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.