“Being Arab, Being Queer” w/ Tarek Khwiss

2025-12-24

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Now joining me today IN THE CHAI ROOM (should I keep calling it that?) is my dear friend—dancer, choreographer, model, performer and now writer—Tarek Khwiss. This was Tarek’s second time on the podcast, and what a special episode it was. A lot of you often ask what it’s like having friends on the podcast, and this episode is truly the epitome of that. We have a deep conversation about dance culture in the UK, friendships within the industry, and kindness toward ourselves and others while navigating the creative world. Tarek and I also g...

Now joining me today IN THE CHAI ROOM (should I keep calling it that?) is my dear friend—dancer, choreographer, model, performer and now writer—Tarek Khwiss.

This was Tarek’s second time on the podcast, and what a special episode it was. A lot of you often ask what it’s like having friends on the podcast, and this episode is truly the epitome of that. We have a deep conversation about dance culture in the UK, friendships within the industry, and kindness toward ourselves and others while navigating the creative world.

Tarek and I also get into politics and activism—using our social platforms to speak out, and the balance (or imbalance) of doing so while managing a creative, freelance life. We discuss how this seeps into our work, the challenges it brings, and how it has shaped our personal viewpoints.

We also talk about being Arab and queer, and dive into Tarek’s new business, Haus of Hurriyah, as well as queer spaces such as Hishek Bishek in London . Of course, we discuss Tarek’s story “Confessions” for An Ode: Reframing the Classics—which, by the way, you can stream in full now on Patreon. You’ll also hear a soundbite in this episode.

Tarek's Bio:

Hey, I'm Tarek Khwiss known globally for my fresh and fierce vision. Empowering the world through dance, encouraging all to be you, be free, be fabulous! Energetic, sassy & bold choreography, positively disrupting through the medium of dance

Based in London, Tarek is a British Palestinian who believes in the power of dance to unite, elevate and help uplift brands through movement. Being a brand ambassador, their aim is to build partnerships with clients to create artistic visuals sharing the story at hand. Working in TV, Film, stage & online, Tarek is capable of adapting no matter the size of the project.

Tarek’s credits consist of choreographing for Layla, the feature film directed and written by Amrou Al- Kadhi. Working with musicians such as Martin Almasri, Decker Park and Valerie Sibanda. As well featuring in commercials as a dancer & model for brands such as: Levis, 02, Spotify, Sky Atlantic, Hunter Boots and shows such as Sex Education, to name a few. As a content creator Tarek is the ambassador of AKT and has collaborated with brands such as JBL, Dyson, Pattern Beauty, Dirtea, Dunellm, Asda and Tik Tok to name a few.

Topics Breakdown:

It’s Boiling – 5-Second Rule rapid round,
Creating friendships and community as a dance teacher,
Changes in dance class culture: student consumption and how Tarek’s relationship to teaching has evolved,
The growth of social media posting culture, both as a consumer and a content creator,
Conscious posting and the balance (or imbalance) of activism through creative work.
Balancing a political voice with creative expression.
New creative venture: Haus of Hurriyah
How embracing identity has shifted Tarek’s perspective on his craft and the wider industry.
Being queer and being Arab.
The importance of the people you surround yourself with, while remaining open to giving and receiving kindness.
Choreographing and movement directing for Leyla (feature film by Amrou Al-Kadhi): lessons learned and the experience of working on a large-scale queer Arab film.
The writing process and creative thinking behind Tarek’s short “Confessions” for An Ode: Reframing the Classics.