Crazy Horse Paris will open a permanent production called The Dubai Edition on November 12 at Zabeel Theatre, inside Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on Palm Jumeirah. It will be the cabaret’s first presence in the Middle East and its only permanent production outside Paris.
French artist and entrepreneur Alain Bernardin founded Crazy Horse in 1951 at 12 Avenue George V, near the Champs-Élysées, and it has been part of Paris nightlife for 75 years. Where traditional cabaret leans on elaborate costumes, comedy and large ensemble numbers, Crazy Horse built its name on stylised dance staged with precise lighting, shadows and projections that turn the performers into part of the visual effect. Its shows include artistic nudity, though the emphasis is on choreography, illusion and the interplay of light and movement rather than conventional striptease. Collaborators over the years include Beyoncé, Christian Louboutin, Jean Paul Gaultier, Elie Saab, Dita Von Teese and Lisa of the K-pop group Blackpink.
The Dubai show has been created for the emirate and adapted to regional culture and customs. It keeps the company’s trademark lighting, optical illusions and choreography and adds new elements for local audiences, although organisers have not said how far the content will change, including how the more revealing Paris routines will be handled. Andrée Deissenberg, chief creative and brand officer of Crazy Horse Paris and artistic director of the Dubai production, said the goal was to “create a show that is immediately identifiable as Crazy Horse Paris”.
The cast of 18 dancers was chosen from hundreds of international applicants, and each completed six months of specialised training in Paris before joining the production. The theatre has been converted into an intimate cabaret room seating 200 guests. The venture is run by 111 Management, a Dubai-based hospitality group.
Guests can choose between two formats each evening. The Show lasts about 90 minutes, with doors at 6pm, a 7pm start, a DJ and a master of ceremonies, and tickets from Dh400. The Show & Dinner runs for around three hours with a three-course meal, opens its doors at 9pm, starts at 9.30pm, ends with a DJ set and costs from Dh900. A private Crazy Suite takes groups of up to 14 and is aimed at celebrations and exclusive bookings, while higher-priced seating categories add premium positions and extra hospitality. Performances will run daily from the opening night, and admission is limited to guests aged 21 and over.
