WINTER SESSION: Comedy, Improv, Tap Dance, Writing and Arabic Classes!

DUBOMEDY ARTS SCHOOL (D.A.S.) is proud to announce their Winter Session! New classes and guest teachers have been added to the bill! Please see full class schedule below. LOL@vivadubai.com for more questions and registration.
We offer professional training in Comedy, Improvisation, Stand-Up, Writing for Performance, NYC Tap Dance and Body Beats all year round. From just to fun to professional coaching! ...Our classes were rated “...Best Classes in Dubai” by Time Out Dubai Magazine. Dubomedy’s Head Teacher is Stomp and Cirque veteran, MTV Alumni, Award-winning American Comedienne; Mina Liccione. Classes are also lead by a team of professionals. Please see class and teacher details below.

WHAT: It’s time for Dubomedy Arts School’s Winter, 2011 Term! Each session runs 9 weeks and commences with a final performance in the Kilachund Theater at DUCTAC. Please reserve your place now!

WHEN: Winter Session runs January 22- March 18, 2011. ALL Classes commence with a Final Performance!

CLASS SCHEDULE: January 22- March 18, 2011

SATURDAYS AT DUCTAC:

11:30-12:30pm- NYC Tap & Body Beats: Level I for Teens and Adults.
This class is perfect for beginners or those who haven’t tapped in a long time and need a refresher.

12:00-1:15pm- Comedia Bil Arabi! *NEW!*
This unique comedy course is the first of it’s kind in the UAE. It will focus on beginning improvisation, Stand Up Comedy, Sketch Comedy building all in Arabic. This course will be taught by Ali Al Sayed.

12:30-1:30pm- NYC Tap & Body Beats: Level II for Adults and Teens.
This class will focus on more intermediate level technique and choreography. This class is open to those who have completed Level I or by permission of instructor.

1:30-2:55pm- Comedy 101: Saturday Afternoon Funnies!
Our signature open level Comedy Class for Adults! This course will teach you the basics of Improvisation, Stand Up Comedy writing, delivery and performance. Each student will also get a private coaching session as well as a chance to perform in a energy packed end of session festival at Dubai Community Theater.

3:30-5:00pm- The Graduates!
Intermediate to Advanced Stand Up Comedy for those who have graduated Comedy 101 and wish to continue their training and get more performance experience. These are semi-private coaching sessions lead by Ali Al Sayed.

4:00-5:00pm- NYC Tap & Body Beats: Level III.
This is an advanced level training course as well as Performance Troupe a.k.a. Dubomedy Sole Steppers. The troupe’s latest tap & body percussion piece won an award at this year’s Dubai Dance Festival!
*Please note: This class is by audition only

MONDAY NIGHTS:

“From the Page to the Stage”: Writing & Performance Workshop
All Star Team of Guest Lecturers: Mina Liccione, Nina Hein, Nicholas Karavatos, Jamal Iqbal and Jamil Abu Wardeh
Dubai Community Arts Center
7:30-9:30pm

This course will focus on diverse genres of writing geared towards performance. The workshop will emphasize on the balance between text and performance- how they build upon and interact with eachother. A team of professional writers, directors, poets and performance based artists including: Nicholas Karavatos, Nina Hein, Jamal Iqbal, Jamil Abu Wardeh as well as Mina Liccione will co-lead this course. There will be a series of unique writing sessions along with assignments that allow the students to explore a variety of “individual writing voices”. Writing genres and seminars will include: Script writing for Theater, Poetry and Spoken Word, Storytelling- from fiction to non-fiction, Character development tools, How to transform personal stories into TV Scripts taught by a longstanding TV Producer. The final few classes will focus on ways to take your words from the page to the stage- hence PERFORMANCE skills including Acting Technique, How to direct actors, Physicalization of stories and Rhythmic Training. This workshop will commence will a final reading of the works created during this creative process. The “best” works of the bunch will be chosen to develop into full length performance pieces as well as considered for a new series of short film projects set for 2011.

TUESDAYS NIGHTS:

Marhaba Arabia- Learn to speak Emirati! *NEW!*
Dubai Community Arts Center
7:30-9:30pm

This course will teach you all the basics of speaking Emirati in a supportive environment! Classes will be taught by Shaima Al Sayed.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS:

WEDNESDAY NIGHT IMPROV!- Improv Games, Theater Sports & Circus Skills!
Co-Lead by Mina Liccione and Sol Abiad
Kadomz Studios in Marina Mall
7:15-9:00pm

Intermediate- Advanced level improv training with Basic Circus Skills as warm up! All improvisation, all the time! As per popular demand, we will warm up with a Circus Skill each week then focus on improvising in character, competitive theater games and improvisational structures for team performance “matches”. The goal of this class is to create a performance based Improv Troupe that will perform around the UAE at different events and venues including volunteer work with Clowns Who Care Project. Each session includes a Public Improv Performance as well as a final match performed in the end of session show. This is the perfect class for those who wish to perform improv as well as want to join Clowns Who Care as excellent improv skills are required.

UPCOMING:

NEW WORKSHOP FOR ADVANCED STUDENTS- Beginning in Feb, 2011
Sketch Comedy and Comedic Acting for TV
Sundays, 7:30-9:30pm
Studio- TBA

This new course is for intermediate-advanced level students and is by audition only. This is an on-camera class focusing on Sketch Comedy Acting, Directing and Performance. This core Sketch Troupe will also perform in front of a live studio audience.

MORE INFO/REG: LOL@vivadubai.com

REGISTRATION: All Classes will be posted on www.Timeouttickets.com for online registration. We will also be holding open registrations in the DUCTAC Lobby. To secure your place please send an e-mail to LOL@vivadubai.com with your name, contact info and which class/es you will be attending.

Workshop Finale!- An Evening of Comedy and Spice

Dubomedy Arts Presents…
An Evening of Comedy and Spice!

Come out to The Spice Club for some great laughs and delicately spiced authentic indian food! This Comedy Showcase will feature the participants of Celebrity Comedian Dean Obeidallah’s Comedy & Writing Workshop. Dean will choose two of these budding comedians, based upon their performance in this showcase, to open for his BIG show the following night- “From Axis of Evil- Dean Obeidallah LIVE in Dubai” Dec. 15 at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall.

When: Tuesday, December 14
Show Time: 9:00pm
Where: The Spice Club Restaurant and Lounge- in Le Meridien Garhoud
How Much: Entry is FREE!
Food and Beverage: Spice Club has a delicious menu of Indian dishes, sizzling appetizers and a full bar.
More Info/Reservations: LOL@vivadubai.com

Comedian Nemr Abou Nassar comes to Dubai

No Politics, No Religion, One Love.
An Interview with Nemr Abou Nassar
By Mina Liccione

Lebanese Comic Nemr Abou Nassar is in Dubai getting ready to unleash his new show “EPIC” this Friday, December 3^rd at Al Murooj Rotana Hotel. Upon speaking with him I quickly realized that he wasn’t just a funny man but also a visionary. His notion that comedy can bring together a community consisting of diverse nationalities and religions really hit home as it is our belief too. Just as Bob Marley believed that he could bring the world together through music, Nemr tries to do so through laughter. Comedy is a powerful tool if used wisely and Nemr is definitely on the right path. He has a high level of integrity supporting his work and has raised the bar for Comedy in the region.

