The Pulse at Dubai Opera: Where Bodies Sang and Voices Flew

Forget Lights, Camera, Action. Think Strength, Sound, and Soul. The Pulse invited us into a different dimension — where adrenaline met art, and physicality became poetry.

Art is an adventure; your experience depends entirely on your identity and interpretation. Maybe your pulse races at the sight of daring performance art—jaw dropped, eyes wide. Perhaps you are drawn to the tension of physical theatre, where bodies collide and emotions erupt. Or maybe you are the kind who finds their heart stirred by the slow swell of choral harmonies in a quiet concert hall. Then again, you might chase goosebumps in a room filled with projections and surround sound, immersed in stories that blur the line between real and imagined. If any of the above sounds like your kind of thrill, The Pulse was waiting for you.

We never imagined a performance at Dubai Opera could deliver such intensity. But on a quiet Sunday evening, May 11, The Pulse transformed the iconic venue into a living, breathing temple of awe and connection. This wasn't just a show; it was a profoundly human experience. Winner of three International Circus Awards—Outstanding Production, Choreography, and Design—The Pulse has stunned sold-out audiences across Australia and Europe. Its Dubai debut was not just a performance but a cultural moment.

It begins with a voice—female, warm, and uncertain. Is she the choir lead, a narrator, or someone who has casually stepped behind the mic? She greets the audience and intersperses the conversation with a few words in Arabic, shares her excitement at performing at Dubai Opera for the final time that evening, and beams at the applause. The atmosphere instantly shifts; the walls come down. Suddenly, the stage is filled with women dressed in black, their voices echoing through the space: ONE. TWO. THREE. THREE. TWO. FOUR… then, WAAHID. ITNAYN… The audience responds, applauding at the recognition of numbers in Arabic. And then, something clicks. The voice returns—casual, intimate—commenting on the show's evolving nature. And just like that, we've become part of it. The rhythm of numbers becomes music. Math becomes melody. You begin to wonder why you weren't taught the subject this way—why there aren't more musical scores built on the cadence of counting. The mystery deepens as the acrobats enter. They don't just walk but also glide, roll, rise, and flow like waves. Their every movement—almost psychedelic—is hypnotic. 

Performed by the internationally acclaimed Australian company Gravity & Other Myths, renowned for raw physicality and emotive storytelling, The Pulse brought together 18 world-class acrobats and 25 live choir members in a breathtaking display of strength, emotion, and synergy. Pyramids rose and collapsed with elegance. Bodies soared and caught with split-second precision. It was underscored by Ekrem Eli Phoenix's ethereal score and Geoff Cobham's evocative lighting. What resulted was more than a performance— a 75-minute spectacle that redefined what live theatre can be: immersive, alive, and viscerally moving. 

The acrobats, dressed in the simplest attire—pants, shorts, tees, tights—carry no flash or frill. And yet, it is impossible to look away. Their bodies collide and regroup in a dance of resilience. Like dominoes falling and rising again, they build human bridges with every limb in play. Their differing body types, matched with shared smiles and nods of encouragement, reveal something rare—genuine camaraderie. You're not just watching strength and balance; you're witnessing joy in motion. Even as the stakes get higher, their smiles remain constant. And that's what draws you in. You worry for their safety—will they land that leap? Will the base hold the human pyramid above?—but when you catch them grinning mid-air, you exhale…and smile, too. 

Lighting plays its role—shadows add mystery, and flashlights strapped to chests guide the way through surreal sequences. Reds and greens color the floor and backdrop, matching the emotional tone beat for beat. At one point, a heart-wrenching duet between a crying soloist and a performer/s evokes raw grief and loss—goosebumps ripple through the hall. Yet, the show is not without humor. The choir members sing Mary Had a Little Lamb as acrobats lie on their backs, transforming into a human piano. As another performer playfully "presses" their chests like keys, we're reminded of the joy in art—the deliberate silliness amidst intensity. 

Yalla. Habibi. The local flavor makes its way into the performance easily, sparking delighted reactions from the Dubai crowd. And when the performers pause mid-act to wipe sweat, exchange jokes, or casually set the stage ropes in hand, laughter in the air, we're treated to a peek behind the curtain. It feels like we're sitting in on a rehearsal, part of their process, their world. That raw, unscripted intimacy makes the magic all the more real. 

As The Pulse nears its end, the acts become increasingly daring—more ambitious, more breathtaking. Human pyramids spiral higher. Movements blur into one another. They hop, glide, and spin. Are they human knots? Fidget spinners? Or simply astonishingly skilled artists who've spent years perfecting a language of movement, trust, and timing? We're still unsure. But what we are sure of is this: we didn't want the night to end. 

By the end, the audience wasn't just clapping—we were celebrating. We were part of the show's pulse, riding its rhythm. And as we exited the Dubai Opera, the air buzzed with the energy of shared triumph. We hadn't expected a performance at this venue to be so adrenaline-spiking, but it was. And how.  What makes The Pulse stand out is its thematic richness. It's not just about spectacle—it's about connection. There are no stars here. Instead, every member shares the weight, the risk, and the glory. It's a living ode to cooperation, resilience, and trust. To move together, breathe together, support one another—this is The Pulse's beating heart. 

Opened in 2016, Dubai Opera has become the UAE's cultural crown jewel, hosting a spectrum of world-class performances. Its decision to welcome The Pulse reinforces its mission: to inspire, challenge, and connect. This show wasn't just a highlight—it was a statement. We wish the show hadn't been marketed solely as a "modern circus and acrobats." It was that—but it was also so much more: an aesthetic, courageous, genre-blending celebration of choreography, theatre, music, light, shadow, and soul. If you missed it, you missed something extraordinary.

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Authored by Purva Grover

Purva Grover is an author, journalist, and creative entrepreneur. She is the founder-editor of storiesoverart.com, a sanctuary for all who find solace, inspiration, and purpose in art. In a world that often overlooks the significance of art, she stands firm in her belief that it is essential, more so than anything else.