"an uncommonly deft combination of dance and verbal theater."
- Brian Seibert, The New York Times
yaa | ya (y+AH): to call or attract; often said before calling someone’s name to get their attention.
samar (‘sum’ + ‘are’): evening conversation, sleepless night, night of entertainment
Tohfe Beidas
Kristine Covillo (President)
Samar Haddad King
Ryan King (Treasurer)
Jessie Mandel (Secretary)
Sana Odeh
Zoe Rabinowitz
Nathan Trice
Dave Welty
18
Years
51
Cities
17
Countries
4
Continents
“Samar Haddad King deftly melds styles from hip-hop and ballet to social dance and acrobatics.”
- Hedy Weiss, Chicago Sun Times
“The YSDT dancers move like this often, tender yet aggressive; tenacious yet desperate. The body subverts itself, becoming both weapon and wound.”
- Cleo Abramian, Hyperallergic
"Samar Haddad King’s propulsive choreography [is] equal parts rave stomping and sensuous writhing."
- Bob Verini, New York Stage Review
“The process the dancers went through creating Getting there, staying here was transforming. I watched Samar push the [Hubbard Street] second company both physically and emotionally. There was a visible growth of artistry.”
- Taryn Kaschock Russell, The Juilliard School
Summer 2024
YSDT & AAFSC Gathering Potluck Party May 31 @ 4-6pm ET Arab American Family Support Center 386 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY Gathering Workshop - Creative Tools for Collective Movement w/ Samar Haddad King & Samaa Wakim June 1 @ 2-5pm ET Recess Arts - 46 Washington Ave. Brooklyn, NYFree with RSVP Register here Gathering: New York City June 19 @ 7pm ET The Shed - New York, NY Private Preview and Reception Tickets and more information Gathering: New York City (World Premiere) June 20-22, 2024 @ 7:30pm ET The Shed - New York, NY Free with RSVP Tickets for the shows are sold out. An in-person wait list will be available 15 minutes before the show begins. Losing It June 27 and 28 @ 8PM GMT + 8 Latitudes Contemporaine - Lille, France TicketsFall 2024
Losing It September & October Paris, Sardinia, and Belfast Ticket information coming soon YSDT Residency Duke UniversityNovember 10 - 16thDurham, NCMore programming information coming soon Last Ward Duke Arts at Reynolds Industries TheaterNovember 15 and 16th @ 7:30PM ETDurham, NC Ticket information coming soon“King's choreography is dynamic and athletic"
- Nancy Grossman, Broadway World
Gallery
“[YSDT] defines the space within which human relationships take place. They shape the landscape of expectation and hope.... What ensues is unique, free of easy classification, and beautiful."
- Sara J. Hart, Explore Dance
Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT (2019) Chaillot - théâtre national de la Danse, Paris, France (2018) Baryshnikov Arts Center, New York, NY (2018)Dance Initiative, Carbondale, CO (2018)Palestinian Museum, Bir Zeit, Palestine (2017) LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, Queens, NY (2008/9 & 2010/11) Queens Museum, Queens, NY (2007) Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, New York, NY (2005/6)
“The combination of the dramatic subject matter and the technical ability and experience of [King's] dancers makes for an undeniable explosive combination.”
-Amanda Keller, idanz