"1001 Nights – Sheherezade’s Tales" is a unique poetry-and-dance theater show created by Seadeta Osmani, blending Oriental and Occidental poetry with music and dance expression to explore the universal emotions of love, sadness, and joy that transcend cultural boundaries. Performed by Sheherezade, an amateur Oriental dance troupe from Zagreb, Croatia, the show has been captivating audiences for the past 12 years.
Sheherezade, under Seadeta’s artistic direction, has been active for 18 years, performing on stages and competitions in and beyond Croatia. In addition to their performances, the dancers also teach regular classes and workshops, sharing their passion for dance.
Driven by her love for both dance and poetry, Seadeta launched this project to highlight poetry’s role in cultural understanding and the healing power of poetic dance. Through this initiative, she brings together friends and enthusiastic dancers to bridge cultures through artistic expression, proving that emotions and storytelling through movement can connect people across traditions.
Excerpt from “The Fortune Teller” by Nizar Qabanni, Syrian poet, used in the video:
For long have I studied fortune-telling
But never have I read a cup similar to yours
For long have I studied fortune-telling
But never have I seen sorrows similar to yours
You are predestined to sail forever
Sail-less, on the sea of love
Your life is forever destined
To be a book of tears
And be imprisoned
Between water and fire
Your road blocked, blocked, my son
Your beloved, my son, is sleeping
In a guarded palace
He who approaches her garden wall
Who enters her room
And who proposes to her
Or tries to unite her plaits
Will cause her to be lost, my son...lost
To view more of there performances click here.
For more information: www.sheherezade-dance.com
The project is part of the subhtemes Re-imagining identity through poetry, Healing Narratives - Poetry, Mental Health and Collective Trauma, Cultural Resilience - Literature as a force for social justice.
Author
Seadeta Osmani
Seadeta Osmani is a poet, dancer, and cultural enthusiast dedicated to bridging cultures through the fusion of poetry and dance. As the founder and artistic director of Sheherezade, an amateur Oriental dance troupe from Zagreb, Croatia, she has spent the past 18 years leading performances and workshops both locally and internationally.
Combining her passions for literature and movement, she created the theater show "1001 Nights – Sheherezade’s Tales," which has been running for over 12 years. The show pairs Oriental and Occidental poetry with dance and music, exploring universal human emotions and the healing power of poetic movement.
Through her work, Seadeta continues to promote cross-cultural understanding and artistic expression, proving that poetry and dance are powerful tools for connection and transformation.
