Zayed's Dream ends US run

After sell-out shows in Washington DC, Zayed and the Dream concludes its US run with performances in Los Angeles.

Zayed and the Dream plays to the University of California's Royce Hall. Courtesy Adach

The American journey has come to an end after the curtain closed this week on the first US tour of Zayed and The Dream.

Created by the acclaimed Lebanese dance company Caracalla, the show is a theatrical adaptation of the life of Sheikh Zayed, the founding father of the UAE.

It has enjoyed global success since its 2008 debut in Abu Dhabi as part of the 37th National Day celebrations.

Zayed and the Dream, which was commissioned by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, has since played in Beirut, Dubai, London and Paris.

The story follows seven horsemen - each representing one of the seven emirates and seven different aspects of Sheikh Zayed's personality - who take it on themselves to accompany the young sheikh on his transition to adulthood.

The original cast consisted of 158 dancers, 10 falcons and seven horses.

For the US tour, more than 100 dancers from across the world came together to perform. It made its US premiere in a sold-out performance at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.

Zayed and the Dream concluded its run with two performances in Royce Hall at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The show will next be performed in China towards the end of the year.