The heavy sounds of drums and musical instruments echoed off the walls of Heart of Sharjah as dancers stomped their feet, clapped and swung around in circles, flashing colors of and music and melody.
This year, Sharjah Heritage Days marked ‘International World Heritage Day’ to recognise and celebrate the cultures of the world through song and dance. Bringing together a diverse set of performers from Paraguay, Croatia, Argentina, Bosnia, Czech Republic and many other countries of the world, the International World Heritage Day offered visitors and bystanders an experience of the vibrant culture, music and traditional sporting prowess of the communities around the world. The performances which started in the evening lasted late in the night keeping the crowd shouting, cheering and asking for more.
“Dance is a universal language. It connects people not only within the country, but across borders. Our dance and song performances are from the Renaissance period, dating back to the 16th century which express laughter, positivity and hope. Influenced by the Italian culture, these dances celebrate our origins and build gaps between the young and old,” said Katerina Klementova, dancer and choreographer from Czech Republic.
Featuring more than 25 forms of dances from Czech Republic, Paraguay, Argentina and Bosnia the International World Heritage Day witnessed participation of more than 100 dancers aged between 17 to 70 years.
“Art and culture knows no boundaries and has the ability to transcend differences and unite nations and people. The objective in celebrating International World Heritage Day is to foster relations with countries of the world through music and dance which has the ability to not just bring together nations with mutual interest, but also helps build relations and promote culture,” said HE Abdulaziz Almusallam, Chairman of Sharjah Institute for Heritage and Chairman of the Higher Committee of Sharjah Heritage Days, VIPs and other officials of Sharjah Heritage Days.
Each of the traditional dance and music performances showcased the heritage of the countries, people of various racial and ethnic groups and their cultural values. The International World Heritage Day also presented young talents and choreographers from countries in the Middle East and showcased the rich cultural heritage geared towards fostering inter community peace and unity.
“This is for the first time that we’ve participated in Sharjah Heritage Days, and the event has been so impressive, way beyond our expectations. To mark the occasion of International World Heritage Day, we are performing dances that signify the city and village life in our country. Additionally, the orchestra group will play musical instruments and songs which will introduce visitors to the beauty and attractions around Bosnia,” said Saira Tankovic, a member of the orchestra team from Bosnia.
Hosting an exciting range of cutting-edge and global dance forms, the mega event felt like a wedding celebration as performers moved to the beats of music, enthralling the audiences and inspiring young and old alike.
“The mood is festive. I just can’t stop smiling. It feels the crowd has gathered for a wedding celebration. I am thoroughly impressed and can confidently say that this is one of the best I’ve seen at any heritage festivals so far,” said a bystander.
Towards the end of the performances, performers stepped down into the aisles and brought out members of the audience to dance with them. It seemed to encompass the spirit of the festival and Sharjah Heritage Day’s vision of music’s ability to bring everyone together.
Held under the directives of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, Sharjah Heritage Days oversees a growing plethora of ancient artefacts, galleries, exhibitions, historical sites and cultures of people from 31 countries. The event is an opportunity for visitors to experience diverse segments of the society which showcases tangible and intangible heritage items of the emirate and beyond.
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