When and where was your first Stand Up Performance ?

I have been doing Stand Up Comedy my whole life. I feel most comfortable when I am on stage and I think that's because growing up I would always be talking in stand up, addressing groups of kids in the playground, or at university or at work, it was always about drawing people's attention and building upon it. But the first time I ever got on a stage to professionally do stand up comedy was when I was a freshman at the American University of Beirut, it was to host their annual music club concert. There was a full house with some 300 people and a technical error caused me to be shoved on stage and what was supposed to be a 2 minute intro turned into a forty five minute set. I killed it, and I felt on top of the world, untouchable. I hosted the rest of the show and it was incredible.

It was a three day concert, the next day I went onstage, brimming with confidence, and used the same material I had improvised the day before, I bombed. It was a disaster. I came off stage feeling terrible. I peaked my head out and stared at the crowd without the glare of lights in my face and realized the crowd was full of parents, and I was doing material about the Matrix which most of them probably had never even heard of. I went back out after the first band finished their act and tried again, this time with a more mature subject matter (basically I made fun of us as students and glorified parents), I won them back and it went great from there!

An incredible experience as every year I would host those concerts culminating in an outdoor forty five minute set in my final year to a crowd of 7,000 - It was like boot camp for stand up comedy, you would go up do material, get off, have about 15 - 20 minutes while the other band played to figure out how on earth you were going to entertain the crowd until the next band setup, and then repeat. I was able to truly hone my improv skills during that time.

What is the process you go through when creating new material?

I focus on getting focused, I don't script my shows I feel it’s not the same to recite material than to actually live material, and to be able to do that I have to get into a zone and be able to draw on everything I have experience in my life up to that very moment. It is really tough saying I have one technique it flows depending on where I am in my life and what I'm going through, its varied as much as focusing on kata in martial arts to playing playstation and sleeping.

Tell us about your new show EPIC and what to expect?

I have put more work into this show than anything I have ever done. I feel like a traveling warrior kind of like in the old days, haha, not that I am powerful and all encompassing, quite the contrary but I went on an adventure to prepare for this show. I worked my way up in comedy clubs in the US to end up headlining in some of the most legendary comedy clubs such as the Improv in a five month stint. I have also been through a lot this past year, I am at a place in my life where I feel wise enough to finally be able to truly comprehend everything that is happening with me, and EPIC will reflect that. It is a much more mature controversial show, and may I add, this is the funniest thing I have ever done, and I can't wait to hit a stage with it anywhere I can!

What do you feel makes a Stand Up Comic unique from other types of comedic performers?

The process of stand up comedy is the most unique factor. How a comic prepares is what really sets him/her apart from the rest of the crowd, so to speak, the process of doing hundreds of shows editing, tweaking, changing material, perfecting and growing, until you reach a level where you are able to gather a solid hour or hour and a half at least into a brand new special and present it as a finished product. That would be in the preparation side, there is a remarkable difference on stage as well.

A true stand up comic is one who can draw the entire crowd into his/her world, fantasy and atmosphere completely isolating the crowd from the outside world. By the end of the show the crowd returns to reality, but that reality is never the same for them. That is, at least, what I feel is our duty and our threshold for success.

What were some of the steps you took in order to go from beginner to where you are now?

Performed, performed, performed.

What is the best way for us to stay in the “Nemr Loop”?

Well the best way would be to do any, or I would actually say all, of the following!

Follow me on twitter: www.twitter.com/nemrcomedy
With over 60 videos and over 300,000 views subscribe to my YouTube channel! www.youtube.com/enjoylifeingeneral
Like my page on Face Book
For the tour check out the official page www.epicthetour.com
Check out my website www.nemrcomedy.com
Believe and my unicorn Uruk will keep you informed.

Anything else you would like to add?

I am so excited to hear about the ground breaking work Dubomedy is doing, and after the brief time I have gotten to know the people behind it, I can't wait to see what change you will cause! Keep up the great work and thank you so much for all the Support!

No Politics, No Religion, One Love.

Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival brought four days of non-stop local art

DIPAF closes big with medley of music acts and Behold The Locus
By Sabina Giado
15th November
Dubai, UAE

Dubai: The first ever Dubai International Performing Arts Festival drew to a close last night with Behold The Locus headlining an open-air concert at Dubai Festival City’s Floating Stage.

Taking advantage of the recent dip in temperatures, families and weekend shoppers gathered to enjoy some free music and live demonstrations of Latin and ballroom dance from the Arthur Murray Dance Center. The genres represented by the local bands were as diverse as progressive rock (Pull Box), acoustic (Sach Holden) and hip hop (Ya’Koob Al Rafaie from Kuwait and local artist Beatbox Ray).

Earlier in the day, Dubomedy and SAE Institute hosted a fruitful panel discussion with Hamdan al Abri from soul band Abri and his manager Rebecca Brianceau. Attended by amateur and professional musicians, Abri with manager led a spirited discussion on the nature of marketing and distributing independent musicians in the Middle East and elsewhere.

Student shows kicked off DIPAF this year on Wednesday November 9, with the Tap Dance and Body Percussion, Comedy 101 and Advanced Improvisation students exhibiting their skills at the customary student showcase, the Mixed Tape.

November 10 was Theatre Night at the Dubai Community Theater and Arts Center (DUCTAC). The audience listened in reverent silence, occasionally laughing and reacting, as the From the Page to the Stage students presented their monologues and spoken word pieces. The writing workshop presentation commenced with a reading by renown USA poet and published writer, Nicholas Karavatos. This atmosphere of support and encouragement continued as local theatre groups took to the stage, some for the first time as in the case of Jamal Iqbal’s ensemble piece “Musecal Chairs”. Youth Theatre Works produced a peppy comedic musical act while Rajendra Aneja shed light on the less fortunate with his one-man play about the life of a construction worker “My Little Bit Life”.

Friday, November 12, was a day of learning and laughing at DIPAF. At the SAE Institute, Sol Abiad of experimental theatre group Star Too led workshop participants in an exploration of space and movement, culminating in a presentation of the theme Where is Home. Pioneering Pakistani stand-up comedian and improviser Saad Haroon led an intensive workshop on improvisation introducing participants to the “game” of improv and the “Yes and” rules, among many other rules of fruitful improvisation.

