Riverdance opened to a standing ovation at Expo 2020 Dubai on Wednesday night after the 90-minute show at Jubilee Park.
Those who didn't manage to procure seats gathered along the side rails to see the captivating show that has drawn crowds wherever it has played around the world.
Riverdance is among the showbiz greats — performed more than 12,000 times to an audience of over 28 million people throughout 47 countries across six continents.
I saw Riverdance when I was a student in Boston. And I never forget that mesmerising experience
Reem Al Hashimy,
director general, Expo 2020 Dubai
Twenty-five years on from its memorable debut as part of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest at Dublin's Point Theatre, the show still has audiences rising to their feet in acclaim.
Among the many millions to have seen the show was Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Co-operation and director general of Expo 2020, who was also among the audience on opening night.
Ms Al Hashimy, an avid admirer of Riverdance and a driver behind bringing it to Dubai, spoke at the pre-show launch to say that she had seen the show while studying in the US.
“I saw Riverdance when I was a student in Boston. And I never forgot that mesmerising experience,” she said.
“To have them come here to my home city of Dubai, in their stirring and spectacular grandeur, we’re certainly set for a mesmerising evening and many more to come.
“And how proud will I be when I hear more folks talk about how they remember having seen Riverdance in Dubai.”
Members of the Riverdance creative team also attended the launch — John McColgan, director, Bill Whelan, composer and Padraic Moyles, the executive director.
“We have been working with this wonderful team [at Expo] to put something special together and didn't want to just take the touring Riverdance show that’s currently on one of the most successful tours in the United Kingdom,” Mr McColgan said.
“We've been in many historic occasions, but we've never been involved in an Expo and we're very honoured and proud.
“From one ancient tradition to another, we bring you the gift of our hearts and our soul, and our music and our dance for the next month.”
The stage and setting are far more spectacular than anywhere that has staged Riverdance before.
The show's audience are used to indoor theatres but Jubilee Park is very much an open area, with pavilions on three sides.
But that enhanced the atmosphere and enjoyment, as the dancers moved with precision and uniformity, at fantastic speed.
Irish dancing, which is at the heart of the show, dates back hundreds of years, often performed in reels or jigs at ceili (pronounced kay-lee) dances.
When placed in a theatrical setting, with up to 40 dancers on stage at the one time, the rhythmic tapping is hypnotic, particularly when accompanied by the familiar Riverdance music.
The story of the show is a journey — moving like a river through various lands, Irish dancers encounter different cultures and music. Flamenco dancers of Spain, Russian Dervish dancers and US tap dancers are all part of what is a multicultural extravaganza.
And that includes the dancers. Virginia-born Irish dancer Morgan Bullock, who ended up being recruited after she became a TikTok sensation, starred alongside others from Spain, Australia and Russia.
The show in Dubai has a Middle East influence, with US-based Omer Faruk Tekbilek playing the ney (a Middle Eastern end-blown flute) and oud, to the delight of locals in the audience.
Riverdance at Expo will continue its month-long residency at the world's fair with more than 20 performances at Jubilee Park over the coming weeks. Full details and dates are on the Ireland pavilion website.
Entry to Riverdance is included in your Expo pass and no booking is required.
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Fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit
As he spoke, Mr Aboul Gheit repeatedly referred to the need to tackle issues affecting the welfare of people across the region both in terms of preventing conflict and in pushing development.
Lebanon is scheduled to host the fourth Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in January that will see regional leaders gather to tackle the challenges facing the Middle East. The last such summit was held in 2013. Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki told The National that the Beirut Summit “will be an opportunity for Arab leaders to discuss solely economic and social issues, the conference will not focus on political concerns such as Palestine, Syria or Libya". He added that its slogan will be “the individual is at the heart of development”, adding that it will focus on all elements of human capital.
The biog
Marital status: Separated with two young daughters
Education: Master's degree from American Univeristy of Cairo
Favourite book: That Is How They Defeat Despair by Salwa Aladian
Favourite Motto: Their happiness is your happiness
Goal: For Nefsy to become his legacy long after he is gon
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Mountain%20Boy
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UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EYasmin%20Azad%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESwift%20Press%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
'Midnights'
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Read more from Aya Iskandarani
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Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
Generational responses to the pandemic
Devesh Mamtani from Century Financial believes the cash-hoarding tendency of each generation is influenced by what stage of the employment cycle they are in. He offers the following insights:
Baby boomers (those born before 1964): Owing to market uncertainty and the need to survive amid competition, many in this generation are looking for options to hoard more cash and increase their overall savings/investments towards risk-free assets.
Generation X (born between 1965 and 1980): Gen X is currently in its prime working years. With their personal and family finances taking a hit, Generation X is looking at multiple options, including taking out short-term loan facilities with competitive interest rates instead of dipping into their savings account.
Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996): This market situation is giving them a valuable lesson about investing early. Many millennials who had previously not saved or invested are looking to start doing so now.
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jesse%20V%20Johnson%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Rooker%2C%20Bruce%20Willis%2C%20John%20Malkovich%2C%20Olga%20Kurylenko%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
RACE CARD
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) US$175,000 1,000m
7.05pm: Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions (Dirt) $100,000 1,900m
7.40pm: Al Rashidiya Group 2 (T) $250,000 1,800m
8.15pm: Handicap (D) $135,000 2,000m
8.50pm: Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (T) $250,000 1,400m
9.25pm: Handicap (T) $135,000 2,410m.
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
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MATCH INFO
Barcelona 2
Suarez (10'), Messi (52')
Real Madrid 2
Ronaldo (14'), Bale (72')
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F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
