JERASH, Jordan (CBS) -- The roots of America go on display in Jordan.
The old Roman city of Jerash was treated to Native American culture on Friday with a performance by a Native American dance troupe.
The "Native Pride Dancers" performed for the first time in the Middle East at the annual Jerash Festival of Culture and Art, which wrapped up on July 14.
Wearing colorful costumes and dancing to traditional music laced with drumbeats, the group of native American artists entertained festival goers from Jordan and across the region.
The audience was also invited to dance with the troupe to contemporary popular music.
"The dances and the stories come together on stage, they come alive of our grandfathers and grandmothers that have stories that have been passed on to us, and we share these stories on stage through song and dance," said Larry Yazzie, the artistic director for the Native Pride Dancers.
After the performance in Jerash, the group is scheduled to hold workshops and outreach programs at youth and children centers and universities in Karak, Aqaba, and Amman to teach young Jordanians about Native American culture and heritage.
The aim is to educate and entertain audiences of all ages on the beauty and meaning of Native American culture, music, and dance.
"We are both spiritual people or both spiritual cultures. We are all alike amongst difference indigenous groups around the world, so we share this experience for the people and the audience," explained Yazzie.
Jordan hopes to boost tourism - the second most important source of national income - with the help of cultural events like the Jerash festival.
Central Bank figures show that this year tourism has grown by 15.6 percent, generating $1.4 billion dollars in revenues since the start of 2012 until May, compared to $ 1.1 billion for the same period in 2011.