That evening, Dubomedy brought out the big comedy guns at The Big Comedy Show at Reel Cinemas. Mina Liccione, artistic director of VIVA Arts, DIPAF art director and founder and head teacher of Dubomedy Arts School, took to the stage to perform stand-up along with her co-founder, VIVA Arts CEO and local comedian Ali Al Sayed. Pakistani comedian and Dubomedy Arts School graduate Salman Qureshi opened the show while Rohit Jayakaran, a familiar voice from City 101.6 hosted. Saad Haroon had the audience in splits with his comedic songs and improvised humour.

When asked to give her impressions on the festival, Liccione said, “This festival was really a celebration for all local artists and I believe it really achieved that goal in terms of promoting their work and educating and opening doors for new artists to join the community,” Al Sayed, cofounder of Dubomedy Arts, added, “We’re really excited about the response of the community to the Performing Arts Festival. I truly believe that art of all kinds is set to explode in this region and I hope that the Dubomedy Arts will be in the vanguard providing training for a new generation of local artists.”

DIPAF- Opening Night

Dubai International Performing Arts Festival off to a great start
11th November 2010
Sabina Giado

The Dubai International Performing Arts Festival (DIPAF) kicked off to a hilarious and toe-tapping start to a packed Kilachand Theatre last night at DUCTAC.

Students from Festival art director and founder and head teacher of Dubomedy Arts School Mina Liccione’s Tap Dance and Body Percussion classes took to the stage to tap a tribute to Leah Mapanao, a DUCTAC representative, who passed away suddenly before the Festival opening. Bobby McFerrin’s “Don’t Worry Be Happy” played as the group honored Leah for her extraordinary support to the initiative.

Students from Mina’s Comedy 101 class performed monologues for the first time. While most were experiencing nail-biting tension in the dressing rooms before the show, they all braved the bright lights to great applause and laughter.

The tappers brought back an old favorite Shim Sham Shimmy, while Siobhan’s very young Irish dancers wowed the audience with the dexterity of their footwork. The dancers continued to amaze as Sara and her dance partner displayed the versatility of the Dubomedy community with the crowd-pleasing Latin-American dance number, Mambo Merengue.

The Advanced Improvisation class brought energy and perfect comedic timing to a series of popular long-form improvisations including the hilarious He Said, She Said (about a husband and wife recalling the same incident), Build a Picture, Movie Magic and Schizophrenic Debaters. The improv games closed with the hilarious Tag Out Scenes as the Improvisers went all out to make the audience laugh.

“The show rocked, the comedians were awesome and the tap dancers out of this world. My favourite part of the show had to be the kids doing the tap dancing and Irish dancing- totally blew me away. I didn't expect that level of talent from them...but they were totally amazing,” says Neil Parker, an audience member.

“I’m so proud of our students. They really brought their A-game to the opening of our first Festival. It’s off to a great start and I know it’s only going to get better and better from here,” said Ali Al Sayed, co-founder of Dubomedy Arts School and Festival director.

Tonight, students from Mina and Ali’s writing class, From the Page to the Stage, will be presenting the results of their intensive 8-week course, followed by a night of local theatre, featuring the works of the Dubai Drama Group and the Youth Theatre Works among many other artists.

An Interview with Saad Haroon- Pakistan's Top English Speaking Comedian!

Getting to know Pakistan’s Top English Speaking Comedian.

An interview with Saad Haroon.

How did you first get into Comedy?

Saad: I first got into comedy in 2001, it was just after the 9/11 attacks in New York and the atmosphere in Pakistan (we were just about to enter the war on terror) was very gloomy. I wanted to do something uplifting and fun and so I started and improvisational comedy troupe and one thing led to another thing and soon I was covered with things and I could not get a job anywhere else.

As a Pakistani Comedian are you subject to stereotypes? How do you tackle them?

Saad: I am subject to stereotypes, and sometimes I write material to tackle it and to break the notion of what it means to be Pakistani in this day and age, and sometimes I use the stereotypes to my advantage as I now have a monopoly on all taxi jokes.

Was it difficult performing Comedy in English in Pakistan? How was the initial response?

Saad: Many people in Pakistan speak English, it is a legacy left to us by the British who left the sub-continent in 1947 taking the Kohinoor diamond from us but leaving their dictionary. The initial response was great, the people really supported us and gave me the confidence to keep going and creating new comedic work.

Tell us more about your TV Show “The Real News”.

Saad: The Real News was Pakistan's first English language comedy show on television, it was also the first comedy show every in the country to tape in front of a live studio audience. The Real News uses a mixture of sketch and topical comedy to talk about the issues in Pakistan and is a comedy show which has a news satire format.

You are currently in New York City performing a series of Comedy Shows to benefit Pakistani Flood Relief Victims. How has the response been so far?

Saad: The response has been great but I have actually done very little, other American comedians like Dean Obiedallah and Aasif Mandvi have done much bigger shows in which the proceeds have all gone to flood relief and it is heart-warming to see these established comedians, who are not Pakistani, take time out to help Pakistan.

You recently got married last year. Has married life added to your comedic material? If yes, does your wife mind?

Saad: I got married eight months ago and I am busy writing all kinds of jokes, and my wife is really supportive, so maybe none of the jokes are funny...

Any advice for budding comedians?

Saad: Go for it. Take a class, have some fun. Life is short and so are you. A bird in hand is worth two rats. Look before you go blind. If at first you don't succeed, try to bribe the waiter.

Make sure to catch Saad Haroon perform live in Dubai on Friday, November 12 at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall as part of the DIPAF’s “The BIG Comedy Show”. 2 Shows: 7:30 and 10:00pm. You can purchase tickets at: www.timeouttickets.com or call 050 44 00 99 4.

FULL SCHEDULE: Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival

DUBOMEDY INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING ARTS FESTIVAL SCHEDULE - November 10-13, 2010

DAY 1:

Wed, Nov 10- Dubomedy Arts School Night
7:30pm Show at Dubai Community Theater- Free

Dubomedy Arts School always ends each session with a bang! “Mixed Tape- Comedy and Tap Dance Special” is a unique blend of Comedic monologues, Improv Games with audience suggestions, ensemble Tap Dance and Body Percussion Acts mixed with very special guest performances by Professional Salsa Dancers and Siohban’s Irish Dancers!

DAY 2:

Thurs, Nov 11- “From the Page to the Stage” Writing & Poetry Reading
7:00pm Show at Dubai Community Theater- Free

Student writers will present a series of works generated during the “From the Page to the Stage” Workshop.
Followed by our special Closing Act: Renowned American poet and published writer Nicholas Karavatos will present Inter-Media Spoken Word!

Thurs, Nov 11- LOCAL THEATER NIGHT!
9pm Show at Dubai Community Theater- Free

This show is a celebration of Local Theater in Dubai! Featuring an original short play by Dubai Drama Group, the dramatic chops of teens and young adults in the Youth Theatre Works and the surreal wit of British character actor Hartley Poole. Local theatre actor and director Jamal Iqbal will be presenting his ensemble piece ‘Musecal Chairs’ and writer/director Rajendra Aneja will be presenting a one-act play about migrant workers entitled ‘My Little Bit Life’.

