91Èȱ¬

This week the 91Èȱ¬ Open Centre has played host to the local talent that has enriched the town over the years.Ìý It was all part of the build up to the Middlesbrough Mela on Sunday 15th July.

On Monday Mystic Roots, a Dub and Reggae band, took centre stage in the performance area. The band got together six months ago and are usually made up of four musicians.Ìý They were joined on this occasion by DJ Patrick Anselm and Chris McFarlane the bands MC.ÌýÌýÌý

Mustafa, the groups organiser, told us:

"The dance is all about uniting the community. It's important that everyone taking part holds hands as it is a symbolic bond of humanity."

The Kurdish dancers will be the second act performing on the main stage at the Mela on Sunday at 12.30 pm.

The Tees Valley World Drummers took to the stage and put on a stunning display on Thursday.

They've been collectively playing for the last two and half years and formed when Pete Widlinski, from the North of England Refugee Service, heard local refugees playing the drums at a community event.

He said:

"The drumming is all about bringing integration and cohesion into the community."

The drummers have seventy active members and are a truly multi-cultural group with members from the Far East, the Congo and Middlesbrough.

Visitors to the Mela will have an opportunity to hear the drummers play at their stall in the Mela Bazaar.Ìý

The Message also came along to perform on Thursday.

Ahmed Adnan-Nasr and Imad Sawalha play and sing music from the Middle East and North Africa. Ahmed plays lute and guitar and Imad plays the Darbuka, a special type of drum.

A lot of their music is influenced by and sung in various dialects of Arabic from Egyptian, Moroccan and Lebanese.

Ahmed and Imad both said:

"Our music is emotive and is all about promoting goodness and standing up for your beliefs."

See photos from the Open Centre sessions by clicking the links at the top right of this page.

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