Members of the Kids Theatre Works cast dance at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre.
Members of the Kids Theatre Works cast dance at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre.

M Plays: Showtime for kids at Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre



I attended the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre (Ductac) at the Mall of the Emirates this month to take part in the Kids Theatre Works drama camp. It was the first time I had been to Ductac and I was excited to see what it was all about. I kept a diary of my week there.

SUNDAY

There were lots of children waiting to get their name tags and signing in on the first morning with the parents standing in the background, no doubt already planning their day of freedom.

After signing in and picking up my name tag at reception it was off upstairs to the changing room and then to the main theatre. We all sat in a circle and introduced ourselves; we had to say funny things about each other, which made us all laugh. We split into four groups, and each was allocated a helper.

There were three main teachers who had flown over from the UK. Dean Elliott came from the West End show Buddy Holly, and Hayley Doyle and Anna Stranack are also both professional actresses. We all had to talk about a shipwreck, what it meant to us individually, how we imagined ourselves being there and what we would do in that situation. We didn't know it at the time but Shipwrecked was to be the name of the show.

I enjoyed my first day and made two new friends, Thomas and Natasha. I was already looking forward to the week.

MONDAY

The following day I sat in a circle next to my friends Natasha and Katie. First, we warmed up by dancing and expressing our feelings to the music. We were all being watched so that the teachers could decide what part we would play in the show. We were individually picked - some were lead actors, others dancers and some were singers. I was chosen to dance, say some lines and sing the Beatles song Hey Jude along with my group. I have not done anything like this before so this was a whole new experience for me. We all started acting out our parts for the play in our groups. Hayley, the teacher, would give us a scene to act out and after practising it we had to perform to all the other groups. I enjoyed today as I liked all the dancing and singing.

TUESDAY

Strolling into Ductac, my friends ran up to greet me. Today we concentrated on improving our technique and trying to raise the volume of our singing. We brought the play together for the first time and conducted a full rehearsal.

Afterwards I felt that we had improved, but there was still some work to do ahead of Thursday. It all started to come together and I couldn't believe how much fun it all was.

WEDNESDAY

It came to our final practice the day before the show on Thursday. We split into our groups and practised our scene, then the teachers took out a group at a time and worked with us individually. We all had to bring in a costume, which was ripped trousers and shirts. We were made to look dirty and scruffy - like we had been shipwrecked and had not washed for days. We made a ship out of a physical theatre; some of us stretched out on the floor to make the water ripples, others stood on each others' shoulders to make the masts. We then broke out into our dance groups and started to perform. It was looking good. We were all very excited but a bit nervous.

THURSDAY

Today was show day. We had to perform in front of the parents and teachers. I was so nervous but the helpers and teachers all reassured us. We all put our costumes on and had our faces made up and hair done; we looked great. We then went to do a full dress rehearsal; I was scared that I was going to forget my words. Then it came to the performance and I saw my friends watching me in the audience but luckily I didn't forget my words or dance routine, I just enjoyed myself.

Ductac drama camp is brilliant. It has helped me to gain confidence, think for myself and be more creative. It made me discover abilities that I didn't realise I had. It was my first time at a drama camp and I would love to do it again next year. The teachers and staff worked very hard with us all to make it a really amazing show.

Danielle, 10

The Ductac Kids Theatre Works is for children between the ages of 7-14. Costing Dh750 per child per week, the camps run until the end of August from Sunday-Thursday between 9am-3pm, as the children work towards a show, commitment must be made for the week. For details, go to www.kidstheatreworks.com

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Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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Points tally

1. Australia 52; 2. New Zealand 44; 3. South Africa 36; 4. Sri Lanka 35; 5. UAE 27; 6. India 27; 7. England 26; 8. Singapore 8; 9. Malaysia 3

The Bio

Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village

What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft

Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans

Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface

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How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
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  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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RESULTS

Manchester United 2

Anthony Martial 30'

Scott McTominay 90 6' 

Manchester City 0

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The Sand Castle

Director: Matty Brown

Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea

Rating: 2.5/5