DAY 3:

Friday, Nov 12- COMEDY DAY!
Please Note: All workshops are FREE
Location: SAE Institute

12:00-1:30pm- Experimental Theater Workshop hosted by Star Too Director Sol Abiad

1:30-2:30pm- Comedy in Arabia Panel- with Mina Liccione, Ali Al Sayed and Nitin Mirani

2:30-3:30pm – Arabic Comedy Workshop with Ali Al Sayed

3:30-4:30pm- Comedy Workshop with Saad Haroon

Friday, Nov 12- The BIG Comedy Show!
Show times: 7:30 and 10:00pm
Location: REEL Cinema in Dubai Mall
Tickets: 050 44 00 99 4 or LOL@vivadubai.com

Hosted by: Rohit Jayakaran - City 1016 FM

Opening Act: Salman Zahid Qureshi- Dubomedy Arts

Headliners: Ali Al Sayed- UAE Local Comedian Extraordinaire and Mina Liccione- Stomp, MTV, Funny Girls.
With our very special international guest….SAAD HAROON- Pakistan's Top English speaking Comic!!!!

DAY 4:

Sat, Nov 13- MUSIC DAY!
Please note: All Panel Discussions are Free
Location: SAE Institute

2:00-3:00pm- “Hip Hop in Arabia” Panel Discussion with Sal, DK and Kuwait’s Ya’koob Al Refaie

3:30-4:30pm- “ A Conversation with Abri and Rebecca Brianceau” – Local Soul Super Stars talk about the biz!

Sat, Nov 13- LOCAL MUSIC NIGHT!
Dubai Festival City- Floating Stage
Free Concert: 7:00-10:00pm

Featuring: Pull Box, Sach Holden, Ray Beat Boxer, Still Waters, Universal Rogue and our special guest from Kuwait- Ya’koob Al Refaie.
Headlining Musical Act: Behold the Locus

We'll see you there!!

FREE Comedy Show: Monday, Oct 25 at Long's Bar in Rotana Towers Hotel! One Night Only!

WHEN: Monday, October 25 · 8:30pm - 11:30pm

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WHERE: Longs Bar, Towers Rotana Hotel - Shaikh Zayed Road

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WHAT:

More Info Hello Dubomedians!!!

Dubomedy is back with a ONE NIGHT ONLY Exclusive Show that you DO NOT want to miss! Oh, and admission is FREE! Yes, FREE LOL!

Hosted by:
Jamil Abu-Wardeh - Producer of the Axis of Evil Tour Middle East

Opening Acts:
Lamya Tawfik - Funny Girls
Rohit Jayakaran - City 1016 FM

Headliners:
Ali Al Sayed- UAE Local Comedian Extraordinaire
Mina Liccione- Stomp, MTV, Funny Girls
With our very special international guest….
DAN NAINAN FROM THE RUSSEL PETERS TOUR!!!


Call us on 050 44 00 99 4 or LOL@vivadubai.com for more information!

IMPROV LANDED ME THE JOB by Xulf Ali

-IMPROV LANDED ME THE JOB- by Xulfiqar Ali

As I waited in the big corporate IT office, waiting impatiently, having gone to the Men’s room twice already, nervous wreck, knowing that this is the time to make it or break it. Anxiety got the best of me.

Having moved to Canada from Dubai, since May this year, I had done all sorts of odd jobs from Debt collections to Insurance sales. I knew this was my big break and for whatsoever reason I had to sell myself to the person interviewing me, this was the moment of truth. The night before, I had told myself looking in the mirror again and again “I SEE PRIDE, I SEE POWER, I SEE A BAD ASS MUTHA, WHO WON’T TAKE NOTHIN’ FROM NOBODY!!” till I realize it’s a movie scene from “Cool Runnings”. Funny how some stuff sticks with you forever.

Sitting in this big room in the reception area, waiting, the clock ticking goes louder and louder, I was shaking my right leg so fast I bet BEN JOHNSON would have been proud of me. Than my name is called. I walk in to a small conference room that looks like it was going under major renovation.

The interviewer was a nice person, he got me as comfortable as possible, great people management skills, than the IT related questions start. I have no idea about IT? I mean, I get super-super excited when I transfer pictures off my camera to my laptop! I knew the interview is going all downhill. Several questions were thrown at me, I felt like one of those circus shows where I was spinning on a board and the interviewer was throwing Knives at me, but the only difference was he was hitting me with the questions every time. Then I was asked, could you ROLE PLAY and try to sell me a Pen. At this point, I was so stressed and sweaty; I actually believe I felt some sweat from under my man boobs slide. I accepted.

I told myself, “Xulf it’s now or never if you are not going to get the job! At least walk out with a presence.” The Xulf then switched ON and it was time to go LOCOO BABYEEE!! I gave my pitch, he’d throw questions at me, I felt like a cricketer, every question was a six shot. When we finished, he was kind enough to walk me out to the reception area and while we walked he asked, “Do you do a lot of improv?” I hesitated and answered “Yes, as a matter a fact I did, use to go every Wednesday in Dubai. We had a fun group, we all knew what the other one would say and it was a lot of fun!” he looked up, smiled and said, “Yes, I could make that out, because you were thinking outside the box, I tried throwing some twisted questions and you pleasantly surprised me with your answers, I liked that you have the capabilities as such and it truly builds a person’s character.” I smiled and walked to my car thinking hell, if I did not get the job I sure kicked butt at the Role play.

After a long drive back filled with contemplation I arrived home to find an offer letter in my inbox from the big corporate IT Company! And the rest they say is history….

DUBOMEDY FESTIVAL: Call for artist submissions

The First Annual Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival will take place November 9-13, 2010 at numerous venues in Dubai.

We are currently accepting submissions from Local Musicians, Bands, Dance troupes, Theater troupes, Poets to be considered for performance slots in our First Annual Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival. Space is very limited as we only have a few slots still open so please send us your proposal right away. Theater Pieces must be no longer than 10-15 minutes. Number of songs for Bands and Musicians will be determined individually. Dance Pieces must not exceed 10 minutes.

What should your proposal include?

*Contact information
*Description of proposed performance- including length, number of performers, technical needs
*Artist, Band or Troupe Bio
*Videos and photos
*Your script (if applicable)

When should you send your proposals?

All materials must be received BEFORE October 7, 2010 for consideration. Please send them to LOL@vivadubai.com.

What will the Festival entail?

The Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival's goal is to unite and celebrate the diversity of the arts with the many cultural communities of the region all while having a great time. This Festival is unique in that it will feature an array of different genres of performing artists from talented local bands, dancers, theatre, poets, hip hop artists, actors, to international comedians and musicians, to everything in between. The performances will range from student showings to international professionals. This event will infuse nonstop performances with a series of free workshops in both English and Arabic over a 5 day period.

Full Festival Line-Up will be coming your way very soon! Hold onto your seats Dubai!

