Zikrayat

Artist Description

Zikrayat is a New York based ensemble of musicians and dancers dedicated to presenting the traditional repertory of Arab music, song, and dance.

Celebrating the diversity which makes Arabic music lively, elegant, luxurious and refined, Zikrayat represents a new direction in the tradition: fission, not fusion, is the method of this group. Reaching back to the Golden Age of Egyptian Cinema for inspiration, Zikrayats dancers parallel the purity of tradition provided by the ensemble. Having trained in Egypt, Syria, Turkey and Morocco, all members of Zikrayat are devoted not only to authenticity but to virtuosity as well. The critical element of improvisation is performed with stunning agility by the group, keeping Zikrayat on the short list of traditional music groups who have no programmatic repetitions.

2006 performances at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Hudson River Cove Series amoung others have all earmarked Zikrayat as one of the most important newcomers to the Arabic music stage. Zikrayat and its members are available for performance and instruction.