Some tickets were relisted on resale sites for as much as Dh38,581
The battery is wound up, a soft melody begins to play, and the porcelain figures start to twirl, gracefully. You sit back, astounded and delighted. At some point, you forget the figures swirling in front of your eyes are real and not that from a music box. It’s only when they pause and the crowd begins to chant Bravo in unison, that you wake up from the reverie. It’s a November evening and we’re at Dubai Opera, The Opera District, Downtown Dubai, witnessing poetry being created on stage by the Georgian National Dance Company. As we sit back, little do we know that the show’s 110 minutes duration will leave us in awe of every aspect of Georgia’s rich culture. An interesting fact to note here would be that the company was founded by the legends Nino and Iliko Sukhishvili in 1945, and it was the first professional state dance company in Georgia.
An ensemble of 70 dancers, together, weave a bold and beautiful tale of the country’s ancient history and traditions and bring alive emotions of love and friendship. Their movements are rich, almost goosebumps-inducing; at one point, they move so swiftly that one ends up wondering if they’re on a revolving stage, at others their movements make them look like stick figures, and when a larger group appears on the stage together their seamless actions give the impression of a wave passing by, peacefully and elegantly. The costumes, be it the ones worn by the men, depicted a scene of valour or that worn by the lovers speaking of romance, with exquisite embellishments and embroidery reflecting the rich history of the country.
Whilst at many points during the show, we ended up feeling overwhelmed, it was the performance by the musicians after the intermission (sans theatrics and dance) that took our breath away. A string of traditional instruments was enough to transport one to Tbilisi! Needless to say, one would want to return to the show, simply to hear them all over again. At one point, we did close our eyes to just sink in the magic. All through the show, the music troupe, at times, got aptly complemented, with the rhythmic clapping of hands by the dancers, followed by that of the audience.
The standing ovation at the end seemed like a natural reaction of admiration. The men on their toes in soft boots, the serpentine patterns created by the group, the sweeping steps by the women with their feet hidden under the long gowns, and the trio of princesses, who looked like a painting had come alive were just of the few takeaways from the dazzling performance inspired by the folks of the land. Don’t blame yourself if you are left in gasps as the troupe briskly lands on toes, shins and knees. Bravo indeed!
purva@khaleejtimes.com
Some tickets were relisted on resale sites for as much as Dh38,581
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