This special evening celebrates the work of renowned Gazan choreographer and dancer Mohanad Smama, who has shared two dance films and additional videos with us. It marks the first time his work is being shown in California. We strongly encourage donations to Mohanad’s family in Gaza—100% of proceeds from this event will go directly to them. The evening will include an audience discussion of his work, led by dance scholar and choreographer Stephanie Sherman, as well as an experimental performance with Stephanie and musician and visual artist Asma Ghanem exploring the possibilities of sisterhood across Jewish/Palestinian identity.

Mohanad Smama is a Palestinian dancer, choreographer, and director living in Marseille. He is considered one of the pioneers of contemporary dance in Palestine. In his hometown of Gaza, he founded the Hai Team for Contemporary Arts — the first contemporary dance school in the city. There, he teaches dance classes for both children and adults. He is known for his extensive experience in developing training methodologies and techniques in Palestinian dance and dabke. He has produced numerous performances, films, exhibitions, and even a contemporary dance festival in Gaza in 2023. His work has been shared globally, and he has continued his artistic practice even during wartime, using art as a means of life and a form of resistance

Asma Ghanem is a Palestinian artist, experimental musician and film director. She was born in Damascus, Syria in 1991. Asma has two degrees in audio-visual arts from the International Academy of Arts in Palestine in 2013 (BA) and a Master's Degree (MA) from the University of Fine Arts in Toulouse-France (ISDAT) in 2016.  The works of Asma are inspired by the imaginative nature of narrating the personal experience of the occupation in Palestine. Her artistic and musical works are connected to her childhood and are centered around essential components such as the concept of homeland, the sonic experience under occupation, the world of imagination, and love stories in an occupied place.  She currently lives and works in Oakland, CA

Stephanie Sherman is a queer anti-Zionist Jew, choreographer, dancer, published bilingual poet, and visual artist, who is committed to social justice. With 25 years of experience working between the US, Ecuador, and Mexico, her artistic practice is shaped by her activism. She holds a PhD in Performance Studies from UC Berkeley, an MFA in Dance from NYU, and is a two-time Fulbright Award grantee (Mexico & Ecuador). She is a professor at California College of the Arts and San Jose State University. Her work, a fusion of dance, poetry, and surrealist visual art, engages cultural identity, gender, disability, and national borders. Her practice is collaborative, accessible, and ever-evolving. Stephanie is also a scholar and educator with a focus on choreographies of resistance in Mexican art.