Dance and Theatre in June

Enjoyed around the world, the Theatre for Very Young is this month in Dubai

June is generous for both – dance and theatre! Performances for tots, schoolchildren and general audience – all available throughout the month at various venues of Dubai. Our special attention goes to three productions: the Colourful Games – a live dance- theatre performance for infants and toddlers by Dansema Dance Theatre from Lithuania; a dance film It Ain’t Were You From by Philip Rachid (aka Soultrotter) – a documentary about the burgeoning, young Gulf Hip Hop scene presented at the prestigious Shubbak Festival; and the mystery drama The Accused by Jeffrey Archer at the Junction, where the audience gets to decide the fate of a character on stage. More about all this – in our overview below.

COLOURFUL GAMES by DANSEMA DANCE THEATRE

Dance Performance for Infants and Toddlers | Sima Performing Arts | June 11 & 12 @ 11.00AM & 4.00PM | Entrance: 87 AED + 

This award-winning performance with one female dancer invites the baby-and-toddler audience to have fun and learn by watching and reacting. Accompanied by music, a dancer shows children different ways to move: sit, jump, kick, grasp, drop. In COVID-19 safe environment, children imitate dancer’s movements and invent their own, which leads to their first dance experiences.

It Ain’t Where You From

Dance Film | Shubbak Festival I Online | JUNE 22 – JULY 17 | Entrance: free 

Dubai based filmmaker, poet, producer and activist Philip Jamal Rachid (aka Soultrotter) has assembled the primary talent of the burgeoning, young Gulf Hip Hop scene in a first-time collaboration with some of its key figures.
Dance, music, spoken word, graphics and street art collide in this powerful film portrait of a thriving scene. Shot in outdoor and studio locations, imbued with saturated colours, stylish fashion and backed by a pulsating soundtrack, It Ain’t Where You From captures the melting pot of Gulf cities.

THE SECRET LIFE OF TOYS 

Improvised Kids’ Storytime | The Courtyard Playhouse | JUNE 4, 11, 18 & 25 @ 11:30am | Entrance: exclusive to members*

We all know our toys can’t talk … right? But what if they can? And what if you could be part of their secret world where anything can happen? When our toy heroes decide to leave the safety of their playroom, they find all sorts of amazing things waiting for them. But will they be able to get back home safely?

*To gain access to Improvised Kids Storytime, you have to purchase a membership. More information on the website.

PETER PAN

Ballet | Dubai Opera | JUNE 18 @ 1.30PM and 5.00PM | Entrance: 130 AED +

UAE’s award-winning dance studio Turning Pointe is back at Dubai Opera with its Youth Ballet. Following a highly successful Beauty and the Beast production in 2019, Turning Pointe Youth Ballet will present Peter Pan.

Join Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Wendy, John and Michael and get ready to fly to Neverland to meet the Lost Children, Tribal Gang and Mermaids as they rescue the mischievous Tigerlily from scary Hook and his Pirates.

This performance showcases young and aspiring talent, therefore is ideal for the whole family and particularly for children as they watch this magical fairy tale come to life.

“French Play Festival” by Culture Emulsion 

Theatre | The Junction | JUNE 3 – 19 | Entrance: 120 AED + 

Theatre festival in French presens various plays for different age groups on multiple dates till June 19. For more inforamtion, visit https://www.culture-emulsion.com/ 
Culture Emulsion presents a brilliant French Play Festival of 2021, spanning from the 3rd to the 18th of June.

ANSAF by SIMA DANCE COMPANY (Choreography Alaa Krimed)

Contemporary Dance | Sima Performing Arts | JUNE 4 @ 6pm, June 11 @ 8pm | Entrance: 105 AED 

Inspired by the book Mediocracy by a Canadian philosopher Alain Deneault, ANSAF addresses the prevalence of mediocracy in contemporary society, the dominance of “the average” person in life, regarding media, arts, culture and politics in the absence of serious criticism. This dominance is a consequence of corrupt systems that promote illusions to the public, influencing them to follow blindly.The title of the piece, ANSAF, has many meanings that are reflected within the piece. The word highlights the split in society that’s caused by the control of the average person, with one side being in the light and the other left in the dark. ANSAF also stands for the half-made decisions that stand in the way of humanity’s progression in the midst of all the changes.

Commissioned by The Arts Center at The NYUAD 

MAESTRO

Impro Theatre | The Courtyard Playhouse | June 2, 9, 1, 23 & 30@ 8pm | Entrance: RSVP, donations expected

Fast-paced, unpredictable, and hilarious. Ten of Dubai’s virtuoso actors converge for a night of scenes, songs and games based on audience suggestions. You score the players on a scale of 1 to 5, and after each round, the players with the lowest scores are eliminated. When only one remains they are crowned the Maestro!

THIS IS IMPRO 

Impro Theatre | The Courtyard Playhouse | JUNE 6, 13, 20 & 27 @ 8pm | Entrance: RSVP, donations expected

An evening of scenes, stories and narrative improvisation influenced by the audience’s suggestions and featuring the most experienced performers of the Courtyard Playhouse.

FOLLIES

NT Live Screening | The Courtyard Playhouse | JUNE 10 @ 11 @ 8pm | Entrance: exclusive to members*

Tracie Bennett, Janie Dee and Imelda Staunton play the magnificent Follies in this dazzling production. Featuring a cast of 37 and an orchestra of 21, Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical was directed by Dominic Cooke and filmed live on stage at the National Theatre in 2017.

*To gain access to NT Live Screenings, you have to purchase a membership. More information on the website.

EVERYBODY

Musical & Theatre | Dubai Opera | JUNE 12 @ 6.30PM | Entrance: 160 AED +

‘EVERYBODY’ is a musical review starring the incredibly talented DPA (Dubai Performing Arts) Academy Students. 
Combining all dance styles, musical theatre, drama skills, the show showcases young talent and tremendous passion! Featuring musical scores from well-loved classic musicals and movies, this family show will also have you singing and dancing in your seats to hit pop songs from Back Street Boys, Britney Spears and more.

BOLLYWOOD IMPROVISED

Impro Theatre | The Courtyard Playhouse | JUNE 14, 21 & 28 @ 8pm | Entrance: RSVP, donations expected

A brand-new show featuring a spicy mix of star-crossed lovers, angry parents, long-lost relatives and villainous siblings, all created on the spot by our Courtyard Players improvisers and starring a member of the audience! Cheer on the heroes, boo the villains, listen to love songs and watch as our improvisers weave melodramatic tales of fame, fortune and serendipity in the greatest Bollywood story ever told.

The Accused. Written by Jeffrey Archer, directed by Akansha Goenka.

Mystery Drama | The Junction | JUNE 24 – 26 | Entrance: 80 AED + 

Innocent or guilty? You decide.
Jeffrey Archer’s play, The Accused is a tense courtroom drama with a difference. The audience will act as the jury, as if they were in the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey. You will have to decide… did Dr. Sherwood murder his wife? Was Jennifer Mitchell his mistress? Which of his alibis should you believe.

The Hive Drama Fest 2021

Theatre | The Junction | JUNE 27 – JULY 3rd | Entrance: 25 AED 

The Hive Theatre 2021 is the product of six months of learning at The Hive. Over 7 days, 17 plays will be staged at The Junction. These include comedies, thought-provoking devised plays, an Indian – English full-length play, and a short film screening. For the full program