Dancers take Dubai

Ahead of BNF dance company's annual show, we atlk to a few students-turned-performers about what's to come.

Eider Rua, the Colombian founder of BNF, right, strikes a tango pose with Luisa Suaza.

Oxana Dyukova has often sat in the audience at dance shows and watched enthralled as talented performers whirl around the stage.

But on Saturday, all eyes will be on the 40-year-old Russian nursery teacher as she takes to the stage herself for the first time.

Dyukova never imagined she would get up before a packed auditorium to perform. She signed up for lessons at Ballet Nacional el Firulete (BNF) dance company in Knowledge Village, Dubai, in April this year in the hope of becoming adept at dancing salsa and tango.

When BNF managers announced they were recruiting for their annual show put on by students, she decided to join 40 other pupils in performing choreographed numbers in the spectacle, which will be watched by their friends, family and members of the public.

"I have watched performances before but never danced in one," she says. "I volunteered because I thought I would like to give it a try. I am a bit nervous, as I will be taking part in four songs and have had to memorise a lot of routines."

Dyukova has been rehearsing for up to three hours at a time, three times a week, for the past month. She has been joined in practice sessions by dozens of others, including Leah Kayaleh, a 28-year-old Lebanese-Canadian TV executive.

They will collectively put on a 90-minute show from 6pm on Saturday in Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (Ductac) in the Mall of the Emirates. The amateurs' performance, called Latin Passion, will be followed at 8pm by a one-hour extravaganza called Dancing Around the World, which will feature BNF's professional dancers demonstrating their skills with routines from different countries, including the flamenco, samba and can-can.

Kayaleh says she first joined a salsa class at the school six months ago but quickly reached a proficient level.

"I just thought it would be fun to participate," she says. "It seemed a good opportunity to learn some new steps and moves. It has been a challenge, though, as the music is so fast."

Two of her friends will be in the audience as she takes part in three numbers.

Eider Rua, the Colombian founder of BNF, whose dancers last year won the top trophy in the World Latin Dance Cup, says students have been busy in frenzied activity to prepare for the event, stitching costumes and choreographing routines.

"You forget all your problems when you dance," he adds. "To me, the students in Dubai have to work much harder than in Colombia as there are fewer opportunities to compete and practise their skills."

Dancers from the school will follow their show with two special performances for the Emirates Arthritis Foundation in Dubai's Park Regis Hotel on October 12 to encourage sufferers to take up Latin dance and exercise their stiff joints.

Tickets for Dancing Around the World are on sale at BNF in block 12, Knowledge Village or at Ductac. Call 050 355 0180 or email [e-mail] for more information.