Student Spotlight: Angela Boshoff Hundal

Angela Boshoff Hundal is a Dubai-based writer who used to laugh at her own jokes. (Alone. In the kitchen.) But now – thanks to Dubomedy Arts’ Comedy 101 classes – she can make other people laugh too! She tells us how….

The Tom and Jerry experience

My first intense and conscious appreciation of something making me laugh out loud was when I was four-years old. I was sitting on the dirty cream carpet of my mother's bedroom wearing a worn out Superman outfit, eating Rice Krispies from a giant ceramic bowl balanced precariously on my knees and watching Tom and Jerry. And then I laughed out loud and thought, "Tom and Jerry is funny! I want to make people laugh like that!"

Of course this animated realisation didn't result in me transforming into a line illustration that runs really fast and escapes death by a cat’s hair. What it did do, however, was inspire me to bring all the garden furniture into the house, set it up around the lounge table and charge my family – who is dangerously hilarious – two Rand each (the Rand is South Africa’s currency and is equal to about one Dirham) to come and watch "my show". (Think me in a Minnie Mouse dress, bows clipped in hair and cheesy 80s Kylie Minogue beats as background music.)

After that, real life set in. You know; being kicked out of kindergarten (don't ask), learning to read, first crushes, school books, making friends, high school, making more friends, all-girl squabbles on the school field and all other manner of good things.

Twenty three years later and with no lounge tables that might support my weight in sight, I decided to find a real stage and subject people other than my family to my performances.

Find the funny!

Enter Dubomedy Arts’ Comedy 101 classes and my first foray onto a real stage. The classes run for 9 weeks and this is how they work: You laugh. You learn amazing brain-boosting improvisation games (like the games they play on Whose Line Is It Anyway?). You laugh some more. You learn super effective writing and listing techniques. You laugh some more. You write and rehearse for a stand up piece. You laugh some more. You do a final show. You laugh a lot. And then you want to do it all again!

Mina Liccione (professional comedian and stomp veteran) and Ali Al Sayed (professional comedian and producer) run and teach the classes and are really amazing at bringing the funny out of you and into the open. And before you say something silly like, “Oh, I’m not that funny. I think I’d better sign up for palaeontology lessons”, listen up! Mina believes it’s not about learning how to be funny; it’s learning how to see the funny in life and then share that with your audience. Or your gran. Or your weird neighbour. The next thing you know you’ll be rocking on stage with Mr. Rock! True story! The classes are good. You should sign up now!

What’s my flavour?

So, I’ve finished the Comedy 101 classes (which I plan to do again) and done my first five minutes of stand up (which the crowd actually laughed at!). Now that I’m famous and everything (ahem), people have started asking me whether I prefer stand up or improv. That’s kind of like asking me to choose between lemon meringue pie and double chocolate cheesecake.

To be honest, the ideal thing would be to have a slice of both but because I’m new to the comedy game I’d like to feed on stand up for a while. I’m a writer by profession, so I really enjoyed compiling and writing the stand up monologue during the Comedy 101 classes. You see, I thought that stand up was just about standing up and winging it in front of an audience. While some of the more famous comedians might be able to pull that off sometimes, stand up is actually really well planned and rehearsed. Of course performing my monologue and getting laughs was the icing on the cake! (Oh by the way, if writing makes you cringe, don’t be put off! Mina will help you whip up some chair-wetting stand up material before you can say alakazam!)

The best thing about stand up is the laughs! Hearing people you don’t know laugh at your jokes is addictive. In fact, hearing people you know laugh at your jokes is addictive too. (Even if the latter is laughing because you paid them to!) The worst thing about stand up is thinking you’re going to forget your monologue or blank on stage although I hear that’s normal, especially for your first show. To be honest, during the last two weeks leading up to the performance, I felt ill (literally) at the thought of having to perform on stage in front of 150 people. But when I got up there it was absolutely fine. It’s sort of like my brain and body took over. I had so much fun on stage, which is really the point of getting up there in the first place.

Join me!

If you’re contemplating taking the Comedy 101 classes but are procrastinating - don’t. The fact that you’re even thinking about it probably means you’ve already got a sense of humour. So just sign up! Whether your humour leans more towards the on-the-fly or the pre-meditated, Mina will help you find a comedy slant that suits you. Fo’ shizzle! And if it’s nerves that are holding you back, just remember that Jim Carrey still pukes before every live performance – and the whole world knows about it! Now that’s always going to be much more embarrassing than anything you’re ever going to do! So, see you on stage!

For a list of Dubomedy Arts’ classes (and they have many!) log onto Facebook and search for ‘Dubomedy Arts’ or go to www.dubomedyarts.wordpress.com. Or call Ali on 050 44 00 99 4.

* No animals were harmed during the writing of this piece.

New Year at a Glance!

OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: What started as LOL! Comedy Institute almost 3 years ago quickly branched into Dance Out Loud! Tap and Body Beats then Circus Skills and now Writing, Film Workshop, Coaching & Casting Program as well as Musical Theater & Comedy. In order to keep all of our growth under one roof we are officially launching our new name: “Dubomedy Arts School” to best define our much broader creative landscape.

OPEN REGISTRATION DATES FOR ALL FALL CLASSES: Saturday, September 4th from 2-3pm and Wednesday, September 8th from 8-9pm in the DUCTAC Lobby at Mall of the Emirates. Please send us an email to LOL@vivadubai.com for more details or questions.

NEW SITE: www.dubomedyarts.wordpress.com

DUBOMEDY ARTS SCHOOL CALENDAR 2010-2011 : A Year at a glance…..

Each Session will introduce new and unique classes to ensure our community gets a well rounded arts education! These new classes will be co-taught by a team of professional artists to ensure diverse artistic perspectives and techniques.

September- November: Fall Session 1

Comedy 101, Improv, NYC Tap & Body Beats Levels I, II and III, LOL! Kids.

*Please note change: Wednesday Night Improv will begin on September 22 (not Sept. 15) and the timing is 7:15-9:00pm.

New classes- “From the Page to the Stage”: Writing and Performance.

Circus Skills warm up has been added to our Wednesday Night Improv Class

November: First Annual Dubomedy International Performing Arts Festival!

December: Winter Film Workshop! 3 sides to Film in a 1 Week Workshop: Acting for Film, Directing for Film & Indie Film Production taught by a San Francisco based Independent and Documentary Film maker, director, screen writer, producer and Professor of Film Studies at both Laney College and City College of San Francisco.

January- March: Winter Session 2

Comedy 101, NYC Tap Dance & Body Beats Levels I,II and III, Writing and Performance, LOL! Kids . New classes-

MUSICAL THEATER & COMEDY Level I: co-taught by a team of international professional artists ranging from singing coach to choreographer to musicians to Broadway veteran to song writers.

ARABIC COMEDY! :This exciting new course will cater to the Arab Speaking Community.

March: Teacher Appreciation Day!

