Flamenco dancers enthralling crowd

A flavour of Flamenco is now going round the mall circuit of Dubai as part of the Global Surprises week.

Flamenco dancers from halfway across the world recently delighted the crowd at Al Ghurair City and Wafi City.

With their lively, energetic performance, the four 'bailarinas' gracefully undulated to frenetic Spanish guitar strums.

They shouted in the traditional Hispanic way, played traditional drums to accompany their rendition of Argentinean folkloric dances, and performed fine movements in their bright flamboyant clothes.

Flamenco, a southern Spanish art, exists in three forms - Cante, (the song), Baile (the dance), and Guitarra (guitar playing).

Said to have come from the Flanders, an ancient principality now divided between France, Netherlands and Belgium, Gypsies are also thought to played an important part in its creation.

The four Flamenco dancers also showcased their temperament coupled with artistry of movement.

"While mass media and stage shows have brought Flamenco to the world, it will always remain an intimate kind of thing. The music and dancing are part of the whole package," according to Isabel, one of the performers.

Their commanding presence on stage was a magnet to the crowd around the Food Court.

"By putting together shows like this, Dubai has become a cultural centre. It brings people from East to West, which is an eye opener for children and adults alike in this region," said Mohammed, a government employee from Muscat.

"These miniature shows may be nothing like the real thing. But they're good enough to give people an idea about how folks from the world celebrate for different reasons or seasons," said Souad, a mother of three.

The seven-day event which ends today showcases festivals from different parts of the world in different malls like BurJuman Centre, Hamarain Centre, Al Ghurair City, Deira City Centre, Oasis Centre, Wafi City and Al Bustan Centre, every night.

Folkloric dancers are dressed in bright red flamboyant outfits, dancing to their the tune of the Flemish guitar strums.

Although there's nothing that holds the Red Indian festival or Japanese Cherry Festival in common, these celebrations provide a concert of cultures in Dubai.

"This is a real cultural treat.It's certainly no joke to bring different peoples and cultures together in one place. The difference in mindsets, tempers, attitudes will be there," said Ana, a visitor from Canada.

"But it's good to see them work in symphony by presenting snippets of the world's festivals to the Middle East crowd," she added.