On May 15, US President Donald Trump was greeted at Abu Dhabi’s Qasr Al Watan with a captivating performance of Al-Ayyala, a traditional Emirati dance featuring women rhythmically flipping their long hair in sync with drumbeats and chants.
Each country has its own traditions 🤔
🔴 UAE :📹PRESIDENT MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN, WARMLY WELCOMED PRESIDENT TRUMP IN ABU DHABI
There was also traditional Emirati ‘Al-Ayyala’ dance featuring symbolic hair-flipping amid other ceremonies. pic.twitter.com/MakPCNlsXI
— LW World News 🌏 (@LoveWorld_Peopl) May 15, 2025
This viral moment, shared widely on social media by White House aide Margo Martin, showcased the UAE’s rich cultural heritage during Trump’s Middle East tour, which included deals totalling $200 billion with the UAE.
What Is Al-Ayyala?
Al-Ayyala, recognised by UNESCO in 2014 as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, is a vibrant performance rooted in the UAE and northwestern Oman. It symbolises unity, pride, and Bedouin values of dignity and honour, often performed at weddings, national holidays, and state ceremonies. The dance typically involves two rows of men—around 20 per side—facing each other, wielding thin bamboo canes representing spears or swords to simulate a mock battle. Accompanied by drummers playing large and small drums, tambourines, and brass cymbals, the men chant Nabati poetry celebrating chivalry and valor.
In the UAE, women often lead the performance, standing at the front in traditional attire, gracefully tossing their hair side to side in rhythm with the music. This “hair-flipping” gesture, a hallmark of Emirati Al-Ayyala, signifies beauty, strength, and respect, distinguishing it from similar Gulf dances like Khaleegy, which some sources initially confused it with. Unlike in some Middle Eastern nations, UAE women are not required to cover their hair, allowing this expressive movement.
Trump’s welcome, marked by this inclusive performance involving men, women, and children, underscored the UAE’s blend of tradition and diplomacy. The dance’s synchronized hair-flipping and rhythmic chants captivated global audiences, highlighting cultural pride amid high-stakes geopolitical discussions.