A full FREE day of cross training, professional development and a panel discussion for Arts Educators in the UAE.

April-June: Spring Session 3

New Classes- TBA

July: Summer Session 4

LOL! Kids Circus & Magic Camp

Adult Improv Jam Retreat!

KAYA JONES: Nothing Fake about this Doll

KAYA JONES: Nothing Fake about this Doll!
By Mina Liccione

On June 26th, 2010 VIVArts, in collaboration with Dubomedy, brought former Pussycat Doll Kaya Jones to Dubai for her first Middle Eastern appearance. Kaya was tightly scheduled with a slew of press events promoting her concert though made the time to pass by the Dubai Community Theater to say hello to the hundreds of young aspiring dancers attending Sharmila Kamte’s Annual Summer Dance Camp where I was on board as one of the guest teachers. I must admit that I was expecting an over the top, full of attitude woman to walk in. I was greatly mistaken. She was very generous, honest, positive and patient with the young dancers as they shouted out their many questions and insisted that she sang something for them. At one point her Road Manager gave her the “wrap it up” gesture and she insisted that she stay an extra 10 minutes to ensure that the kids had a chance to have their questions answered. She didn’t fake her way through anything, but rather an open book refraining from magazine cover answers. She talked about the audition process, rejection, determination, the down side to fame, the importance of remaining grateful and not letting your ego take over. One young girl even said “Wow, you are so nice for a celebrity!” She wasn’t just nice, she was REAL! Kaya was humbled by the responsive energy and continued to talk about the experience for the rest of the night. Even as we laughed and chatted after her late night performance she brought up how much it meant to her to have the chance to share advice to young artists again. She was inspired to continue her work with the youth when she returned to the United States.

I have grown up with the American media glamorizing the rich and famous for their party life, plastic surgery and extravagant shopping. We live in a day and age where Paris Hilton is on more magazine covers than Obama. Lady Gaga’s outfits and Lindsey Lohan’s stint in jail gets more press than the strife in Palestine. It is refreshing to meet a celebrity who not only talks about helping but actually does so. I am honored to now call Kaya my friend and wanted to glamorize the positive side of fame as it often gets it’s thunder stolen by celebrity DUI’s, sex tapes and affairs. This interview with Kaya focuses on a much different way of celebrity life.

Mina: What advice would you give to aspiring young artists?

Kaya: Follow your dreams. Don't let anyone say you can't. It's your dream so no one is gonna see it for you, you have to make your dream come true. And remember this if nothing else, you are special. No one can do you better then you. So be yourself, don't try to be anything you’re not. You are perfect the way God made you.

Mina: As a professional artist you not only need to stay physically fit but also mentally and spiritually. Your line of business is quite stressful. What do you do to keep yourself healthy, balanced and positive?

Kaya: I pray and read the Bible. I also am very connected to my spirit which is connected to the Lord. That helps me spiritually. Mentally I love to write or paint. And physically I like to work out with my trainer or run. But swimming or Bikram yoga are my favs.

Mina: You are known to do a lot of charity work. Which causes are close to your heart and why?

Kaya: The causes close to my heart are, Teachh, which is a charity for Autism. I will be doing a performance August 12th in North Carolina for the first annual benefit. Also working and performing for the American troops. I went to Iraq and Kuwait which was an amazing experience. I will also be going to a local hospital in Denver to play cards, read and hang out with injured soldiers. I also am involved with Project Smile, it helps children born with cleft lips from all over the world get the proper medical care to make sure their surgeries are free and taken care of without any worries. I am also very avid about A21 and Not for sale. Both are causes helping to stop human trafficking. Which is harming and hurting both men, women, and children. This has got to stop.

Mina: How did you first get involved with charity work? How has this type of relief work affected you as an artist and as a person?

Kaya: I was raised in Jamaica. My mother is Jamaican and I remember going with my God mother who was adopted to the orphanage in Jamaica to help with basic needs for the children. Those children became my friends. They helped me I think more then I helped them. They gave me the awareness to know how fortunate I was and that I could do more for my community.

Mina: You’ve recently performed in the Middle East for the first time. What was your experience like? Were audiences different here?

Kaya: It was amazing! I truly had a wonderful time in the Middle East. I think that the human spirit is the same. The audiences weren't different at all. I think when we as humans can see that we all enjoy, food, love, dance, music, family, in every culture we are not all that different.

Mina: What’s next on your agenda and how can your fans best stay in the “Kaya loop”?

Kaya: I am getting ready to head to Los Angeles to film my music video with DJ Regi our song is called "Take it off". The album is #1 right now in Belgium and slowly entering the charts in Europe. I am also still performing and recording nonstop. The best way to keep up to date with me is through my Myspace, Facebook, or Twitter. I answer all emails from my fans personally. Can't wait until I am back in the Middle East performing again for you all. It was truly an honor.

www.MySpace.com/KayaJonesMusic
www.Facebook.com/KayaJones
www.Twitter.com/KayaJones

"Clowns Who Care" by Sabina Giado

"CLOWNS WHO CARE" By Sabina Giado
ILLUME Magazine
August 8, 2010


The Clowns Who Care, Mina Liccione and Ali Al Sayed, recently brought their unique brand of humor to the Special Families Support, a support group in Dubai for children with special needs and their family, and Senses, a residential care facility for children with special needs.

Italian American Mina Liccione is the director of Dubomedy Arts, a collective of performance artists based in Dubai. Her business partner in Dubomedy Arts is Ali Al Sayed, an Emirati and the chief executive officer of parent events company Viva Arts.

The two dress up as clowns Charlene Chaplin and Rusty Keaton and perform a comedy and tap dance routine to get their audience laughing and comfortable with their presence. Then comes the fun part – there is music, singing and/or dancing to get the juices flowing and keep the laughter ringing. Their act ends with a group circle where each member of the audience places themselves in the spotlight for a moment and shares something personal.

The experience proves moving for both the performers and the spectators. “We are moved to tears every time by the amount of love and appreciation the families, staff and children always have towards us,” say Liccione and Al Sayed.

Liccione, a native of Rochester in New York, comes from a professional and educational background in dance, clowning and theater arts. She came to Dubai as part of the Arts Festival during the Dubai Summer Surprises. Noticing that her Solo Comedy, Song & Tap Dance Show was not working as well as she’d hoped, she decided to rework the routine, localizing jokes, changing songs and adding more interaction. The performance hit the bulls-eye with her audience, and Liccione was now loath to leave. She decided to extend her stay and taught a series of comedy workshops for children and adults.

Liccione and her business partner Al Sayed met through a mutual friend and soon found that they shared the same passion for creating a sustainable community of performance artists in the United Arab Emirates. The two founded Dubomedy Arts on April 1, 2008.

Liccione’s parents were at first filled with trepidation at her decision to stay in the Middle East.
“My parents are a product of American media... Many of our neighbors have sons in Iraq and here I was moving to the Middle East armed with clown noses and tap shoes.”

