Before You Go I Gemmayze | the artists
Jadd Tank / Choreographer and Creative Producer
Jadd Tank’s passion for choreography and dance lies in the exploration of boundless possibilities in which objects, bodies and events relate to each other: the spaces we create and the identities that spaces create for us. Nurtured by the cultural intersection of Lebanese and Midwestern traditions, Jadd approaches contemporary performance art and creation with an aesthetic that reflects a versatile mélange – Mediterranean culture, dramaturgy, architecture and postmodern movement techniques.
Jadd Tank’s recent work includes being a Movement Consultant for the recent Halloween Ends 2022 film; Co-Director, Co-Choreographer for 3rd Body; Creative Producer, Choreographer and Performer for Glimpses of a Future by Yaraqa - now available on Netflix; and Assistant Choreographer and Product Design Lead for Together We Walk - digital performance at the Dubai World EXPO 2021 Lebanese Pavilion.
In addition to touring and performing internationally for award winning choreographers such as Michelle Ellsworth, Alias Guilherme Botelho and Maqamat Dance Theater, Jadd has choreographed for stage and film including director Susan Youssef’s feature film Marjoun & The Flying Headscarf (2021 Academy Award Consideration), Music videos of Vladimir Kurumilian & Mashrou’ Leila, and the digital works of Design House T Sakhi and Dubai-based director Dei El-Ayoubi. Jadd is currently the Product Design Lead at Lebanon-based Social Enterprise YARAQA.
links: website I instagram
Bassam Abou Diab / Founder of Beirut Physical Lab, Actor, Dancer and Choreographer
Bassam Abou Diab is a Lebanese actor, dancer and choreographer, focusing on contemporary dance and folklore. He’s been dancing with Maqamat Dance Company for several years where he worked on four creations: “Mushrooms and Fig Leaves”, “Hibr”, “That Part of Heaven” and “Watadour”.
Bassam also performed in many theater plays with different directors in Lebanon like Nidal al Ashkar, Jawad al Asadi, Ossama Halal, Rouaida al Ghali, Badih Abou Chakra, and Malek Andary. In addition, he created, choreographed and danced in 5 performances: "not connected", "under the flesh", “Of What I remember”, “Eternal” and “Pina My Love”.
He co-created a performance titled “Incontro” with Jacopo Jenna in which they dance together, and another co-creation project “Who cares” with four young Mediterranean choreographers. He also directed and choreographed “The Siege/L’Assedio” with Monica Ciarcelluti and directed plus choreographed for Green/Dance entropy company part of “home” presented in New York, both performances were based on ‘Rituals and movements’ workshop that he facilitated. And last but not least, he directed and choreographed “Phalastinian karma” with the National Academy of Rome.
Kawkab Zuhal / Drag Artist, Actor and Activist
Zyad Al Seblany is a 28 year old Lebanese Cinema & TV (2012-15) and Theatre (2016-19) graduate and practitioner. He also learned and practiced improv and playback theatre (2015-2020), was a drama therapist for young children in Anjar’s refugee camp (2017-2018), and a drag artist since 2017 from experimenting at UNI exams until making it his main career in 2020 until now, under the name Zuhal.
In 2018, Zuhal translated the term Drag Art into Arabic “Fann El Jarr” in her first Youtube video, while preserving the term’s history and cultural aspects, “Fann El Jarr” is now used as the official translation in the Arab world.
In 2019, Zuhal started a monthly horoscope show with Vice Arabia called “Abraj Kawkab Zuhal”, the show lasted till early 2022, and was the first Arab show to be officially hosted by a drag queen.
Zuhal was one of 2019’s Vogue 100 people pushing boundaries, was also featured on L’Orient Le Jour, Beirut.com, NYTimes, AlAraby, BBC News, Sarde After Dinner… etc, and appeared on LBCi’s infamous Ahmar Bel Khat el Areed where she was advocating for LGBQT+ rights in front of millions of arabs.
Zuhal has done so far more than a 100 solo shows and performances in Beirut and she also performed in the UK, Netherlands and Turkey, she won the Grand Prize “Winner Of The Year” at Beirut’s Grand Ball 2020, and Best Acting for the short film “Henni” at Loyac FilmFest (Oct 2022)
He is also a drag workshop trainer with Haven for Artists since June 2022.
