Its moments like welcoming the President of the United States that bring up unique local traditions for the whole world to behold. The UAE did just that, while it rolled out the red carpet lined on both sides with hair flippers.
The hair flip dance that is now making rounds on social media is actually a traditional dance of the United Arab Emirates, called Al-Ayyala or Khaleegy/Khaleeji.
While netizens are absolutely amused by the performance, the young girls are actually doing a traditional art form which has a history of decades if not centuries.
Donald Trump was welcomed with a traditional Emirati women’s dance! Hair-flipping is a graceful gesture symbolizing beauty, pride, and femininity. It’s a cultural expression often performed during celebrations to show joy and hospitality.
Via X msn__91 MargoMartin47#Lovin #UAE… pic.twitter.com/lw0d12oj5s
— Lovin Abu Dhabi (@LovinAbuDhabi) May 16, 2025
Interestingly, even UNESCO has recognized it as a traditional performing art. The dance entered UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.
Trump was welcomed warmly when he arrived at the Presidential Palace. Girls and young women, clad in all white, flipped their hair on the rhythm of drum beat played by men standing behind them.
While people have a lot to say about this, this was UAE’s culture in all its rawness and beauty. An Omani variation of Al-Ayyala is solely performed by men and invokes a battle scene, with men holding bamboo sticks symbolizing swords.
But in the UAE, women flipping hair occupy the first rows.
pic.twitter.com/wWcie61T7e The UAE warmly and lovingly welcomed Trump to Qasr Al Watan, a scene that reflected the strength of the relationship. Contrast with the tension caused by Biden admin.
The reception, included traditional Emirati hair-flipping dances called Khaleegy
— Jim DaBink (@JimDaBink) May 16, 2025
An X user, who grew up in the Middle East, sounded all calm about the dance and silenced all hyped-up comments by saying that she has been watching this cultural dance since childhood, and that it is “nothing new.”
Truth be told, Khaleegy dance is actually popular all across the Persian Gulf countries, and is nothing out of the ordinary. Oman and UAE certainly own the dance more than other countries in the Gulf region.
For people in Pakistan, it doesn’t sound very other worldly, for everyday language uses “khaleeji” word while referring to the Gulf states.
I grew up in the Middle East. This hair flipping dance is known as Khaleegy. It is a traditional dance of their women in the whole region. This is nothing new , been watching them dancing like this since we were children. You can have a problem with the policies of UAE , but…
— Sherry 🍁 (@CherieDamour_) May 15, 2025
And what is a viral video is not controversial. Some users have gone on to call the dance ‘satanic’ and ‘pagan.’ Others are angry that the UAE government even allowed it.
Some have raised moral questions over what is going on in Gaza and why Abu Dhabi welcomed Trump with all the fanfare.
Still others stepped in to remind critics that culture is culture after all and the girls and young women performing the dance deserve no hate.
For all ignorants questioning UAE authorities as a dance video of females is circulating on social media , swaying their hair rhythmically, it’s thousand years old Khaleegy dance !
Pls hold your Islam to yourself !!!
— MNA (@Engr_Naveed111) May 15, 2025
Nuzhat Rana is the Managing Editor (website) at The Diplomatic Insight.
