April 14th, 2016: Canadian University Dubai (CUD) student, Bishr Bin Rashid Bin Bishr, has triumphed in the Al Maidan Al-Youla dance contest, taking away the first prize of AED 1 million in the 2016 edition of the annual competition.
Bishr, who is a Finance and Accounting major at CUD, was selected from the hundreds of dancers who took part in the initial audition phase of this year’s competition, to make it through to the final televised stages of the event. He was ultimately crowned champion as the result of a public vote that followed the grand finale, staged at Global Village.
Al-Youla is an ancient Bedouin dance that embodies the bond between a man and his weapon. It involves the contestant spinning a rifle with the lightest possible footwork, while tossing it as far as possible in the air, and catching it before it falls to the ground. Judges assess contestants against five criteria, including footwork, rotation of the rifle, the throw, the catch and the overall fluidity of movement.
With its army origins, Al-Youla is known as the ‘Soldier’s Dance’, but has now transformed into a sport that requires intensive training. Bishr revealed, “I stared Al-Youla as a child, it’s a tradition that we enjoy practicing with our friends, and is involved in family celebrations such as weddings. However, to perform in competition requires a lot of dedication; I will usually practice for at least two hours a day.”
The dance has seen a revival in popularity among young Emiratis since the inception of the Al Maidan competition, which was first launched by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to help preserve and celebrate the Emirates’ traditional cultural pursuits.
Speaking about his win in the contest, Bishr said, “It is a great honor to become the champion in an event that helps to keep alive the traditions and culture of the UAE, and to do so in such a prestigious competition makes me very proud.”
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