Al-Qusair: A Cultural Crossroads on the Red Sea and Its Folkloric Dance Traditions

Al-Qusair, one of the oldest cities on Egypt’s Red Sea coast, has held strategic significance since ancient times due to its proximity to the Nile Valley and its role as a vital harbor for trade expeditions. Historically, it was also a center for quarrying and gold mining, attracting diverse cultures from the Arabian Peninsula, Asia, and Africa. Additionally, it served as a key transit point for pilgrimage caravans from Maghreb countries to the Hijaz via the eastern desert and the Red Sea. This convergence of cultures contributed to Al-Qusair’s rich and distinctive cultural heritage, establishing it as a significant cultural hub.This research presents some examples of intangible heritage elements which are arts of performance in Al-Qusair ,Among which the artistic performances of the tribes of Al-Ababda namely the dance of Tarbala( التربله ( , as well as the performance of Al-Haz( الحظ ) celebrations, which distinguishes the celebrations of Al-Qusair from others in different areas, as well as the Al-Hadra ( ( الحضره performance.Moreover this study examines the ways in which these forms of arts are employed as a tourist attractions with the participation of the local society to preserve and protect this heritage. This study aims to document and highlight this type of heritage in general, to achieve this objective, the study was adopted a descriptive-analytical methodology was employed.