FJK Dance

Born in Iraq & raised in Lebanon, Fadi J Khoury is a dancer, choreographer, and visual artist – artistic director of FJK Dance, trained in Ballet, Ballroom, and Folklore dance. His innovative style showcases his life-long immersion in a world of dance forms; In Baghdad he grew up surrounded by the folkloric music and dance of Arab culture. His father, also a dancer and choreographer, was the Artistic Director of the National Iraqi Ballet. Through his father, Fadi was exposed to diverse approaches to dance in Mesopotamia, still present in Assyrian, Syriac, and Bedouin folkloric dances of the Middle East. He toured the Middle East and North Africa with Caracalla Dance Theater, and Al Rahbani of Lebanon while studying visual arts at the Lebanese University of Fine Arts. In 2009, he moved to New York City, and was awarded scholarship at the Ailey school to deepen his study in classical ballet and American modern dance styles, while teaching ballroom dancing at Arthur Murray Dance schools becoming their top teacher in the US and worldwide and received top instructor awards and rankings in competitive and social dance styles. As a dancer in New York, he worked with renowned choreographers such as Elisa Monte, Nejla Yatkin and Gary Pearce. Khoury co-founded FJK Dance in 2014, where visual art meets contemporary dance in performance and community outreach. His work is inspired by the impact of art on mental health, which led him to collaborate with the NYC Health + Hospitals, becoming their Artist in residence since 2018. Khoury was awarded multiple grants from the CUNY Dance Initiative and LMCC (Lower Manhattan Cultural Center), for his cross-cultural work and collaborations, that reflect his immigrant journey and belief in the power of the performing arts and bringing people together of all background.