All the malls are a stage

A welcome and a word of warning for Trixerz Crew, the dance group bringing a touch of flash mob style to Dubai's shopingt centres.

In 2006, across underground stations in London, people gathered with their iPods and at the same moment began dancing to their music; silent disco was born. In 2009, several hundred performers staged a dance at Antwerp Central station to the song Do-Re-Mi from the Sound of Music. Internet clips of these flash mobs went viral, receiving millions of hits on YouTube and other websites.

As The National reports today, a group of 16 local dancers have formed a troupe called the Trixerz Crew that will perform unscheduled tectonic, pop and break dancing across Dubai's malls.

This young dance group should be encouraged for bringing new trends to the Emirates - with a word of warning. In the past, flash mobs at Dubai's Mall of the Emirates have petered out with nary a spark.

But the Trixerz understand that a successful performance needs to be planned meticulously. And so their performances won't be flash mobs in the strictest sense, organised via social media to spread the word, but they will still bring an element of spontaneity and art to the shopping malls.

It is a sign of our times that performers and artists are using every available media avenue to showcase their talents. It appears the 21st century's stage in the UAE will be the shopping mall.