This week - June 4 - June 10

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We've reached that time of the year when you look back on the winter that was, and Nasimi Beach at the Atlantis has certainly been one of the hippest hangouts in the Emirates in the past few months. This big outdoor bash features eight of Dubai's best acts as the beach hosts its last party before the summer break. It's a time for reminiscing about friends made and music heard, as well as letting your hair down and dancing on the sand one last time. David Craig, Rone Jaxx, Da Sendri, DJ Schooly, DJ Kristian, Greg Stainer and Smokingroove will all be on the decks, while Mr Hush ­offers bongo accompaniment. Dress code is beach glam, so we're guessing gold Speedos are the way to go. Today Doors open 6pm, free entrance for ladies and FACE card holders from 6-9pm, Dh50 for gents from 6-9pm (includes one free drink), Dh100 entry from 9pm for everyone, over 21s only, Nasimi Beach, ­Atlantis hotel, The Palm, Dubai, [e-mail], for table bookings call 056 603 5713

Believe Me, I'm A Dancer The ­signature show of the Dubai Dance Festival features the story of Tito - a Brooklyn janitor as opposed to the Yugoslavian dictator - as he looks to realise his dream of dancing on Broadway. Today 8.30pm, The First Group Theatre, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, tickets Dh175, 04 366 6546 See also talks, classes & workshops Traditional concert A performance featuring oud and qanoun players under the direction of Naseer Shamma. Saturday 8pm, Bait Al Oud, Al Nahyan Camp, Abu Dhabi, 02 641 5699 Oriental Dance with Dareen Memus The Fridge's weekly live performance slot is filled by the lead dancer Dareen Memus and her troupe. They will shed light upon an art form that is synonymous with the region, and present an evening that explores the complexity and history of Oriental dance. Monday Doors 7.30pm, concert 8pm, The Fridge, Al Quoz 4, Street 26, Warehouse 5, tickets Dh50 (under 18s free), 04 347 7793 The Laughter Factory Comedians Louis Ramey, Andre Vincent and Quincy are set to play a series of nights in the country's two biggest cities. Tuesday 9pm, Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island Wednesday 9pm, Jambase, Dubai, Thursday 9.30pm, Courtyard by Marriott Green Community, Dubai, tickets to all shows Dh115 (over 21s only), 800 4669 Whose Line is it Anyway? Stephen Frost, Andy Smart, Niall Ashdown, Steve Steen and Ian Coppinger, all regular members of the Comedy Store Players in London, stop by for a bit of improvisational comedy. Expect plenty of quick wit and audience participation. Thursday until June 12 8pm, The First Group Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai, tickets Dh150 (over 21s only), 04 366 6546

Blue Skie'd and Clear This group exhibition features photographs by Birgit Graschopf, Yuko Ichikawa, Maria Maeser, Jamie Baldridge, Maximillian Pramatarov and Hazem Mahdy. The work on display shows that each has a very individualistic approach to their art, yet all are focused on content and form. Thursday until September 25, opening 8pm, then daily 11.30am-7pm (closed Fridays), Al Quoz 1, street 8, Al Serkal Avenue, Warehouse D37, Dubai, 050 464 4392 Shimmering Beast: The Capture of Urban Life Thought provoking images by Virgilio Ferreira, Miyuki Okuyama and Mehrdad Naraghi offer their individual perspective on what gives cities around the world their unique characteristics. Tuesday until July 4, opening night 7pm, then daily 9am-10pm (Fridays 3pm-10pm), The Empty Quarter, DIFC, Dubai, 04 323 1210 The Will of the Reed An excellent Arabic calligraphy exhibition with plenty of ornate and embellished script. Daily until June 11, West Wing Gallery, Emirates Palace hotel, Abu Dhabi, 02 690 9000 Art For All & Blooming Attitudes A group of international artists have come together to create the Art For All exhibition, with a mixed bag of emerging and established talent. Every few weeks the works on display change, meaning it's definitely worth more than one visit. Blooming Attitudes is the opposite - showcasing the work of just one artist, Cynthia Richards. Daily until June 24, 10am-9pm (Fridays 2pm-9pm), Art Couture gallery, The Walk, JBR, Dubai, 04 399 4991 Experiment This exhibition features the work of five young Emirati artists. Two curators began the project in 2009 as a way of creating a platform for upcoming talents to explore new frontiers in multimedia design. Daily until June 26, 10am-10pm, Maraya Arts Centre, Sharjah, www.alqasba.ae Mass Movement The Lebanese artist Zena Assi brings together an exhibition that attempts to illustrate the psychology of the crowd - how habitat and society are both subject to an accumulation factor, forming together a mass that has its own thought and behaviour. Daily until June 26, 10am to 7pm (closed Fridays), Art Sawa, Dubai, 04 340 8660, www.artsawa.com Shabab Uprising This exhibition showcases 10 critically acclaimed emerging artists, including the painters Thaier Helal and Kais Salman, and the photographer and filmmaker Ammar Al Beik. Daily until June 30 (closed Fridays), Ayyam Gallery, Dubai, 04 323 6242 On the Wall This series of paintings by Syrian artist Baseem Rayyes seeks to tell stories of the artist's nostalgia for his homeland. Daily until July 4, 11am to 9pm, Aspen Cafe, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, 04 427 0219 A Story of Islamic Embroidery in Nomadic and Urban Traditions The types of textiles on display include those from Central Asia to Russia, Turkey and beyond. Daily until July 28, Gallery One, Emirates Palace hotel, Abu Dhabi (ladies only Tuesday 10am-4pm), 02 690 9000 Peripheral Vision Paintings, photographs and sculptures created by artists from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE examine unique Arab identities and the complex struggles facing ­different communities. The works discuss a variety of contemporary cultural issues. Daily 10am-8pm, Barjeel Art Foundation, Maraya Arts Centre, Sharjah, www.barjeelartfoundation.com

