Arab Dancers in El Obaid, Sudan, perform two traditional dances, which represent the movement of animals. The Katanday and the Hasees, are similar to each other in the performance, the songs and the light nature. The Katanday is performed first; the movement of the neck is an imitation of doves while the hitting of the ground using the foot is an imitation of the horse or bison… moves that are symbols of power and strength. The song of the Katanday goes like this, “They put henna on you, two stars and a crescent, oh how you left us estranged, left our hearts to burn in fire…” At the end, the dance is finished with a move by the girl, considered the epitome of creativity and excitement; this is the closure of the dance. The Hasees is then performed, in which the boys and girls come together, dance together and then move back quickly.

The dance is performed by the Dul Al-Nafeer group, lead by Hamid Al-Mardia Ahmed. The group specialise in the traditional heritage of the Abballa (Camel Herders) and the Ghannama (Sheep Herders/Shepherds) of North Kordofan, Sudan.