But Liccione soon convinced her parents that being in Dubai gave her work a meaning she had not found elsewhere. “Sometimes artists need to go where the art isn’t and use their talents and passions to help build a community rather than simply taking from it".

Liccione and Al Sayed’s plans for expanding the Clowns Who Care project extend within the city and beyond. They aim to train more clowns, build a database of committed volunteers and organizations, and ultimately, become regulars at care facilities and hospitals. The benefits of regular visits will be exponential, say the pair, “Visiting once will bring joy to them but becoming a regular part of their lives will benefit them much, much more.”

Their dream of bringing their show to Palestine is about to become a reality in September with the help of on-the-ground relief organizations. “We have connected with the Ziara Group, The Palestinian Circus School, Maysoon’s Kids as well as other relief organizations to see how we could best help.” Their work in Palestine is due to include special training for teachers as well, i.e. “a specifically designed training program for teachers and educators to further develop their own skills.”

Fall Class Schedule: Comedy 101, NYC Tap & Body Beats, Improv, Writing & Performance

DUBOMEDY ARTS PROUDLY PRESENTS THEIR FALL, 2010 COURSE CALENDAR!

We offer professional training in Comedy, Improvisation, Stand-Up, Writing & Performance, NYC Tap Dance and Body Beat all year round for kids, teens and adults. From just to fun to professional coaching! Classes are lead by Stomp and Cirque veteran, MTV Alumni, Award-winning American physical comedienne and choreographer; Mina Liccione. Our new "From the Page to the Stage": WRITING & PERFORMANCE WORKSHOP will be co-lead by a group of professional writers, directors and performance based artists including Jamil Abu Warda, Nick Karavatos, Mohammed Rahmo, Sol Abiad along with Mina Liccione..

WHAT: We are kicking off our third school year with a brand new session of Comedy, Improv, Writing & Performance and NYC Tap & Body Beats classes. Each session runs 9 weeks and commences with a final performance in the Kilachund Theater at DUCTAC. Please reserve your place now!

WHEN: We hold classes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, between September 15- November 11, 2010. Next batch will start in January, 2011.
*Final performances on November 10-11, 2010 at 7:30pm in the Kilachund Theater at DUCTAC as part of Dubomedy's 1st Performance Festival.

CLASS SCHEDULE:

~SATURDAYS CLASSES: Comedy and Tap & Body Beats- All Levels
September 18- November 11 at Dubai Community Theater in Mall of Emirates. Final performances will be on November 10-11, 2010.

10:00-11:00am- Laugh Out Loud! Comedy for Kids
Kids Comedy Club is full of joke telling, comedic storytelling, traditional clown routines and more. This class is all about boosting confidence, communication skills and finding their own comedic voice! The session ends with a final show for friends and family!

11:30-12:30pm- NYC Tap & Body Beats: Level I for Teens and Adults. This class is perfect for beginners or those who haven’t tapped in a long time and need a refresher.

12:30-1:30pm- NYC Tap & Body Beats: Level II for Adults and Teens. This class will focus on more intermediate level technique and choreography. This class is open to those who have completed Level I or by permission of instructor.

1:30-2:55pm- Comedy 101: Saturday Morning Funnies!
Our signature open level Comedy Class for Adults! This course will teach you the basics of Improvisation, Physical Comedy and Stand Up Comedy writing and performance. Each student will also get a private coaching session as well as a chance to perform in a energy packed end of session show at Dubai Community Theater.

3:30-4:30pm- NYC Tap & Body Beats: Level III. This is an advanced level training course as well as Performance Troupe.
* This class is by audition only

~MONDAY EVENINGS: NEW WRITING & PERFORMANCE CLASS!!!!!
September 20- November 8. Final performance and readings on November 10-11, 2010.

7:15-9:15pm-"From the Page to the Stage": Writing & Performance Workshop
This new course will focus on diverse genres of writing geared towards performance. The workshop will emphasize on the balance between text and performance- how they build upon and interact with eachother. A team of professional writers, directors, poets and performance based artists including: Jamil Abu Warda, Nick Karavatos, Sol Abiad as well as Mina Liccione will co-lead this course. There will be a series of unique writing sessions along with assignments that allow the students to explore a variety of "individual writing voices". Writing genres and seminars will include: Script writing for Theater, Poetry and Spoken Word, Storytelling- from fiction to non-fiction, Creating text, scripts and dialogue from Improvisational Exercises, Character development tools, How to transform personal stories into TV Scripts taught by a longstanding TV Producer. The final few classes will focus on ways to take your words from the page to the stage- hence PERFORMANCE skills including Meisner Acting Technique, How to direct actors, Physicalization of stories and Rhythmic Training. This workshop will commence will a final showing and/or reading of the works created during this creative process. The "best" works of the bunch will be chosen to develop into full length performance pieces as well as considered for a new series of short film projects set for 2011.

~WEDNESDAY EVENINGS: IMPROV & THEATER SPORTS!
September 15- November 10 at KADOMZ STUDIOS IN MARINA MALL. Final performances November 10-11, 2010 at 7:30pm in DUCTAC.

7:30-9:00pm- WEDNESDAY NIGHT IMPROV! - Intermediate- Advanced level training
All improvisation, all the time! We will warm up with Comedic Improv Games then focus on competitive theater games and improvisational structures for team performance “matches”. The goal of this class is to create a performance based Improv Troupe that will perform around the UAE at different events and venues. Each session includes a Public Improv Performance as well as a final match performed in the end of session show.

MORE INFO/REG: LOL@vivadubai.com

REGISTRATION: All Classes will be posted on Time Out Tickets very soon. We will also hold a series of open registrations in September. To secure your place please send an e-mail to LOL@vivadubai.com with your name, contact info and which class/es you will be attending.

All about us: Dubomedy Arts His (and HER) story!

April 1st isn't just April Fool's Day..... it's Dubomedy Arts Birthday!
Dubomedy Arts recently celebrated 2 years of funny art making, performing arts education and local variety arts community building in Dubai! Here's to making Dubai a funnier place!

How did Dubomedy Arts begin?

It all began when our director and founder, Mina Liccione, was hired to perform a solo physical comedy and tap dance program in Dubai as part of the Summer Arts Festival. After her 2 week run she was invited to extend her stay in order to teach a series of Comedy, Rhythm and Body Percussion Workshops to Dubai children as well as offer professional training to a leading local drum company. Mina was greatly inspired by the mix of cultures and the lessons she learned about life, traditions and culture in the Middle East. Everyone she met here had expressed their hunger for more art and laughter to emerge out of the desert. The local arts community was very minimal, the comedy scene bleek, the majority of the local performers relied soley on corporate gigs and many performers were flown in from other countries. When Mina was offered the chance to pioneer a Comedy and Tap Dance School in Dubai at the local Community Arts Center she jumped at the chance. She returned to San Francisco to complete her directorial contracts, completed a full winter tour of her solo comedic program "The Audrey Heartburn Show" as well as finished up her M.F.A. Thesis then headed to Dubai for her next chapter. Soon after she arrived the New York Film Academy also opened it's doors where Mina quickly became a professor for the Professional Acting Program. "Sometimes artists need to go where the art isn't" says Mina. "At a certain point in your career you need to let go of the ego and start giving back to the community. Dubai needs to laugh more and embrace the diversity they have here. Art heals, connects and allows people to communicate. Community begins with communication." She added.

