Yara Saleh Launches Egypt's First Dancehall Crew

TUFFRA: The Dancehall Pharaohs’ is Egypt’s first dedicated dancehall crew, led by Yara Saleh, the first choreographer and instructor to formally introduce the style to the country.

Rooted in Jamaica’s late-1970s sound system culture, dancehall is defined by full-body movement, sharp isolations and rhythmic intensity, performed to DJ-driven, reggae-based beats. Saleh has played a central role in establishing the form within Egypt’s dance community, where she is often referred to as the country’s leading dancehall figure.

The 18-member crew is visually distinctive, frequently performing in all-black outfits and staging routines in varied settings that range from open fields to industrial and abandoned spaces. Their choreography blends traditional dancehall tracks with samples drawn from Arabic music, creating a hybrid style that reflects both the genre’s origins and its local reinterpretation.

The name TUFFRA comes from the Arabic root t-f-r, meaning to leap or spring forward. In its noun form, tuffra refers to a single leap, and more broadly to a sudden shift or breakthrough. The term mirrors the crew’s positioning within Egypt’s contemporary dance scene, where global movement styles are being absorbed, adapted and redefined. Saleh trained in Los Angeles and Jamaica before returning to Cairo, bringing the form back with her and developing it in dialogue with the local community.