Lebanese water circus Fontana to bring gravity-defying acrobatics to Dubai

A travelling water circus is coming to Dubai.

Fontana is produced by Lebanese group Cirque Du Liban and can be at Dubai Pageant Metropolis Mall between September 29 and October 9.

Forward of Fontana’s premiere, The Nationwide speaks to Thierry Antonios, one of many leaders behind the present, about what to anticipate throughout its 10-day run.

The identify was impressed by the Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy, a famed attraction the place guests typically toss in a coin for luck. Antonios compares this act to the present by saying Fontana’s want, reasonably the want of its performers, is it to place collectively a novel expertise for audiences.

“Friends ought to count on to see a breath-taking mix of stay leisure, creative circus performances, charming reveals, superb aerialists, water jets with particular results, music, lights, comedy, dancers, thrills and extra. That is an expertise to awe the entire household,” Antonios, who’s a managing accomplice at Cirque Du Liban’s father or mother firm Hat Leisure, tells The Nationwide.

There will even be a musical dancing fountain that would be the centrepiece the place spectators can watch water jets and color lights sync along with music through the present. Different highlights embody the air dice present, the place three aerial acrobats carry out mid-air, Duo Del Comedia, a Spanish comedic pair, and bike daredevils who carry out harmful stunts.

The present has beforehand had success in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, so, Antonios says, Dubai was the pure subsequent cease.

“We selected the UAE as it’s a key cultural hub for the Mena area. With a improbable vacationer market and new arrival inflow post-Expo 2020 Dubai, now we have not solely native viewers variety but additionally an enormous international market we are able to showcase to, which is the subsequent step in Fontana’s journey,” he says.

Antonios additionally has a vested curiosity within the success of the present as he and Izak Abou Sari opened the primary circus faculty in Lebanon referred to as Cirque Du Liban in 2009. The inspiration behind it was to assist younger individuals discover their skills and hone their abilities whereas discovering their passions.

It was throughout this time when employees observed the expertise the scholars had been showcasing and determined to start out producing reveals. The possibility to hone their abilities has resulted within the water circus.

“From years of training, coaching and dedication, budding skills led to the creation of the Cirque Du Liban unique manufacturing staff,” he says. “Then as recognition and phrase of mouth grew, manufacturing after manufacturing began gaining consideration within the Center East till lastly the improbable Fontana was created.”

Nonetheless, regardless of the various performances, it’s nonetheless a rigorous course of for all concerned. “There must be a interval of coaching and rehearsal to make sure all groups are as much as the problem, which takes a number of months, and solely then are the groups 100 per cent able to placed on a present,” says Antonios.

Fontana will happen inside a large tent at Pageant Metropolis Mall with grandstand seating for 1,300 individuals. Two day by day reveals will take: a matinee at 3pm and and a night present at 6pm. Every efficiency is about two hours. Though the primary present has but to happen, Antonios says he is already able to take it to different emirates.

“Pageant Bay at Dubai Pageant Metropolis Mall supplies the right setting for Fontana’s state-of-the-art circus tent and Aquatic Theatre, and the present’s world-class line-up of performers can’t wait to amaze and entertain audiences in equal measure,” he says.

“We’re wanting ahead to revealing extra thrilling particulars very quickly, as we take Fontana to extra superb places throughout the UAE quickly.”

Scroll the gallery beneath to see different reveals and occasions coming to Dubai this 12 months

Up to date: August 21, 2022, 3:44 AM