Who is Mina Liccione?

Mina is a true hybrid artist whose two passions are rhythm and comedy. She's a Tap dancer, Physical and Stand Up Comedienne, Sketch Comic, Actor, Writer, Choreographer, Director and Educator. She began perfoming at age three and teaching in her early teens. She's been seen in Stomp, The New Pickle Circus, MTV's The Grind, Cabaret, Make*A*Circus, Yas Hakoshima's Mime and Movement Theater, Circo Romani, Sweet Charity, "The Beat!", Big Dog Improv, Velocity Circus's "Heliosphere" and "1906", Everyday Theater Berkeley, AIDS: The made for TV Musical, Cirque- Special Events, the motion pictures "Pucked" and "Cradle Will Rock", in her highly acclaimed multi-disciplinary solo show "Della Pancha", back up dancing for Dee-lite as well as numerous International Cabarets, Festivals, Comedy Clubs and TV spots.

Mina received a B.F.A. in Dance with a minor in Theater Arts from Marymount Manhattan College, an M.F.A. in Experimental Performance Studies from the New College of California and is a graduate of the San Francisco School of Circus Arts' Clown Conservatory where she later acted as their Dance teacher and choreographer. Mina also had the great honor to co-teach workshops for Cirque Du Soliel with the legendery Jeff Raz, co-directed the San Francisco Youth Circus' award winning multi-media production of "Impressions" as well as choreographed the Bay Area's long standing annual tradition, The Bracebridge Holiday Show.

Mina can currently be seen hosting and performing in Monday Night Funnies, Dubai World Cup Events, Easter on The Palm as well as the upcoming "Comedy from around the World" Show in Bahrain where she will be one of the head-lining Stand Up Comedians (and the only female comic on the bill). Her Dubomedy Sole Steppers Troupe are currently preparing for the their new Hip Hop Tap and Body Percussion Piece which will debut at this year's Dubai Dance Festival.

What has happened since she moved to Dubai in late February, 2008?

Since transplanting to Dubai Mina has founded the Laugh Out Loud! Comedy School (which focuses on all aspects of comedy: Improvisation, Sketch and Physical Comedy, Stand Up Comedy, Comedic writing, Character development and coaching) Dance Out Loud! NYC Tap and Body Beats Program and Dubomedy Arts which she co-directs with her partner Ali Al Sayed. The dynamic duo also pioneered Monday Night Funnies together. Ali Al Sayed is also the C.E.O. of VIVA Arts which is the Mother Company of both Dubomedy Arts and the LOL! School. Their partnership gave a whole new meaning to the term "where East meets West." Their passion for comedy, art making, desire to create performance opportunities for local artists bound them together instantly. Their vision was the same and their commitment to building a strong and sustainable arts community persistent.

Who is Ali Al Sayed?

Ali Al Sayed is a product of the corporate world, where he lived in the more serious part of life working as an event organizer. In 2004, ‘Viva Dubai’ emerged, as the countries first English online entertainment magazine. The vision then expanded and was shaped to build a community in Dubai. Now this local all-rounder in the entertainment industry; comedian, master of ceremonies, artist manager, journalist, producer, assistant comedy teacher. Al Sayed believes in creating the opportunities instead of waiting around for them. He is the founder of the local entertainment company Viva Arts as well as the partner in Dubomedy which is an educational outlet building a community in the entertainment arena of Dubai. He can currently be seen producing, hosting and performing in Monday Night Funnies around the U.A.E. Al Sayed’s television debut in “Zahrat Al Khaleej” on Abu Dhabi T.V. featured his Arabic material which put a number of projects in the pipeline. More television appearances and shows have been scheduled for 2010.

How is the Comedy School unique from other programs?

Besides the fact that they are the only Comedy school in the region, they also stand out for other reasons. One unique thing about Dubomedy Arts and the Laugh Out Loud! Comedy program is that all the material performed is original. The Comedy 101 students write their own monologues after a series of comedic writing, improvisation and story telling exercises over a 9 week period. The 9 week program commences with a final performance. After taking the beginning level class students move up to the intermediate levels of improvisation and sketch comedy, the advanced level then company level where they continue to perform ensemble based skecthes, short comedy plays and/or perform their Stand Up acts as part of Monday Night Funnies as well as numerous Events around the region. Their program is quite unique in that there is a progression, increased levels of training and performance opportunities. Oh, and did I mention that the Comedy School also has a Kid's Comedy Club as well as host four different after school comedy programs around Dubai? The student body ranges from 6 year olds to 56 year olds, from amateurs to professionals. Lastly, Dubomedy Arts, like it's director Mina, prides itself on being interdisciplinary. They do not pigeon hole Comedy to Stand Up but also include Long-form Improv, Improv Games, Writing: sketches, stand up, scripts, short plays, Theater Sports, Sketch Comedy, Musical comedy, Character development and acting.

What's happening now?

Two years later the LOL! School has grown from 13 students to an entire community, 4 on-going after school programs, corporate training, guest teaching workshops around the GCC, Monday Night Funnies: an entire 3 month series of new Stand Up, Variety and Sketch Comedy Shows featuring all local artists, two original Commedia Dell'Arte inspired plays- written, directed and performed by Dubomedy members, Improv and Skecth Troupe- Dubomedy Players, Tap Dance Troupe- Dubomedy Sole Steppers, yearly performances in DSS, DSF and Dubai Dance Festival, provided entertainment for many major events on a regular basis in and around the G.C.C., 7 volumes of "Mixed Tape: Comedy and Tap Dance Special" student performances, partnered with NYFA Abu Dhabi to help with student film casting, produced a Stand Up Show featuring comic Ronnie Khalil and so, so, so much more. The Dubomedy Community has grown tremendously and continues to do so.

They are currently getting ready to announce a slew of huge upcoming Comedy Events, their final Comedy and Tap Dance session of the school year, a new initiative for performing arts teachers in the U.A.E., Artist Exchange Program (where professional artists and educators from around the globe will come to Dubai for 1-3 months of performance, teaching and training) as well as a new blog that will talk about the performing arts scene in Dubai. The blog will focus on answering the many questions of aspiring performers, recommend classes and the best teachers to train with, talk about local productions, audition preparation, casting calls as well as general community news.

When do your Comedy, Improv, NYC Tap Dance and Body Beats Classes happen?

Our classes run all year round! For more information and a detailed class schedule please e-mail LOL@vivadubai.com.