Zuhal was invited by META to their Partners Summit in Turkey (Oct 2022) as a partner representing queer arabs.
Hoedy / Voguing Artist, Choreographer, and Beirut’s Ballroom Trailblazer
As a ballroom trailblazer in Beirut, Hoedy helped introduce voguing as a dance and culture to the Lebanese dance and nightlife scene, 9 years ago.
Hoedy organized the first ever Ball in beirut back in 2017 which helped in the rise of the drag scene.
He has performed on some of the biggest local and international stages and choreographed many music videos as well.
Aside from dancing, Hoedy is a full time veterinarian.
links: instagram
Reem Naamani / Choreographer, Educator, Performer, Director of Plie Dance School
Reem Naamani (Lebanon) is a contemporary and classical ballet teacher, performer, and choreographer. She is a dancer in Sima Dance Company (Dubai) and was a dancer in Beirut Dance Company between 2016 and 2019.
She is the founder, director, and owner of Plié Dance Studio (Saida, Lebanon) where she created and choreographed a contemporary dance film "The Loophole" (in process), a contemporary dance performance "90 minutes" and 3 student productions "The Nutcracker", "Boarding Pass" and "Stepping Portraits."
She performed in a short dance film choreographed by Klevis Almazaj- "(Un)Common grounds" in 2020.
In addition, Reem has also performed in Yaraqa's docu-series "Glimpses of a Future" (Episode 8) on Netflix.
While in Dubai, Reem was the Assistant Choreographer with Five Currents for the Opening and Closing Ceremony of Expo 2020 and performed in "Why? The Musical”.
She also performed "Rhyme" by Sima Dance Company in Sima theatre (July 2022) and at Expo2020 Dubai (October 2021).
In Saudi Arabia, she choreographed Ahlam Concert and Trio Night assisted by Lauren Nehme and Alex Truglio.
Reem is currently working on her full-length contemporary dance piece with Alex Truglio.
links: instagram
Eyad Al Ayass / Rythmic Performer
Eyad graduated from the Arab Open University majoring in management and administrations in 2014. His musical studies were linked to Oriental Percussions at the National Higher Conservatory of Music (2014-2020), Classical Percussions (2019-present), and he also majored in musicology and music education at the Antonine University (2017-2020).
Eyad also started a small pine bakery business in 2020 that is still running until today.
in addition to music and sports, he is socially active and has been a scout volunteer for 12 years.
”I wish to live a quiet life and achieve the greater part of my dreams while maintaining respect for myself and others wherever I am in this world”.
links: Instagram
Alice Massabki / Art & Movement Director and Choreographer
Alice Massabki is a Lebanese teacher and choreographer. Her teaching technique is based on classical ballet and Lemon method. She had a closed approach to oriental technique as well.
She created the Dance Studio in 1984 and Art& Movement Dance school in 2003.
Her main creations and performances are:
- Cycles in 1988
- La traversée in 2000
- Le temps Arrêté in 2004
- Rechmayya in 2010
- Till the dust settles in 2012
Today teaching in her ballet school is her main activity as well as developing a very specific style in her choreographic creations, a style connected to the Lebanese and middle eastern culture.
Alex Truglio / Hip Hop and Commercial Teacher, Choreographer and Performer
Alex Truglio (Italy) is a professional Choreographer and Performer, with a Diploma in performing arts from Tiffany Theatre College in the UK. He is a very versatile choreographer and performer in multiple styles, from Salsa to Hip Hop, from Commercial to Contemporary, he developed his own style over the years.
During his studies and post-graduation, he worked for Katy Perry at the O2 UK, in Tv Shows for Sky1 and BBC, Cast Dancer for Princess and Carnival Cruise Lines in Los Angeles and Miami, and for Saif Nabeel at the Coca-Cola Arena Dubai.
In Saudi Arabia, he assisted Reem Naamani in choreographing Ahlam Concert and Trio Night.
He also choreographed many shows for competitions, congresses, and dance school showcases in Italy, UK and Australia.
Alex has performed in the Beats Festival for various international artists at Expo2020 Dubai; the Expo2020 closing ceremony; Advertisements for Yas Mall (Abu Dhabi) and was part of Kenichi's Show (winner of America's Got Talent).
In addition, he also performed "Rhyme" by Sima Dance Company at Sima theatre (July 2022) and at Expo2020 Dubai (October 2021).
links: instagram