A professional dabka, or Arab line dancing, troupe from Detroit in addition to an art exhibit and free food are headlining a community fair at the Indianapolis Global Village on April 12, 2025, from 12 Noon to 4pm. Tickets are free but must be reserved via Eventbrite in advance.
The fair, which will take place during Arab American Heritage Month, is a collaboration among a couple dozen Arab American community members, the IU Indianapolis Arabic Studies Program, and the Indiana chapter of the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee with additional financial support from the Community Engaged Alliance, Inc.
Alfawares Dabka Troupe will headline the event.
Students from IU Indianapolis’ Introduction to Arab American Studies class are working with artist Salma Taman, community organizer Yaqoub Saadeh, attorney Salma Qaddourah, and health care analyst Maria Nimri, among others, to curate an original exhibit of Arab Hoosier art, provide entertainment and food to fairgoers, and organize over a dozen community information and resource tables.
Organizers say that the diverse cultural heritage of Arab Hoosiers, who trace their roots to over twenty different countries across North Africa and the Middle East, will inspire the fair’s many components. The event will begin with the music of the Al Salaam Ensemble from Bloomington and will end with the poetry of Iraqi American writer Sajjad Jawad. “For community members who want to learn about and enjoy anything from our dancing and art to our music and food, this is a perfect opportunity,” according to IU Arabic Studies director Edward Curtis, who also founded the Arab Indianapolis project.
Hands-on activities will be available for both adults and children. Fairgoers will be invited, for example, to join in a dabka dancing workshop after a brief lecture and performance by the Alfawares Zaffe dancing troupe. Fairgoers can browse the art exhibit and tables at their leisure. A catered lunch by the International Marketplace Coalition will be provided for free.
Parking is free. The Indianapolis Global Village is located at 4233 Lafayette Road, Indianapolis, IN, 46254.
Contact: Edward Curtis, ecurtis4@iu.edu
