RIYADH – Amid the diversification of entertainment in the Kingdom, foreigndancers performed at a local festival in the south-western region thattriggered an outcry.
As the viral footage showed foreign dancers performing at a local festivalwith revealing costumes on street, Saudi authorities started aninvestigation.
Jazan’s governor, Prince Mohammed bin Nasser, ordered an inquiry sayingauthorities will take necessary measures to prevent transgression.
Foreign dancers displaying their moves in the main street of Jazan weretaking part in the Winter Festival. The dancers donned traditional featherdresses with their bellies, legs, arms exposed however the performers didnot reveal as samba dancers used to wear skimpy dresses during the carnivalparades.
State-run El-Ekhbariya Saudi channel aired footage of the festival butblurred parts of the women however some supporters opposed the move sayingthe show was for entertainment, not to go against religious and socialnorms.
As some support the bold entertainment, others seemed irked, demandingpunishment for those responsible for the event.
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In recent months, Kingdom has hosted a number of entertainment events andfestivals as part of dramatic changes under the Saudi vision 2030.
The recent events, that opposed the conservative approach in thesecond-largest Arab state, are part of a broad initiative by Crown PrinceMohammed bin Salman for social reform and economic diversification of theoil-dependent economy.
Meanwhile, some critics claimed that Saudi authorities under MBS are usingentertainment events to get rid of its poor human rights record.
