Traditional music and dance
One of the oldest and most deeply rooted ancestral musical forms in the desert is undoubtedly Ghna'a Al-Rukban . Common to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Oman, this music is derived from the songs of camel herders who once recited verses to entertain themselves in the silence and encourage each other on long journeys through the emptiness of the desert. The poems evoke love, friendship, honor and sometimes war. Very similar (and just as popular) are the Al-Taghrooda songs, which have their origins in the desert and the camel drivers. Improvised poetry, originally sung to encourage animals to walk in rhythm, or even to quicken their pace. Still very important in Emirati culture, Taghrooda was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2012. They can be heard in traditional performances such as the Al-Ayyala, one of the Emirates' most emblematic dances. Performed by men wearing white kandoura and carrying walking sticks, they sway from one foot to the other to the sound of percussion, brandishing their sticks while singing a melodious poetic song. In the days of rezzous and threats, this was a ritual of tribal unity. Al Ayyalah plays such an important role in the history of the United Arab Emirates that, in 2014, it was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Very similar to the Al Ayyalah, the Yollah is one of the country's other popular traditional dances. Of military origin, it commemorates victory and is performed by two or four rows of dancers facing each other, equipped with sticks, swords or rifles. In the same warlike spirit, the harbiyah (from the Arabic death " harb " meaning " war ") is also danced by two lines of men facing each other in a staged confrontation. Another of the country's most popular dances, the haban takes its name from the instrument that sets the tempo and melody, a kind of goatskin bagpipe. In this complex dance, groups of male and female dancers move to a regular two-step rhythm, back and forth, while musicians play between the rows. This traditional dance is particularly popular at weddings in Dubai.
Much more striking, but also rarer, is the Al-Na'ashat hair dance, performed by very young girls with long jet tips. Dressed in colorful silks, the dancers swing their heads from right to left in a dazzling movement. An expression of Bedouin celebration, this traditional and sensual practice illustrates the very diverse influences to which the nomads were subjected, far from the region's strict Mohammedan customs.
Otherwise, traditional Emirati musical practices contain many influences from neighbors, the region and the various waves of immigration that have passed through the country. In Iranian restaurants, for example, you can hear bandari, an enchanting music originating from southern Iran, derived from the Persian word bandar, meaning "port", and played with the habban.
In general, most of the traditional instruments found in and around Dubai are more or less the same - though often differently named - as those used in the rest of the Persian Gulf. Such is the case with the oud, one of the main Arab instruments, rather like a mandolin, or more rarely, percussion instruments such as the manior, a cotton belt adorned with goat hooves, which rattles as the dancer moves, or the taba, a drum of varying shapes and sizes. All these instruments are made from locally available materials such as animal skins, hooves, bones and wood.
To encourage the preservation and transmission of its heritage, the Emirati Ministry of Culture encourages the work of the National Folk Arts Group, a kind of folk troupe that performs throughout the Emirate and abroad, passing on the region's musical, poetic and choreographic heritage. A way for the latter to resist the dishevelled modernization of the peninsula.
Popular music
Given the popularity of traditional music in the country, the genre boasts a number of stars. Leading the way are Mehad Hamad, appreciated for his desert songs and patriotic lyrics; Tariq Al Menhali, a key performer of the local musical heritage and official composer to the Crown Prince of Dubai (after all!); Eida Al Menhali, known for his a cappella poetry known as Al Shallat; and Hussain Al Jassmi, one of the best-known Emirati singers in the world. More pop-oriented, Ahlam is adored by Emiratis, especially since she acts as a judge on shows such asArab Idol. Balqees Fathi, another major female voice, has become a youth idol thanks to her very smooth, very pop productions.
All of them play - or have played - khaliji, a contemporary music that is very popular in the Persian Gulf and even the Arab world. This hyphen between traditional and pop music is rich in oud and violin and blends many elements of African, Indian, Iranian and local music (including liwa). Still popular, khaliji is being modernized by younger generations, such as Shamma Hamdan - a singer famous for being the first Emirati woman to be a finalist in a season ofArabs' Got Talent - who offers a more R&B version, or Fayez Al Saeed, whose biggest fan is none other than Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai. As for the stage, one of the most impressive in the country is undoubtedly the Coca Cola Arena, a huge stage located in City Walk, where international music stars and major sporting events perform.
Classical music
While classical music (in its Western sense) once served essentially as a luxurious sound tapestry, the genre is now taken very seriously in the country since the creation of the Classical Music Festival in Abu Dhabi in 2010, which attracts orchestras from all over the world and takes place over several months in the capital as well as in Al Aïn. The Dubai Opera House, the city's emblematic stage, is a lyric theater in its own right, hosting a few operas each year, but ultimately giving relatively few classical performances. Located at the foot of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower at 828 meters, the building is distinguished by its architecture (designed by Janus Rostock) inspired by the dhow, the country's emblematic wooden boat. Since its inauguration at the end of August 2016 (with Placido Domingo as Master of Ceremonies), the Dubai Opera has cultivated prestigious line-ups (legendary tenor José Carreras was the star of the first season), also inviting many singers from the Levant.
More modest in size (540 seats) and ambition, the Dubai Community Theatre & Arts Centre is the city's most comprehensive (classical music, dance, opera, variety, children's shows) and dynamic cultural center. Two local celebrities are a must: Ihab Darwish, an Emirati symphonic composer with a strong presence on the peninsula, and Hoda Ibrahim al-Khamis Kanoo, a Syrian-Saudi star of the arty scene and the driving force behind the Abu Dhabi Classical Music Festival.
