High school pupils dance their way through Rock Challenge

04 Feb 2007

Dubai: Pulsating music, expressive dancing and adrenaline-laden performances jazzed up the international Rock Challenge held yesterday for the first time in the UAE at the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre.

The challenge provides primary and secondary pupils with a chance to participate in eight-minute dance, drama and design spectacular.

Three hundred and fifty pupils, ages 13 to 18, from five high schools in Dubai took part.

Annual event

The 25-year-old annual Broadway-style event that started in Australia is now staged in more than 120 locations worldwide such as New Zealand, Germany, the UK, South Africa and now the UAE.

"The idea behind it is to promote a healthy lifestyle among school pupils. It highlights the dangers of smoking, promotes road safety and encourages pupils to be more active," said Zoie Golding, Rock Challenge UK producer.

The event also helps build pupils' self-esteem and showcases their talents.

Aysel Duman, Rock Challenge Dubai producer, said: "They learn to become more confident and develop their own voice. This helps them when faced with peer pressure to simply say no to anything that is wrong, and not get swept away."

Most of the performances were based on themes that ranged from a display of the dancing styles through the ages to representing natural tragedies such as the tsunami.

Pupils worked on the choreographed dances, costumes, music and design set.

"Each school brought its props, lights, make-up and hair... everything. Every element will count during the judging process," said Golding. A panel of three judges evaluated the participating teams.

'United As One' was the theme of the Dubai Scholars dance number. "We wanted to show through our different dances how people from diverse societies come together when a natural disaster hits," said grade nine pupil Keisha Marchon.

Dancing routines from the '60s, '70s, rock and roll, jazz and hip hop were presented by pupils from the Wellington International School.

Other participating schools included Emirates International School, Deira International School, George Pomperdii and Mirdif American Girls School.

Pupil Nadia Clinti said that she found the Rock Challenge a chance to meet pupils from other schools.