Dubai Dance Festival The third annual event enters its second full day of workshops, which culminate in a show tonight. There are also workshops on Saturday, followed by closing parties. Today 9.30am, registration for workshops at PM Bar, Ibis Hotel World Trade Centre, Dubai; live show at 6.30pm, The First Group Theatre, Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. Saturday 10am, workshops at PM Bar, Ibis Hotel World Trade Centre, Dubai; 4pm, pool party at Ibis; 10pm, closing party at Zinc, Crown Plaza Hotel, full details and prices at www.dubaidancefestival.com, 050 277 7475 See also performance "Can something that works for the poor, help the richer succeed, too?" A talk by Sid Djerfi, a managing director of Teach for All, a group that seeks to ecourage top-quality graduates to enter the teaching profession. Monday 7pm-9pm, free entry (RSVP [e-mail]), Shelter, Warehouse 209, 318 Road, Al Quoz, Dubai, 04 4345655 The Ancient Science of Feng Shui Australian artist Lyn Naismith talks about how art with Feng Shui principles can have a positive impact on your life. Tuesday 10.30am, Dh30, Art Couture, The Walk, JBR, Dubai, 04 399 4331. gastro French gastronomy Enjoy 20 per cent off the finest French cuisine in the capital. Chef Jean Hurstel's signatue dishes include blue lobster with mizuna salad and pink grapefruit. Offers applies to groups of three or more. Sundays to Tuesdays Bord Eau, Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi, 02 509 8511 Arabian Nights A full Arabian barbeque buffet including beverages. Thursdays 6pm-10.30pm, Mai Cafe, Aloft Hotel, Abu Dhabi, from Dh134 plus tax (Dh67 plus tax for children), 02 654 5131

Wild Nights Al Ain Wildlife Park's summer opening hours are now in full effect, allowing you to see the animals at night until the end of August. Daily Saturday to Thursday 4pm to midnight, Fridays 10am to midnight, adults and over 12s Dh15, children 3 to 12 Dh5, Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort, Al Ain, 03 782 8188

Night golf Find sporting sanctuary with a round of golf long after the sun has gone down in Dubai. Daily until June 30, Faldo Course, Emirates Golf Club, Dubai, 18 holes from Dh385, nine holes from Dh230 (juniors Dh190). 04 380 2222

Diary of the Future Lara Baladi's exhibition brings together three years of work that explores the distinctly Middle Eastern tradition of coffee-cup reading. Until Sunday, 10am-7pm (closed today), Gallery Isabelle van den Eynde, Dubai, 04 323 5052 Private(ly) Young Emirati women from showcase their private dreams, hopes and fears via their photography. Until Wednesday The Gallery of Light, Manu Chhabria Arts Centre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, 04 341 477 Coming up
The Wiggles Since releasing their first album in 1991, The Wiggles have captivated preschool children and delighted parents around the world with their lively family shows. June 11-12, The Palladium, Dubai, tickets Dh140-250 (under 18 months free, if they sit on an adult's knee), 800 4669 Lord of the Dance The award-winning international show originally created by Michael Flatley brings its troupe of more than 40 dancers to dazzle the capital's crowds with precision dancing, state of the art lighting and music. June 23-25, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, Abu Dhabi, tickets Dh295-795, family ticket Dh850 (two adults, two children), 800 4669

The Ghost Writer The book which inspired this film was called The Ghost, although there is no scene involving Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan and a pottery wheel. Instead, McGregor, above, is a celebrity biographer who is tasked with polishing the memoirs of Adam Lang (Brosnan), a former British prime minister whose career is somewhat reminiscent of Tony Blair's. Much of the talk around the film arose from the recent detention of director Roman Polanski, while the movie itself suffers from some of the same flaws as the book that inspired it. www.grandcinemas.com, www.cinestarcinemas.com, www.cineroyal.ae Death at a Funeral The space between original movies and remakes is getting shorter all the time. Consider: Clash of the Titans - 29 years (1981 and 2010); A Nightmare on Elm Street - 26 years (1984 and 2010); and now an American remake of a 2007 British black comedy. Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock are among the cast, so expect much screaming... in a bad way. www.reelcinemas.ae, www.grandcinemas.com, www.cinestarcinemas.com, www.cineroyal.ae Killers Spencer Aimes (Ashton Kutcher) is a former international assassin who has been out of the killing game for years after meeting Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl). However, his state of suburban marital bliss is turned upside down when he finds out that someone, maybe his neighbour, is trying to kill him. www.reelcinemas.ae, www.grandcinemas.com, www.cinestarcinemas.com, www.cineroyal.ae Raajneeti This is far from your standard all-singing, all-dancing Bollywood affair. Prakash Jha's movie deals with the murkier side of the Indian political system and looks at just how far some people will go to grab hold of the power they crave. It shows how ambition can turn into obsession, with violent and bitter consequences. Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Arjun Rampal and Nana Patekar. Hindi with English subtitles. www.reelcinemas.ae, www.grandcinemas.com, www.cinestarcinemas.com The Age of Stupid This worthy film on climate change is undermined by a cloying narrative structure. Pete Postlethwaite plays an archivist in 2055 who lives in a pod built to keep a record of life before catastrophes caused by altered weather conditions wiped out most of the human race. Saturday Doors 5.30pm, film 6pm, free entry (seats on a first-come basis), Centrepoint Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, 04 341 4777 Got an event? Email your information to [e-mail]