X P E R I E N C E
2021
Crossing– Artistic Director, Choreographer – a dance piece that reflect the life of an artist in the time of pandemic.
2019
Wujoud wa Hodoud – Artistic Director, Choreographer, Performer – a 60-minute-multidisciplinary performance draw personal stories of land, nation, division and struggle into the body and voice of eight Arab artists, Amman, Jordan.
2019
Time out of Time: A Special Place – Artistic Director, Choreographer – a trans-disciplinary project that an interplay between a dynamic choreography and an audiovisual immersive environment in collaboration with Iranian/French visual artist Golnaz Behrouznia, and French sound artist Francois Donato.
2019
Mechanics of Movement – Artistic Director, Conceptualization – a live dance performance inspired by Laban movement analysis, with the Icosahedron forms the focal point of the piece, with four performers explore the underlying principles of movement, as part of the In/Out Festival curated and organized by Factory, an annual festival by Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.
2017
Hiwar – Choreographer, Performer – a 40-person, 75-minute feature performance with director Zahed Sultan, Omani dancers, a choir, a strings section, and a folk band, using technology, sound, movement, and light, to present a dynamic story about Oman’s importance as a gateway to and from the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
2017
Space Harmony – Artistic Director, Conceptualization – a one-of-a-kind live dance performance with an interactive dancing installation. The live performance took place in Darat al Funun which is a cultural centre surrounded by a garden and the ruins of a Byzantine church in the heart Amman, Jordan.
D A N C E E X P E R I E N C E
2019 Wujoud wa Hodoud – produced by Studio 8, directed by Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh.
2017 Hiwar – directed by Zahed Sultan, Muscat, Oman.
2017 Sonder – created by Bhumi Collective, Bunker Theater, London, UK.
2011 (W)EDGE, created by Monique Duurvoort & Gregory Shaggy Albertzoon, Zakharef in Motion Contemporary Dance Festival with, Amman, Jordan.
2013 Dance performance as a result of an Artistic Residency inspired by The Roots, of Kader Attou – CCN La Rochelle / Cie Accrorap, as part of Zakharef In Motion Dance Festival.
2009 Ahel Al Himmeh, organized by Ahl Alhema (Queen Rania’s Award for Community Champions), with the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania, Roman Theater, Amman, Jordan.
C H O R E O G R A P H I C E X P E R I E N C E
2021
Crossing – Artistic Director, Choreographer, – a dance piece that reflect the life of an artist in the time of pandemic.
- Performed at Al-shams Theater, International Dance Encounter Amman(IDEA), Amman, Jordan
- Performed at Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman, Jordan
2019
Wujoud wa Hodoud – Artistic Director, Choreographer, Performer – a 60-minute-multidisciplinary performance draw personal stories of land, nation, division and struggle into the body and voice of eight Arab artists, Amman, Jordan
- Performed at AUC Falaki Theater, Downtown Contemporary Arts Festival (D-CAF), Cairo, Egypt
- Performed at National Center for Culture & Arts, Amman, Jordan
- Performed at Al Hussein Cultural Center, Hakaya Festival, Amman, Jordan
- Performed at Al-shams Theater, International Dance Encounter Amman(IDEA), Amman, Jordan
2019
Time out of Time: A Special Place – Artistic Director, Choreographer – a trans-disciplinary project that an interplay between a dynamic choreography and an audiovisual immersive environment in collaboration with Iranian/French visual artist Golnaz Behrouznia, and French sound artist Francois Donato.
2019
Mechanics of Movement – Artistic Director, Conceptualization – a live dance performance inspired by Laban movement analysis, with the Icosahedron forms the focal point of the piece, with four performers explore the underlying principles of movement, as part of the In/Out Festival curated and organized by Factory, an annual festival by Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. The Icosahedron remains in the Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts Park after the performance, constantly sending invitations to curious minds and wandering hands to hundreds of visitors from autumn 2019 till now.
2017
Hiwar – Choreographer, Performer – a 40-person, 75-minute feature performance with director Zahed Sultan, Omani dancers, a choir, a strings section, and a folk band, using technology, sound, movement, and light, to present a dynamic story about Oman’s importance as a gateway to and from the Arabian Gulf, the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
2017
Space Harmony – Artistic Director, Conceptualization – a one-of-a-kind live dance performance with an interactive dancing installation. The live performance took place in Darat al Funun which is a cultural centre surrounded by a garden and the ruins of a Byzantine church in the heart Amman, Jordan. This performance had a long lasting impact with more than a thousand people enjoyed the experience of exploring and playing with interactive dancing installation in a period of five months after the initial live performance.
D A N C E E X P E R I E N C E
2019 Wujoud wa Hodoud – produced by Studio 8, directed by Abd Al Hadi Abunahleh, AUC Falaki Theater, Cairo, Egpyt; Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts, Amman, Jordan; National Center for Culture & Arts, Amman, Jordan; Al Hussein Cultural Center, Amman, Jordan.
2017 Hiwar – directed by Zahed Sultan, Muscat, Oman.
2017 Sonder – created by Bhumi Collective, Bunker Theater, London, UK; Royal College of Music, London, UK. 2016 The Subject of Matter, created by PAS Dance Kompani, Trondheim, Norway.
2011 (W)EDGE, created by Monique Duurvoort & Gregory Shaggy Albertzoon, Zakharef in Motion Contemporary Dance Festival with, Amman, Jordan.
2013 Dance performance as a result of an Artistic Residency inspired by The Roots, of Kader Attou – CCN La Rochelle / Cie Accrorap, as part of Zakharef In Motion Dance Festival.
2009 Ahel Al Himmeh, organized by Ahl Alhema (Queen Rania’s Award for Community Champions), with the presence of His Majesty King Abdullah II and Her Majesty Queen Rania, Roman Theater, Amman, Jordan.