Described as a night of carefree joy, Laylit was founded in 2018 to celebrate Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) cultures and “to give space to the LGBTQ+ community to express themselves and have fun in complete freedom” (translated from this story en français).
I went to a Laylit event with a friend, not knowing what to expect, because although I have heard some Arabic music sampled by DJs, I don’t know that music well. There were moments when more than half of the Laylit crowd, recognising a song that I had never heard, would cheer and join in to sing the refrain. There was an almost tangible exuberance in the room that was truly beautiful.
There is an excellent article by Aya Al-Hakim that I recommend reading, if you’re interested in learning more. She interviews one of the co-founders of Laylit, Philippe Manasseh (the other co-founders are Saphe Shamoun and Nadim Maghzal). The article describes the context of the rising popularity of Arabic dance parties and the future “of the Arab dancefloor [as] one that is modern and open-minded, not just musically and culturally, but socially as well.”
I certainly found that to be true of the Laylit event that my friend and I went to in Montréal. Sample a Laylit mix or two online and sign up to their newsletter to find out dates and locations of their events in various cities. Or, better yet, get thee to a Laylit event … if sharing time and space on the dance floor with an inclusive, joyful and open-minded community is something that speaks to you.
a few words ... from Montréal 