SeaWorld Abu Dhabi's stage performers begin their days early before the marine life theme park opens to the public.
They arrive at around 8am and pick up their animal costumes, carefully carrying them to the green room before a warm-up and stretches to get into character.
“We then head over again to the green room and do our own make-up, get dressed and ready ourselves to get in the Canopy Climbers’ character, which is inspired by jungle animals, scampering from tree to tree and playing around together,” says Leigh Xuereb, the park's entertainment director, tells The National.
Some characters that can be spotted include cotton-top tamarins, jaguars and sloths. As the performers frolic around and entertain guests with four shows daily, one of the toughest things is the physical demands of the job, Xuereb says.
“The most challenging part about being a performer is staying physically fit and strong to be able to perform day in and day out, all while wearing make-up and a costume,” he adds.
“Additionally, eating healthy and getting the appropriate recovery time is as equally important to maintain consistency and to limit injuries.”
After shows end, the performers hold meet-and-greets with visitors and are available for photographs with families and children. It is this type of interaction that makes the job worthwhile.
“For any performer, the most rewarding part is performing in front of a live audience and seeing the reaction and amazement on their faces, especially with the younger guests,” he says.
“The applause and recognition at the end of each performance makes it all the more gratifying an experience for us. It always feels good to contribute to making the guests’ experience at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi as memorable as possible.”
What to expect inside SeaWorld Abu Dhabi
The marine life theme park on Yas Island opened in May last year. It is the first SeaWorld outside of North America, spans 18.3 hectares and occupies five floors. There are eight thematic sections: One Ocean, Abu Dhabi Ocean, Rocky Point, MicroOcean, Tropical Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica and Endless Ocean.
It includes rides, interactive exhibits and the region's largest multi-species aquarium, with more than 58 million litres of water and animals such as sharks, manta rays and sea turtles, plus reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.
The attraction also has Yas Seaworld Research & Rescue Centre, a research complex created with a focus on marine conservation and education. It opened last February.
SeaWorld Abu Dhabi was developed by Miral, which is also behind other theme parks on Yas Island, such as Ferrari World, Warner Bros World and Yas Waterworld.
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Inside the Polar realm at SeaWorld in Abu Dhabi. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National -
California Sea Lions in the Rocky Point realm -
In addition to the animals, there is also roaming entertainment -
Bottlenose dolphins can be found in the Tropical Ocean realm -
The Endless Ocean realm has more than 20 viewing points into its large aquarium, including one that is 20 metres deep -
A Clown Nose Ray in the aquarium in the Endless Ocean realm, which is also home to the world's largest multi-species aquarium -
Puffins are found in the Arctic zone in the Polar Ocean realm -
The Tropical Ocean realm is the biggest inside SeaWorld Abu Dhabi -
The MicroOcean realm is geared towards children -
Walrus are in the Arctic zone of the Polar Ocean realm -
The entrance into the One Ocean realm -
Sea Otters in the Arctic zone -
An authentic souq recreated at the Abu Dhabi Ocean realm -
The Arctic zone in the Polar Ocean realm is much cooler than the other areas -
Inside a gift shop at SeaWorld Abu Dhabi -
Abu Dhabi Ocean is designed to give a traditional feel of the olden days of the UAE capital, yet with a modern touch. -
The seating section inside One Ocean -
The Antarctic zone in the Polar Ocean realm will be home to different species of penguins -
The centrepiece inside the One Ocean realm -
Sea Star is a character who roams around the MicroOcean realm -
The Tropical Ocean is home to dolphins -
The Tropical Ocean has an Amazon rainforest-inspired decor, with giant banyans and palm trees -
The MicroOcean realm has rides for children as well as play areas -
The amphitheatre in the Tropical Ocean realm can seat up to 2,000 people -
Sea Lion cavern theatre in the Rocky Point realm -
Walrus live in the Arctic zone -
The MicroOcean section is themed so that visitors feel like the size of plankton in the ocean -
The Rocky Point is themed after the Pacific North-west in the US with its mountains and waves replicated -
The Manta Coaster goes outside the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi building
