"Yaa Samar! Dance Theater’s production at Gibney is 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




15
Years
31
Cities
10
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
Current works
Last Ward
When the Waves Have Come and Gone
Losing It
3 x 13 Film
The Playground
Against a Hard Surface
bound
"Samar Haddad King’s propulsive choreography [is] equal parts rave stomping and sensuous writhing."
- Bob Verini, New York Stage Review
Programs
In-person
“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 2022
YSDT: Play A monthly series of online, open-level movement classes taught in Arabic and English taught by a rotating pair of YSDT Artists. Classes are free/by donation and take place on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 11am ET. RSVP required. More information and to register here. Recess Movement classes in collaboration with the Recess Assembly Program for system-impacted young people ages 18-26. Assembly is a youth-led artist-run program offering long-term paid training and pathways for reimagining new possibilities through art. Spring/Summer 2022 New York City/Online Boom!Health Movement classes in collaboration with Boom!Health (Bronx) for LGBTQ+ homeless and transient youth (ages 16-24). Summer 2022 New York City Losing It Khashabi Theatre May 26 Haifa I am (new production) A.M. Qattan Foundation August 9, 2022 Ramallah More information coming soon. Losing It Zürcher Theater Spektakel Festival August 25 - 28 Zurich, Switzerland More information The Walk NYC (new production) September 2022 New York City More information coming soon.“King's choreography is dynamic and athletic"
- Nancy Grossman, Broadway World
“[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)


La Vie Magazine Portrait of "The Walk" with highlights on When the Waves Have Come and Gone (September 2021) AFP Interview on Samar Haddad King's new work When the Waves Have Come and Gone in The Walk (October 2021) La Provence Preview: When the Waves Have Come and Gone in The Walk (September 2021) thINKing Dance Review: Distancing-Elides-in-3-x-13-Yaa-Samars-Outstanding-Multinational-Film (Feb. 2021) DIY Dancer Article: We live in Cairo: Samar Haddad King choreographs the Arab Spring (April 2019) Dance Magazine Article: Is It Actually Possible to Choreograph Remotely? Featuring YSDT (August 2018) Institute for Middle East Understanding (IMEU) Feature on YSDT Artistic Director, Samar Haddad King (August 2018) Ubiquité culture(s) Review on presentation of new work (June 2018) L’Humanité Review on presentation of new work (June 2018) Hyperallergic Review on presentation in Colorado and interview with Samar Haddad King and Zoe Rabinowitz (June 2018) Aspen Public Radio Interview with Samar Haddad King, Zoe Rabinowitz and Amir Nizar Zuabi (April 2018) KDNK Community Radio Interview with Associate Artistic Director, Zoe Rabinowitz (April 2018) The Sopris Sun feature on new work/company (March 2018)Dance Advancement Fund Recipient press release (October 2017) Dance Magazine Feature about the company (June 2017) Thalia Theater blog review Against a Hard Surface (June 2017) Stance on Dance interview with Samar Haddad King (June 2017) Hamburger Adenblatt Review Against a Hard Surface (June 2017) Theater Development Fund “Dance as Political Act” mention (May 2017) Huffington Post Feature about the company (February 2011)
“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
