Melpomene & Talent academy: children's theatre and musical studio in Barsha Heights
- Ages3–17years old
- WhereBarsha HeightsOpen in Maps
- Not publishedAskPrices and times
About Melpomene & Talent academy
Melpomene & Talent academy is the studio of Melpomena, a theatre that describes itself as the first Russian-language theatre in Dubai, on the 10th floor of Damac Executive Heights in Barsha Heights. The studio runs the theatre's acting courses for adults and its children's theatre studio, Talent Academy, which says it has staged more than 20 children's musicals. Posts from this season show a busy children's programme: a theatre after-school club taking new groups, mixing acting, singing, stage movement, stage combat and film-making; a casting for a new teen theatre group; and a theatre course for children and teenagers with special needs. Casting for this season's New Year children's musical, for ages 3 to 13, was on 9 October 2026; the show is on 6 December. The theatre also puts on interactive fairy tales where children join the actors on stage, including English-language shows for ages 2 to 10. Course pages and class posts are in Russian, so ask which language a group is taught in. The artistic director is Anna Shtatskaya.
The activity
Drama, explained
Children's drama is acting for kids: warm-up games, voice and breathing work, improvisation, movement and rehearsing short scenes, often building towards a show in front of family. Musical theatre adds singing and choreography to the acting, so children learn to act, sing and dance in the same piece. Along the way kids practise speaking clearly, listening to others, remembering lines and standing up in front of an audience, which is why parents often choose drama for shy children as well as confident ones. Many studios take children from about three or four in playful, song-based groups, then move older children and teenagers on to proper productions, and sometimes to film and camera work.
Who it's for
Children and teenagers. Casting for this season's New Year musical, open to children aged 3 to 13, was on 9 October 2026. The new teen theatre group takes members by casting, booked by phone or WhatsApp; the 2025 course list puts the teen course at 13 to 17. A theatre course for children and teenagers with special needs, announced in September 2026, combines acting, voice work, neurogymnastics with a qualified specialist, stage movement, dance and adapted stage combat. The course list, last updated August 2025, also includes music and choral singing for 3 to 6 year olds, neurogymnastics for 4 to 8 year olds and a children's film studio for 9 to 17 year olds; ask which of these run this season. Course pages and posts are in Russian, so ask whether a group suits a child who does not speak Russian. The studio also runs acting courses for adults.
What to expect
In the theatre after-school club, children act, sing, practise stage movement, learn to fight safely on stage, make up stories and shoot their own short films, trying something new each time; the day is agreed when a new group forms. The teen group works on acting, stage speech and movement, choreography and stage combat, building towards a real stage. Musical groups rehearse acting, singing, choreography and stage speech for a show in front of an audience. The interactive fairy tales are a gentle first taste: children put on costume pieces and help the actors tell the story on stage. The special-needs course offers a trial class; ask the provider about trials for other groups, fees and what to wear.
Highlights
- Theatre after-school club taking new groups in October 2026: acting, singing, stage movement, stage combat and film-making, on a day agreed when the group forms (instagram.com/talentacademy_uae)
- New teen theatre group announced in October 2026, joined by casting: acting, stage speech and movement, choreography and stage combat (instagram.com/dramatheater.dubai)
- Theatre course for children and teenagers with special needs, announced September 2026, with a trial class to book (instagram.com/dramatheater.dubai)
- Interactive English-language fairy tales for ages 2 to 10: The Wizard of Oz on 14 November and The Three Little Pigs on 29 November 2026 (melpomenetheater.com)
- More than 20 children's musicals staged by Talent Academy; casting for this season's New Year musical (ages 3 to 13) was on 9 October 2026 (instagram.com/talentacademy_uae)
- Studio on the 10th floor of Damac Executive Heights, office 1001, Barsha Heights (melpomenetheater.com)
Why parents rate it
What parents say on Google
Melpomene & Talent academy has 4.1 on Google from 17 reviews. Thirteen of those 17 reviews are five stars; the other four are one two-star review and three one-star reviews, with none at three or four stars.
The facts
- Ages
- 3-13 for this season's New Year musical (casting was 9 October 2026); teen group by casting (13-17 on the 2025 course list); special-needs theatre course for children and teenagers (September 2026); the course list last updated August 2025 also lists 3-6 music and choral singing, 4-8 neurogymnastics and a 9-17 film studio; confirm which groups run in 2026-27
- Prices
Current fees not on the site
Course pages last updated January 2025 (confirm current)
- Music / choral singing (3-6): AED 1,440 a semester for one courseAED 2,490 for bothFebruary-May
- Acting for the youngest: AED 2,890, February-May
- Children's musical: AED 8,850, February-December
- Teen course: AED 600 a month, September-April
- Schedule
- Theatre after-school club: day agreed when a new group forms (October 2026). October 2026 school-break camp was listed for 13-15 October 10:00-14:00 and 16 October 9:00-12:00. Course pages last updated January 2025 (confirm current): music / choral singing (3-6) Tuesday 17:15, 45 min; acting for the youngest Tuesday 16:30-18:00; neurogymnastics (4-8) Friday 15:45, 45 min; children's musical Monday 16:30-18:30 and Friday 13:30-16:30; teen course once a week plus Tuesday 18:30-21:30
- Trial
- Trial class offered for the special-needs theatre course (September 2026); ask about other groups
- Languages
- Russian
- Where
- Damac Executive Heights, 10th floor, office 1001, Barsha Heights, Dubai
- How to book
- melpomenetheater.com/kursi · +971 50 123 0735 · wa.me/971501230735 · +971 52 699 3507
Questions parents ask
Good to know
- Course pages and class posts are in Russian; ask whether a group suits a child who does not speak Russian. Some children's shows are in English (melpomenetheater.com)
- Places in the new teen theatre group are by casting; book a casting slot by phone or WhatsApp on +971 50 123 0735 (instagram.com/dramatheater.dubai, October 2026)
- Fees and times on the course pages date from January 2025, so ask for this season's (melpomenetheater.com)
- Many of the theatre's shows run at other venues, such as TODA and Dubai Performing Arts Academy (melpomenetheater.com)
- Class and casting posts use +971 50 123 0735; the contacts page gives the studio line as +971 52 699 3507 (melpomenetheater.com)
- Wheelchair-accessible entrance and car park (Google listing)
Prices, ages and times change — confirm with the provider before you book.
Location
Skip mapDamac Executive Heights - Fl 10 Suite 1001 - Jebel Ali Race Course Rd - Al Thanyah First - Barsha Heights - Dubai
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