Abu Dhabi: Young movers and shakers of Abu Dhabi now have a chance to make a difference while singing and dancing at a unique event on April 15. Targeted at babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers and their parents, the fun-filled musical evening is being organised by Music Monkeys at the Armed Forces Officers Club. All proceeds from ticket sales at the event, titled Music for Smiles, will be given to Operation Smile, a volunteer organisation that provides reconstructive facial surgery for children with cleft lips. Cleft lip is a birth defect that occurs when a baby’s lip does not form properly.
The April 15 event will consist of a 45-minute sing-along session, followed by a raffle draw and light refreshments.
32 classes
“At Music Monkeys we don’t just sing to a CD. We encourage mums, dads, grandparents and nannies to engage with their child and sing with the teacher. This ensures our students are getting the most out of their class,” said Lisa Irwin, a mother of four boys and the brainchild behind Musical Monkeys.
Her team of 12 qualified teachers and trainers conducts 32 classes a week at six locations in the capital. Irwin said a chance meeting with Morag Cromey-Hawke of Operation Smile UAE led to the idea of conducting an event that could raise awareness about Operation Smile. “For the past two years we have been offering classes at the Hamad Centre for Special Needs once a month. When we met Morag we knew we had to do something more to help other young children,” said Irwin.
The event is aimed at families with children aged 0 to 6. Tickets are on sale at Operation Smile and at Music Monkeys.
The cost: Dh100 for a parent and child and Dh40 for an additional child.
For more information visit www.musicmonkeys.ae