A troupe of twinkle-toed ballroom dancers are preparing to sashay their way into Abu Dhabi for a Strictly Come Dancing-style soiree.
Pearl Ball will have 90 couples from around the world cha-cha their way into the capital on February 4 and 5 for Abu Dhabi’s first ProAm dance tournament, pairing professional dancers with amateur partners in the style of beloved British and US TV shows Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars.
Just like its prime-time equivalents, Pearl Ball will feature glitz, glamour and a panel of straight-talking judges to put contestants through their paces, in a whirlwind of sequins and Swarovski.
The competition is organised by Abu Dhabi dance school Capital Dance Centre and advertising platform BallroomPages from the US, and one couple will make history as the first Pearl Ball champions during the event at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas.
“The ProAm community is incredibly popular around the world and we’re thrilled to be bringing the first-ever tournament to Abu Dhabi,” says Artem Golega, founder and managing director of Capital Dance Centre.
“We have couples from 13 countries flying into the capital to take part, from as far as Russia, the UK, Austria and Germany, so we’re expecting to see some amazing talent.”
Competitors were selected from ProAm dance schools globally and the event will be open to a live audience, with tickets expected to go on sale in January.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to show the world what Abu Dhabi has to offer,” says Golega, a professional dancer for more than 20 years and former national champion. “We want the city to become a dance capital in the Middle East and we hope dancers will come here and have an unforgettable experience.
“The goal is to expose ballroom dancing to the Abu Dhabi population. It’s hugely popular in Russia, Ukraine and the UK, but it hasn’t yet reached its peak in the Middle East and we want to change that.”
Dance styles at the event will include the Argentine tango, salsa, the merengue and the cha-cha among others and competitors will go head-to-head in the waltz to the top.
“Thanks to shows like Strictly Come Dancing, this method of teaching has become hugely popular and we want to create a similar concept with Pearl Ball,” says Golega. “Each of our amateur dancers is treated like a star and it’s going to be extremely glamorous and sophisticated. The atmosphere of these tournaments makes you feel like you’re in another world entirely.
“There’ll be elaborate makeup, specific hairstyles, special dresses and Swarovski diamonds everywhere.”
The judging panel features big names in the ballroom dancing world, including world champion Oxana Lebedew, three times Belarusian national champion Pavel Yartsev and former Italian Dancing with the Stars winner Simone Di Pasquale.
Named in a nod to the UAE’s rich pearl-diving past, Golega has plans to take the competition around the world after the Abu Dhabi inauguration.
“Dancing really unites people from all walks of life and the dancing community in particular is like one happy family,” says Golega. “Even though it’s a competition, everyone gets behind each other and the event feels like a celebration of the world opening up and dancing together again.
“There’s literally no better way to express joy and we want to take ballroom dancing across the globe.”
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
STAGE 4 RESULTS
1 Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 4:51:51
2 David Dekker (NED) Team Jumbo-Visma
3 Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal
4 Elia Viviani (ITA) Cofidis
5 Matteo Moschetti (ITA) Trek-Segafredo
General Classification
1 Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 12:50:21
2 Adam Yates (GBR) Teamn Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:43
3 Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:03
4 Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:43
5 Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETHE%20SPECS%3C%2Fstrong%3E%0D%3Cbr%3EEngine%3A%203.5-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3ETransmission%3A%209-speed%20automatc%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20279hp%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20350Nm%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh250%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
More on animal trafficking
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Tips on buying property during a pandemic
Islay Robinson, group chief executive of mortgage broker Enness Global, offers his advice on buying property in today's market.
While many have been quick to call a market collapse, this simply isn’t what we’re seeing on the ground. Many pockets of the global property market, including London and the UAE, continue to be compelling locations to invest in real estate.
While an air of uncertainty remains, the outlook is far better than anyone could have predicted. However, it is still important to consider the wider threat posed by Covid-19 when buying bricks and mortar.
Anything with outside space, gardens and private entrances is a must and these property features will see your investment keep its value should the pandemic drag on. In contrast, flats and particularly high-rise developments are falling in popularity and investors should avoid them at all costs.
Attractive investment property can be hard to find amid strong demand and heightened buyer activity. When you do find one, be prepared to move hard and fast to secure it. If you have your finances in order, this shouldn’t be an issue.
Lenders continue to lend and rates remain at an all-time low, so utilise this. There is no point in tying up cash when you can keep this liquidity to maximise other opportunities.
Keep your head and, as always when investing, take the long-term view. External factors such as coronavirus or Brexit will present challenges in the short-term, but the long-term outlook remains strong.
Finally, keep an eye on your currency. Whenever currency fluctuations favour foreign buyers, you can bet that demand will increase, as they act to secure what is essentially a discounted property.
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
