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Creativity with an Arabic twist, all are welcome here

Dubai - For Dh5,000 a year, parents can enroll their kids into any of the courses offered.

It's a pity there were no children around on the day the media got a tour of the Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children earlier this week at the expansive venue in Dubai's Umm Sequim neighbourhood. Since it was a weekday and they were in school, it couldn't be helped.
So instead of parents and the young ones, a troupe of media types got to amble about the arts and crafts section, the pottery section, the radio station, the library, the music room, even a keyboard laboratory, a theatre, all under one roof. For Dh5,000 a year, parents can enroll their kids into any of the courses offered.
Payment is possible separately too, for just some specific courses. There are multimedia courses, robotics courses, music, movement (tai chi for women), and courses in fine and applied arts. None of this is restricted only for children. Pottery and silkscreen printing are some of the courses especially for adults.
Radio Station
Pearl 102 FM, a kids' centric radio network is located here. Jeff Price, co founder of Pearl FM - also radio presenter, who nurtures his vocal chords by drinking honey, often has kids in the studio, and mums over for coffee mornings.
"Once I get the mums talking, they pretty much take over the show," Price said.
The arts
With lots of easels and paint brushes and pinned up water colour papers drying on a clothesline, the arts room is a lively place. Kids aged 10-16 come here to learn how to express their creativity with a paint brush. The primary theme is UAE culture. So you see lots of Burj Al Arab water colours and Burj Khalifa against orange skies. There have been two summer camps for art this year. For kids aged 11 and above, the centre also offers Culture and Heritage courses - Dukhoon, the making of Emirati scents and the traditional palm weaving.
Hamda Busamah, the crafts teacher, says its different to teach boys and girls. Hamda teaches them sculpture and moulding and pottery and imparts lessons in Emirati traditions. "Sometimes they'll look confused if I say ok let's make a muruha, then I have to tell them it means fan, let's make a fan.
Busamah said: "Boys are good at building".
The girls, she said, show a preference for "costume design and henna."
In another hobby crafts section, the kids are taught how to upcycle pizza boxes, paper plates, water bottles, clothes hangers - almost every object can be redesigned and repurposed into something beautiful and crafty. Nausha Samama has been the teacher of this section for 3 months, and is very proud to show the accomplishments of her students, taught by her. She teaches them jewellery and decopatch, and the importance of recycling, which she feels is a pressing issue in the UAE.
Library & music
With mostly coloured Arabic books with large pictures, the library seems more for younger children. There is even a bed where the younger kids, who can't read yet, but can lie down and watch colour pictures on the LCD screen on the ceiling, and then presumably doze off. Beyond the library there is a multipurpose room where tai chi classes are soon going to be held.
We move towards the studios - music appreciation classes.
"We introduce the children to Emirati identity, and also teach them about world music, jazz.," Tala Tutunji, the music teacher, said.
Tala, at the keyboard lab, said music classes help mother and child to bond.
In the next room, a Syrian Oudh player gives an impromptu performance, strumming the Oudh and singing a folk song.
Ayham Abou Amar is the Oudh player and teachers name. His colleague Feras Rada teaches the guitar. He said these days he's got a bunch of three brothers as his students, teenage and younger. "They want to start a band."
It's evident how bent the centre is to giving kids a head start in subjects you can't learn on a tablet app. And adults, too, one has to constantly bear in mind.
nivriti@khaleejtimes.com