These dancers brought Georgia to Dubai – News

Dubai – A Tale of Serpentine Patterns, Swift Action, Beautiful Traditions and More

The batteries are tightened, a soft melody begins to play, and the ceramic figures begin to spin gracefully. You sit down, surprised and delighted. At some point you forget that the numbers spinning before your eyes are real and not numbers from a music box. It’s only when they stop and the crowd starts singing Bravo in unison that you wake up from your reverie. It was a November evening and we were at the Dubai Opera, the Opera District in Downtown Dubai, witnessing the Georgian National Dance Company performing poetry on stage. Little did we know when we sat down that the show’s 110 minutes would leave us in awe of every aspect of Georgia’s rich culture. An interesting fact to note here is that the company was founded in 1945 by the legendary Nino and Iliko Sukhishvili as Georgia’s first professional national dance company.

An ensemble of 70 dancers, together weave a bold and beautiful story about the country’s ancient history and traditions, with vivid emotions of love and friendship. Their movement is so rich it almost gives people goosebumps; at one point they move so fast that one ends up wondering if they’re on a rotating stage, at other times their movements make them look like stick figures , and when a larger group appears on stage together, their seamless movements give the impression of waves passing by, calm and graceful. Whether worn by men or romantically worn by couples, the costumes portray a brave scene, with intricate embellishments and embroidery reflecting the country’s rich history.

While many times during the show we ended up feeling overwhelmed, it was the musicians’ performance (without drama and dancing) after the intermission that took our breath away. A string of traditional instruments is enough to transport one to Tbilisi! Needless to say, people will want to come back to the show, just to listen to it again. At one point, we literally closed our eyes and basked in the magic. Throughout the show, the musical group is sometimes aptly complemented by dancers clapping rhythmically and then the audience.

A standing ovation at the end seemed like a natural response to admiration. A man in soft boots pointing his toes up, a group of people creating a zigzag pattern, a woman hiding her feet under a robe taking big strides, a vivid and picturesque trio of princesses. Little is gained from the dizzying performances inspired by the people of the land. Don’t blame yourself if you’re out of breath as the troupe briskly lands on toes, calves, and knees. It’s amazing!

purva@khaleejtimes.com