RUMInation: A Dubai-based group breathes new life into old folk tales

History may not be among the most interesting subjects for students in school, but the importance of history in our lives cannot be dismissed. Our past determines our present, which, in turn, shapes our future. It’s through the stories of people who lived before us that we establish our identity. It strengthens our sense of belonging to specific communities and cultures.

However, people’s interest in their heritage and culture is declining, thanks to the growth of technology and the fast pace of life. It is to help them take a pause and ruminate on their past and bring a sense of integrity that Samaneh Mojaveri thought of a unique concept that combines performing arts with storytelling from different cultures, mainly the Farsi, Arabic and Indian traditions. It led to the formation of RUMInation, a musical-dance ensemble led by dutar and tanbur maestro from Khorasan in Iran, Khalil Sheikh.

While Mojaveri, who is also a yoga and meditation instructor, leads the team as the producer and presenter of the shows that fuse elements of poetry and nomadic stories with the musical and dance forms of the region, Sheikh is the pivot and pillar of the venture. His vocal and instrumental endeavours have been key in popularising the Maghami music of Iran around the world and he is considered a prominent force in the ballad scene of the region.

Sheikh and Mojaveri joined hands with Dubai-based Kathak exponent Swarashri Shridhar, oud artiste Hooman Shirali and tabla player Sandu, to establish RUMInation. The essence of its shows are the folktales and poems that were handed down through generations, and those that give us a distinct cultural identity.

Notes of connection

“I have always wanted music to connect people with each other. In today’s busy and chaotic world, people need to empathise and get closer to emotions and friendship, or human beings will have to flee to the forest and take refuge in the caves again,” says Sheikh, whose concerts and music programmes are mostly hosted at the 360° Theatre of Digital Arts (TODA), Madinat Jumeirah.

Sheikh comes from the hometown of Sufi Rumi, and being familiar with the culture, life and thoughts of Rumi gives Sheikh the advantage of portraying Sufi poetry and philosophy eloquently. However, these concerts crossover to other genres too.

On the day we met Sheikh, the ensemble treated the audience to a performance that traced the journey of Ibn Batuta through the Silk Road. The show The Journey of the Nomad presented musicians from five different countries that Ibn Batuta had travelled and a dervish dancer who took the show to a crescendo with her whirling.

What adds glory to the RUMInation concerts is the venue, 360° at TODA, which projects a setting reflecting the specific themes, making it a more immersive experience even for people who are not familiar with the technicalities of various forms of traditional music. TODA is where digital art meets traditional genres and the unique combinations present a surreal experience to the audience.

Although global fusion in arts has been around for some time now, what makes Sheikh and Samaneh’s endeavour unique is its mix of poetry, storytelling, authentic music and dance, all presented to the audience in two hours. “All cultures basically have the same roots and originate from similar philosophies, and it was exciting to see that there was scope to bring them together to weave tales and thus bring people together. Storytelling is a part of our lifestyle; all of us have grown up listening to stories which we remember even today,” says Mojaveri.

According to her, folk music endures unlike other fleeting genres, and it resonates with listeners over generations. “Folk music traditions are getting corrupted because of modernisation and my interest in Eastern music and an eagerness to bring in folk elements that tells tales fired my imagination. That’s when I met my musical guru Khalil Sheikh.”

Most of RUMInation’s concerts are improvised on stage, says Shridhar, who performs for RUMInation. “Initially, it was challenging to keep improvising on a storyline and movement vocabulary because I didn’t know when the music would stop. But this need to be spontaneous taught me to live in the moment and keep dancing, and everything started falling into place.”

This improvisation tests the artistes and pushes them to be at their best selves, playing from their consciousness. “It leaves us with a show that is unique, something we cannot recreate because everything that we present happens instantly, based on our artistic impulses.”

She credits the efforts put in by Sheikh with his singing and music on the dutar (a two-stringed instrument) and his fellow tabla player from India, Sandu, for her spontaneity. She says it inspires her to discover her own narrative. “The soulful melodies of the dutar help me enhance this, and the tabla (which is mainly used in Kathak) drives me to add the fast footwork. I have an opportunity to explore the best of the two traditions when I am performing for RUMInation.”