The Solh Family & the Khataira: Baalbek’s Keepers of Authentic Dabke Tradition

Introduction: Before the Stage, There Was the Rooftop

Long before Dabke was choreographed for grand theaters, it lived on the rooftops of Baalbek. At the heart of this oral and community-based tradition was one family: The Solh family. Known locally as the “Khataira” (the wise elders), they were not only performers — they were the custodians, creators, and transmitters of authentic Baalbeki Dabke. Their work preserved a raw, powerful, and deeply communal dance style that still defines what “real” Dabke means in Baalbek today.

---

👑 Who Was Doukhi Solh (Abu Ali)? The Founder of Baalbek’s Popular Dabke

Born in 1902, Doukhi Solh (known as Abu Ali) was a farmer by trade but a Dabke phenomenon by spirit. In the 1930s and 1940s, he began staging spontaneous performances on Baalbek rooftops, bringing people together through music and dance. His signature? A blend of rhythm, charisma, and a creative mind — he even danced with a lit water pipe in hand, introducing theatrical flair decades before Caracalla.

Doukhi created routines like:

• Raqs al-Sayf wal-Turs (sword & shield dance)
• Khataira Dabke – a rugged, shoulder-to-shoulder style
• Use of finger cymbals (sunuj) during Dabke

His performances weren’t for money — they were for community joy, a spirit still carried today by his descendants.

---

🕊️ Zakaria Solh (Abu Yehya): The Dean of Baalbek’s Dabke

If Doukhi was the founder, Zakaria Solh, aka Abu Yehya, was the patriarch who preserved and led Baalbek Dabke well into his 80s. Dressed in his keffiyeh, leading the line with boundless energy, he represented the elder-statesman style of Dabke — bold yet deeply humble. He was known for:

• Starting the line with strength and rhythm
• Improvising calls and steps during performances
• Teaching the youth without formal classes, just dance by doing

---

👬 The “Khataira” Troupe: Brothers in Dance and Tradition

From the 1950s to early 2000s, Baalbek’s Dabke troupe was built almost entirely from the Solh family. Referred to as “Shuyukh al-Dabke” or “Al-Khataira,” the troupe included:

• Abu Majed
• Abdul-Karim Solh (Abu Doukhi)
• Waleed Doukhi
• Abu Ibrahim
• Abu Bilal
• Abu Tamer
  …and others.

They performed at:

• Local weddings
• National events
• Foreign tours (France, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain)
• Even the wedding of Bahaa Hariri

Despite never being officially recognized by the state, their work carried Baalbek Dabke across generations and borders.

---

💃 What Styles Did the Khataira Preserve?

The Solh family preserved and innovated Baalbek’s six major Dabke styles:

1. Arja – the limping shoulder style
2. Zeno – Kurdish-originated, sharp rhythm
3. Tirawi – slow, earthy, storytelling-style
4. Askariyya – the military-stomp Dabke
5. Shamaliyya – fast, northern variation
6. Badawiyya – Bedouin line formation with proud posture
7. Dal’ouna – the rooftop-origin dance based on Syriac roots
8. Hourbeh – Dabke for mourning, unique to Baalbek

They trained new troupes in these forms — including Shams Baalbek and Firqat al-Majd — ensuring that authentic Baalbeki footwork and spirit lives on.

---

📹 From the Rooftops to TikTok: The Solh Legacy Today

While most Khataira have passed away, their influence echoes in every Dabke video emerging from Baalbek. Social media pages like Dabke Baalbackieh and Zorba Academy now archive rare footage of the Solh elders. Their style is studied, respected, and revived by dancers around the world.