Ayala dancers bring the Emirati heritage dance to your event: two facing rows of men in white kandura, each holding a thin bamboo cane, swaying together to the drums while a chant passes between the rows. You can book a troupe here for UAE National Day, a wedding, a VIP welcome, a corporate event or a Ramadan evening in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Tell us the date, the venue and the occasion, and we send the troupe size that fits, with videos and a price.
Price: an ayala troupe of 4 to 6 performers usually costs AED 3,500 to AED 6,000, and 8 to 12 performers AED 6,500 to AED 10,000. Larger troupes, Ramadan and National Day week cost more. See how much ayala dancers cost.
AyalaDancersDubai.com books ayala troupes and Emirati folklore groups only. One team in Dubai handles your enquiry from the first message to the last drum beat. More about us.
What you see in an ayala show
The two rows face each other. The canes rise and fall together, the rows sway as one, and the drummers in the middle set the pace. The chant is poetry, sung by one row and answered by the other. It started with Bedouin tribes as a dance of victory and unity, and today it marks national celebrations, weddings and official ceremonies across the Emirates. The ayala dance show page explains the drums, the canes and the poetry in more detail.
One dance, many spellings
You may have seen it written as ayala, al ayala, ayyala, al ayyala or ayallah. These are all English spellings of the same Arabic name, and many guests simply call it the stick dance. Some people also use the name yowla for it, although yola is usually a separate dance where performers spin and toss a cane or a rifle. If you are not sure which one you saw, send us a video or a photo and we will tell you.
The Emirati dances you can book
Ayala. The two facing rows with canes, drums and chant. See the ayala dance show.
Yola. Young men spin and toss a cane or a rifle above the head, alone or in small groups. Strong on a stage. See yola dance.
Harbiya. A faster relative of ayala with more rifle or sword movement. See harbiya.
Al Razfa. The slow, formal line dance used to greet guests of honour. See Al Razfa.
For a mixed programme of Emirati folklore, see the Emirati folklore troupe page.
Match the troupe to the occasion
- UAE National Day: the busiest time of year for ayala and yola. See National Day shows.
- Weddings: ayala or harbiya for the groom's majlis and the arrival of male guests. See ayala for weddings.
- Corporate events and VIP welcomes: an arrival set at the hotel entrance or a conference opening. See corporate and VIP welcomes.
- Ramadan: shorter sets after iftar in tents and majlis setups. See ayala for Ramadan.
- Abu Dhabi: the same troupes for events in the capital. See ayala dancers in Abu Dhabi.
Plan the space first
An ayala troupe needs room for two rows facing each other, with the drummers in between. A troupe of 14 to 16 needs a wide stage or an open area. Canes and ceremonial rifles are flagged to the venue in advance, and public venues need an entertainment permit. The planning guide covers space, timing, dress and group size.
How to book
Send the date, the venue, the occasion and the size of the space on WhatsApp or through the quote form. The team checks which troupes are free and sends videos and a price. Watch the videos first if you want to see the style.
