Tell us about your dance studies
At 16, totally self-taught, Ahmad Joudeh auditioned for the main Syrian ballet company,
Enana Dance Theater in Damascus, and was accepted. There he was trained in ballet, gymnastics and modern dance.
Graduated from Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts “dance department” Damascus, Syria, in July 2016, completed the study and training in dance and choreography.In July 2023 Ahmad has graduated from the Dutch National Ballet Academy as the first qualified ballet master from Syria and the Arab countries with a bachelor degree in Ballet teaching ( Vaganova Method).
- In Damascus you also were giving classes to disable and orphans, tell us more about it.
Witnessing a child killed in a battle, Ahmad Joudeh decided to work for children orphaned in the war. He joined fundraising activities for SOS Children's Village Syria and held dance lessons for the children of their villages, Ahmad has a lot of joy and a big talent in teaching children especially children with difficult situations such as refugees and down syndrome children, through his dance workshops he makes the children build a stronger self esteem and create a deeper bond between them.
- Tell us about your experience in Syria.
The civil war in Syria, which broke out in 2011, had devastating impacts on the life of Ahmad Joudeh and his family. Five of his relatives lost their lives. Ahmad Joudeh and his family lost everything, as their home was destroyed by a bomb.
Ahmad Joudeh encountered not only life-threatening situations, but also constant threats by extremists simply because of his dance activities. As declaration of his determination to keep on dancing, he had the words Dance or Die tattooed on the back of his neck, the spot where the blade would be applied in case of execution. For Ahmad Joudeh, to dance is to exist. To give up dancing was not an option.
- You could move to The Netherlands thanks to the Dutch National ballet company, tell us more about it.
Ahmad Joudeh became known to outside the Arab world through a reportage about his life in Syria under the civil war made by Roozbeh Kaboly, a Dutch journalist. The reportage was broadcast first on 6 August 2016 in the Dutch National TV news programme Nieuwsuur of NOS. It was shown in many countries afterwards, including UK and France.
The reportage includes Ahmad Joudeh's dances for the souls of those who had lost their lives in the civil war at the Roman amphitheatre of Palmyra, a UNESCO World Heritage. This was probably the last art performance at this theatre before it was destroyed later in the year.
Touched by watching Reportage 1, Ted Brandsen, the Director of the Dutch National Ballet, organized The Dance For Peace Fund, which invited Ahmad Joudeh to The Netherlands. Ahmad Joudeh moved to Amsterdam in October 2016. to study at the Dutch national ballet academy at AHK (Amsterdam university of the Arts)
Ahmad Joudeh made his debut at Dutch National Ballet in the production of “Coppelia” in December 2016. and performed at deferent galas like Dansers van morgen 2017 and Dancing on the brain 2020
Since 2017 Ahmad Joudeh has been active as a dancer not only in The Netherlands but also in other countries within Europe (France, Switzerland, Norway, Spain, Italy, Denmark, and Belgium) and UAE.
His story was reported around the globe. He has also been active in supporting Syrian refugees.
- Tell us more about your experience at "So you think you can dance" in 2014
Ahmad Joudeh was invited to participate in the Arab version of "So You Think You Can Dance" (SYTYCD), a TV dance competition, in Lebanon in 2014. He became a known dancer in Arabic world with the prominent performances.
- You also got a documentary about you by Roozbeh Kaboly, what was your reaction to it?
In the begging. I didn’t believe that someone would come to syria in the mid of war to care about what I’m doing , Roozbeh came and followed me for 10 days making a reportage but when I got the invitation to the Netherlands he kept following me for a year and that what made the documentary and On 25 November 2019, one of 2019 International Emmy® Awards, one in the category of Arts Programming was awarded to a documentary “Dance Or Die” by Roozbeh Kaboly, a Dutch journalist, featuring the life of Ahmad Joudeh from July 2016 to October 2017: his life in Syria under the civil war, his travel to Amsterdam in October 2016, and his life in Amsterdam.
- Since you moved to Europe, how do you feel? What changed in your life?
Amsterdam became my new home and everything in my life has changed
literary everything, in amsterdam I learned what freedom is all about also I could dance in freedom almost all over Amsterdam
- You got invited to perform all around the world, tell us more about that.
It is amazing to be invited to perform in so many different countries in the world , I have developed. My dance style that became a very successful art form that reflect the beauty of the middle eastern culture,
- You also are a choreographer, from where you get inspired?
My biggest inspiration is my Arabian roots , I mix the Sufi Dervish dance with Ballet and use the SufiSkirt that is inspired by the Sufi dress in middle East, a very spiritual Dance they use to connect with the universe, it is an artistic cultural bridge between the east and west
- Tell us more about your future projects?
I am at the moment preparing for the Nutcracker Ballet in San Diego where I will be performing The Arabian Dance in Nutcracker , and that will make me the first ballet dance who is actuallyArabian born and raised to perform this piece, living this today makes me feel so special especially that I grew up in a refugee camp for stateless refugees with no passport till the age 23 and now performing in the USA and Europe and the Middle East after I became a Dutch Citizen.I might publish my book dance or die in Spanish soon, it is already there in Italian and English - Any seuggestions to the young dancers?For young dancers I would say dream big and keep in mind the main reason why you dance, and hang on the feeling of joy the first time you danced, and never stop learning cause we only stop learning when we die, as long as life goes on, dance goes on.
- Tell us a curiosity about you.
I am a super hard worker that sometimes it can be too much, but I can’t help it
- What are you doing when you are not working?
gym training , reading , music , writing , learning life skills ,Life Is So Short, not time to waste
