Guests and visitors at the 38th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair were treated to an explosion of Mexican culture as a group of dancers in long, brightly coloured dresses offered a glimpse into their riveting culture, and displayed their fleet-footed talents as they kept pace with the rhythmic beats of the band of musicians accompanying them.

This cultural programme was held to mark the celebration of Mexico as Guest of Honour at SIBF 2019, and was part of the cultural activities hosted by the Mexican Pavilion.

Adorned in beautiful, bouncing handcrafted skirts that fan out in the air, and with their hair in braided buns, the dancers twirled and spun around while moving through the main hallway of the Sharjah Expo Centre. Crowds gathered to watch the mesmerising cultural show.

Drummers and trumpet players too received a thunderous applause for their lively music, and the half-hour performance expressed emphatically the important role of music and dance in the lives and culture of the Mexican people.

The 18-member ensemble of dancers and musicians are all trained professionals and part of the Ballet Folklórico Tradicional del Estado de Oaxaca from the south of Mexico.

The troupe in Oaxaca comprises a total of 46 dancers and 20 musicians, and have gained international recognition for the artistic quality and originality of their shows.

Visitors to SIBF 2019 can enjoy the traditional ballet performance every evening from 4 – 4.30pm at the Kids Hall Theatre and from 6 – 6.30pm at the halls and lobbies until Wednesday, November 6, at Expo Centre Sharjah.

The art of film making using colours, filters and audio explored at SIBF 2019

FILMMAKING

Earlier, guests to Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2019) learned professional techniques of filming and photography for social media during the Deliver Your Content to the Public Through Colours Workshop. Accomplished filmmaker and social media expert Sam Rose presented his insider knowledge to a group of both professional and hobbyist photographers and videographers keen on discovering how to improve their results.

Sam explained that he travelled the world, with up to 90 per cent of his time spent outside his home country, making films and shooting campaigns for world-renowned brands. But he said he was able to fit all the equipment he needed into a small backpack.

“I know people want to know about the technical stuff, the best camera and filters for certain jobs. I tell them that these days, equipment is getting better and better and more compact. But it’s not the equipment that matters, it’s your vision. How are you going to stand out from the crowd when you are shooting a beautiful sunset or a romantic walk on the beach, or people surf boarding when there are already hundreds or even millions of such shots? The only way is through your own individuality, your own vision. For that you can even use your camera phone because it’s not about the equipment, but finding your own style.”

Sam learned about this himself while at college studying graphic design. He explains, “We looked at colours and perspective, and I studied the use of colours by famous artists such as Van Gogh who used a lot of bright shades in his artwork. This helped inform my own shots. I learnt when to use certain filters to enhance colour, what works well and how.”

This, he says, is something individuals need to work out for themselves to find their own style. But there are a few tips he can give, such as, “keep your videos short”, as there is much data to suggest that two- or three-minute films are viewed more than longer content and also remember audio because he said audio is one of the most important aspects in filmmaking.

The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) released two new books at the ongoing Sharjah International Book Fair 2019, which is being held under the theme ‘Open Books, Open Minds,’ to celebrate the emirate’s title as ‘World Book Capital for 2019.’