Enkidu Company and Mohanned Hawaz official website
Iraqi folk dance & Contemporary dance
About Mohanned Hawaz,
Iraqi-Swedish Artist
Mohanned Hawaz is an award-winning Iraqi-Swedish dance artist and choreographer with a distinguished background in both contemporary and traditional Iraqi dance. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to preserving and presenting Iraqi folk culture on prestigious stages around the world. As a respected dance instructor and choreographer, he is highly sought-after in the global Middle Eastern dance community for his deep knowledge of Iraqi dance forms.
Born in Mosul, Iraq, Mohanned began performing at local festivals at the age of seven. By fifteen, he joined the Iraqi Artists Union of Nineveh, where he received formal training in dance, costuming, and stage makeup. A key influence in his early training came from Hanaa Abdullah, a pioneering figure in Iraqi folk dance and a founding member of the Iraqi National Folklore Troupe in 1971. Hanaa Abdullah, who had previously been a member of the Al-Rasheed Folk Troupe since 1965, is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in preserving and shaping Iraq’s folkloric dance heritage—and she remains Mohanned’s foremost mentor and artistic guide.
In 2006, Mohanned moved to Egypt to study contemporary dance with the legendary choreographer Walid Aouni at the Cairo Opera House. Later, he relocated to Sweden and continued his contemporary dance studies at Löftadalens Folkhögskola under the supervision of renowned Swedish choreographer Lena Cederwall Broberg.
After completing his studies, Mohanned founded the Enkidu Dance Company—the first company to present authentic Iraqi folk dance on the Swedish national stage. Enkidu has since toured more than 30 countries, showcasing Iraq’s rich dance heritage and earning numerous international awards.
In 2023, Mohanned and his company represented Iraq at UNESCO’s 75th Anniversary of Iraq’s Membership, in a historic performance in Paris. The show was held in partnership with the Iraqi Ministry of Culture, the Iraqi Traditional National Orchestra led by Maestro Alaa Majeed, and featured the renowned oud player and UNESCO peace ambassador Naseer Shamma.
In 2023, Mohanned was officially commissioned by the Iraqi Ministry of Culture to conduct a nationwide field research project across all provinces of Iraq. The goal was to document traditional Iraqi dances and create choreographed pieces inspired by the authentic heritage of each region. This marked one of the most significant national efforts in Iraqi dance documentation since the 1970s, solidifying Mohanned’s role as a cultural authority in Iraqi folkloric arts.
Hannah Abdullah
founding member/ choreographer/principal dancer/ principle Instructor of the Iraqi National Folkloric Troupe.
"I supervised Mohanned on a daily basis and could see he was a naturally gifted dancer.
I took him under my wing and trained him personally in many of the nuances of Iraqi folklore and dance. He is an artist and he loves his art. We all believe his future will be bright and successful as he continues to share our long and rich heritage of the Iraqi Folkloric arts"
Lena Cederwall Broberg Founder and Artistic director at Löftadalens Conservatory
"Mohanned is extremely talented both as a dancer and as a choreographer and during my composition classes he succeeded to blend ballet and Iraqi dance to a perfect mixture. We had so many interesting and enjoyable discussions during my classes of dance history. When I see Mohanned perform today, I see a very talented and creative dancer/choreographer. He has succeeded to create his own new dance technique mixing ballet, modern and Iraqi dance to a new expressive dance technique. He also brings the Iraq dance to European and international audiences"
Mohammed Hussein Kemer
Foundation for the Iraqi Maqam in the Netherlands
"The artist Mohannad Hawaz has played an excellent role in bringing Iraqi folkloric arts and dance to European and international audiences. Mohannad is extremely talented and has succeeded in bringing Iraqi dance to the public through Swedish and other foreign dancers. Using his Iraqi heritage, he has blended his own creativity with Iraqi folklore to represent the history of Mesopotamia and showcase the stories and legends of the civilizations of Ur, Sumer and Babylon
I wish dear Mohannad great success in his job representing Iraqi heritage on world stages and in his artistic and cultural endeavours and back him with all my support and appreciation."
2010 - present
2010 - present