A tanoura dancer spins in one spot while a wide skirt of colour, or of light, turns around him like a disc. You can book one here for a wedding, a corporate gala, a desert camp evening or a private party in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Tell us the date, the venue and the guests, and we send the dancers who are free, with videos and a price.
Price: a standard 15 to 20 minute tanoura show usually costs AED 1,500 to AED 2,200, and an LED tanoura show AED 2,000 to AED 3,000. Longer sets and live musicians cost more. See how much a tanoura show costs.
DubaiTanouraDancers.com books tanoura dancers and Arabic folklore troupes only. One team in Dubai handles your enquiry from the first message to the last spin. More about us.
What a tanoura show is
Tanoura is a folk dance from Egypt. It grew out of the whirling of the Sufi tradition and became a staged show with bright, layered skirts. The word tanoura is Arabic for the skirt itself. During the show the dancer lifts layers of the skirt, spins a smaller skirt above his head, and changes the shape and speed of the turn. The tanoura show page explains each part and the difference from Sufi whirling.
The shows you can book
Traditional tanoura. Stacked skirts in bright colours, sometimes with mirrors or sequins, that catch the light as the layers separate.
LED tanoura. A skirt fitted with programmable lights that cycle colours or follow the music. Strong in a dimmed ballroom or outdoors after dark.
Extended set. A traditional opening, a costume change, then an LED close.
Tanoura with live music. A drummer or a small folk trio plays for the dancer instead of a recorded track.
More than one dancer, or fire tanoura, for large events.
Arabic folklore beyond tanoura
Many events add a second act. An Emirati heritage troupe with canes and drums, such as an ayala group, suits National Day, government events and grand arrivals. Ask the team when you send your date. A dabke troupe brings a Levantine line dance to the dance floor and pulls guests into the line.
Match the show to the event
- Weddings: a tanoura spin during dinner, a zaffa or dabke entrance. See tanoura for weddings.
- Corporate events: galas, launches and conference openings. See corporate events and galas.
- Private parties: birthdays, villa parties and Arabian nights. See Arabian night parties.
- Abu Dhabi: the same shows for events in the capital. See tanoura dance in Abu Dhabi.
- Ramadan: a calmer show after iftar for tents, hotels and company iftars. See tanoura shows for Ramadan.
Plan the space first
A tanoura dancer needs a clear circle about 2.5 to 3 metres across, on a non-slip floor, away from steps, cables and furniture. Hotels and licensed venues also need the act covered by an entertainment permit. The planning guide covers space, music, permits and timing.
How to book
Send the date, the venue, the type of event and the number of guests on WhatsApp or through the quote form. The team checks who is free and sends videos and a price. Watch the videos first if you want to see the style.
