Ali Al Sayed And Mina liccione from dubomedy
Mina Liccione is a Broadway veteran and awardwinning comedian who moved to Dubai in 2007. And when she married Emirati comedian Ali Al Sayed, it was little wonder that they became UAE’S very own comedy couple — bringing laughter and joy to everyone who listened to them clowning around.
However, it wasn’t just about spreading laughter through their comedy. Mina, who hails from America, had done a stint of ‘ clowning’ work in hospitals there, and when she came to Dubai, she expressed her desire to start a similar programme. Ali, of course, was just as enthusiastic as she was, and that’s how the Clowns Who Care project was born.
“In the US, there are hospitals just for children and loads of senior centres, but I couldn’t find too many of them in the UAE,” says Mina. “There are a lot of special needs students here, so that’s who we decided to help. We reached out to organisations — we wanted to have workshops, events, even parties to bring some cheer into the childrens’ lives. But there’s a method to the madness. We have physical activities because these children need to exercise. That’s when the body releases endorphins and also puts kids in a good mood.”
“There’s a lot of energy there,” says Ali, who plays a big role in the events. “We have musicians, dancers, storytellers and entertainers of all kinds. All volunteers are welcome, with the only requisite being that they should be cheerful and upbeat. And the parties always end with a dance session of sorts.”
Clowns Who Care have branched out over the years. Today, Ali and Mina make it a point to visit Jordan a couple of times every year to perform and spread cheer amongst the Syrian refugees. They also aim to brighten the day of all those in hospitals, as well as labourers. Ali recalls one particular incident where they were denied permission to perform in front of the labourers, because the company could not comprehend that they wanted absolutely nothing in return; they assumed it was a marketing gimmick of some sort. “I found myself having to explain myself to the general manager,” chuckled Ali. “But, once he understood, he agreed instantly.”
For Ali, being able to perform and brighten up someone’s life — even if it is just for a day — is important. “When you make someone laugh — be it your colleague or sibling or parents — you just changed their day for the better! The fact that you have the power to do that is amazing.”
The couple also launched Autism Smiles in the UAE last year, a programme designed to help autistic youngsters learn new skills, and just have fun. Mina admitted that, at first, it was difficult to make a connection with the children, especially because the children thrive on having a routine. It was a slow process of starting a routine, getting the children comfortable with it and ending the routine just as they expected — with no sudden changes.
“Any new activity can throw them off,” explains Mina. “They need to know that they are in a safe and loving atmosphere. But now that they’ve gotten adjusted, it is incredible to see their confidence grow. Many of these kids are nonverbal and they cannot express emotions i n the conventional sense. We have one boy who just runs around when he is excited. Others may think he is badly behaved, but we understand that he only does this because he is happy. This project helps me see the world through their eyes and, nowadays, before an event, I’m just as excited as they are.”
janice@ khaleejtimes. com