Dubai Summer Surprises 2007 begins with dazzling opening ceremony

The show was attended by His Excellency Hussain Ali Lootah, Executive Chairman of Dubai Summer Surprises; Saeed Al Nabouda, CEO, DSS; Ibrahim Saleh, COO, DSS; Laila Suhail, DSS Executive Project Director; Yousif Mubarak, DSS Events, Services and Operations Director; the main sponsors of DSS 2007; members of the Organising Committee; and members of regional and international media.

Upon the conclusion of the ceremony Sheikh Mansour toured Modhesh Fun City, accompanied by Saeed Al Nabouda and senior DSS Officials. During the course of his tour, Sheikh Mansour made it a point to stop at Al Maidan Theatre and greet the young youla performers hailing their youla skills.

The ceremony started with a traditional UAE folk show, reflecting the rich cultural heritage. This was followed by glitzy, inspiring performances by a galaxy of world-famous artists who presented light and sound shows against innovative, vibrant and one-of-a-kind backdrop. The elements of nature were depicted throughout the ceremony, resulting in the creation of unique imagery.

The 40-minute ceremony, televised live on Sama Dubai TV, included innovative shows, as well as folkloric performances that illustrated the deep rooted past and the dynamism of the present, besides classic Jazz performances. More than 30 international artistes took to the fully equipped stage to showcase world-class entertainment. Modhesh, with his distinctive smile, appeared in the beginning of the show to greet the audience.

The creatively designed stage of the celebration included a 20 diameter and 1.5 metre deep pool, fountains, light and sound accessories. The stage was designed to reflect and emphasize the themes of the 10 surprises. A big screen behind the stage ran clips from the previous editions of DSS, highlighting the development of Dubai over the years.

Saeed Al Nabouda, Chief Executive Officer of DSS said, "We planned an opening ceremony this time around to make the tenth edition stand out and distinct from the previous editions. We, today, are celebrating the beginning of an event that has grown in stature year after year to a point where it attracts visitors in the millions from the all over the world."

"The combination of human elements and advanced technology was very much evident in the opening ceremony. The integration of these components was achieved through the creativity of the artists who performed today."

Abdulla Amiri, DSS Senior Operations & Services Coordinator, "The performances of the opening ceremony, are by itself, a preview of the creativity and innovative nature of events that will be showcased during the ten weeks of non-stop entertainment during DSS. The choice of Modhesh Fun City as the venue was natural as it has abundant area and is fully equipped to host an event as special and grand as the opening ceremony."