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Revellers young and old have been enjoying a Palestinian party this week to mark the sixth week of Heritage Surprises.
Palestinian troupe Arous Al Quds enthralled Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) visitors at Ibn Battuta Mall with a show of vibrant traditional dance and music.
Fiesta
The energetic fiesta provided an opportunity for shoppers from other cultures to experience the many different aspects of Palestinian folkloric heritage, including the widely famous traditional dance of the Levant, Dabka.
Youngsters clapped while dancers from the Arous Al Quds - which translated means Bride of Jerusalem - entertained the crowds, lifting the atmosphere in the mall's China Court.
Joyous
The Dabka, a community dance, is often performed at weddings and other joyous occasions, and is sometimes referred to in full as the Al Sha'raweya Dabka. The dancing is synchronised with folkloric songs, and themes range from patriotic to traditional
Dance moves
Amjad Rizk, head of the troupe, said: "We have loved being in Dubai to help people understand a little more about what our heritage stands for. Children from as young as nine have stopped to ask what we are doing and it is great to be able to teach them something new. We have also let them have a go at learning our traditional dance moves."
Proud
The demonstrations were complemented by stalls and displays from local artists, craftsmen and historians who were on hand to explain the background of the artefacts from Palestine.
Rizk said: "We are proud of our heritage and are very grateful to DSS for allowing us the opportunity to share it with others."
The seventh week of Heritage Surprises is taking place at Deira City Centre from today until August 8. The next phase will see this region's traditional folk dance and music staged by the UAE Performance Group.
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