Films, art, workshops and more for Season 7 of The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi.
The long-awaited Season 7 spring schedule at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi has been finally been revealed.
Hosted under the theme of ‘Now and into the Future’, the programme has a packed lineup for you to enjoy including UAE premieres, music, theatre, dance, film, poetry, and interdisciplinary performances spotlights.
The shows will also see the return of audiences to in-person events on NYUAD’s campus for the first time in two years.
Speaking on the lineup, Executive Artistic Director at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi Bill Bragin said the team were delighted to see the return of audiences to the centre.
He said: “Speaking personally, there’s nothing better than being in the same time and space as the artists and other audience members, and we are thrilled to re-gather as an arts community.
“We are grateful to our friends in the Saadiyat Cultural District, Louvre Abu Dhabi and Manarat al Saadiyat, for giving some of our programmess a home as we transitioned back to in person events.
“This spirit of collaboration and collegiality is a hallmark of the growing arts community in the UAE. But there’s nothing better than being in your own home, and we’re thrilled to welcome the community back to The Arts Center and to the NYUAD campus.”
So, what can you expect from Season 7 at The Arts Center at NYUAD?
The Stranger (Al Gharib)
The first of two CinemaNa screenings in The Blue Hall kicks off on March 7 with The Stranger (Al Gharib) by Ameer Fakher Eldin (2021). The film tells the story of an unlicensed doctor in an occupied village in Golan Heights where the doctor encounters a wounded man leading him to meet his newly found destiny.
The screening will be followed by a Zoom Q&A with the director, moderated by filmmaker, Reem Saleh.
32 Sounds
Returning to in-person perforamnces itself is the immersive live documentary and sensory experience, 32 Sounds, by Oscar-nominated flimmaker, Sam Green in The Red Theater on 9 and 10 March. 32 Sounds explores the elemental phenomenon of sound, this version of the “live-cinema” performance features live narration by Sam Green and live original music by faculty member at NYU Clive Davis School, JD Samson.
Rhyme
Next up on the Season 7 schedule is Rhyme on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 March. A production by the Sima Dance Company, Rhyme spotlights Arabic heritage and culture through an artistic lens, drawing from Arabic poetry, live vocals, and kinetic contemporary dance. Featured in the performance are vocalist Mostafa Aldelrady and Lama Mossallam (who is also a participant in The Arts Center’s Numoo artist development platform).
The Mary McBride Band
One of the originals from the pilot season of The Arts Center in February 2015, the group make their long-awaited return to the UAE. Performing at The East Plaza on 24 March, the band will serenade audiences with America’s most loved roots music genres.
Rooftop Rhythms
The Middle East’s longest-running open mic night continues its showcasing of Abu Dhabi’s amateur poets, wordsmiths and musicians at NYUAD’s The Marketplace on Friday 25 March and Friday 20 May.
ElectroFest
On 27 March, returning for a third edition in The Black Box, the NYUAD music programme, curated by Clare Lesser, explores the interfaces between performers, composers, audiences, and technology.
Before We Forget (Qabl An-Nansa)
On April 11, the second screening of CinemaNa sees Before We Forget (Qabl An-Nansa) by Nanby Nawaf Al Janahi (2021) showcased. A man burdened by debt and bad luck takes the son he can’t support and the father who suffers from memory loss on a road trip to find a buried treasure that could solve all their problems.
The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the director, moderated by filmmaker, Nezar Andary.
The Storyville Mosquito
On 12 and 13 May, Kid Koala’s live animated graphic novel The Storyville Mosquito will light up the big screen at The Red Theater. The piece is performed, filmed, and scored in real time, featuring puppet theater, turntablism, a string trio, and live, real-time filmmaking.
Ioannis Potamousis
On 15 May, the NYUAD Faculty Recital will see classical pianist Ioannis Potamousis present an evening of music composed by Sergei Rachmaninoff. The performance in The Blue Hall is presented in partnership with the NYU Abu Dhabi Music Program.
The Main Circle: 7.83
UAE-based filmmaker and dancer Philip Rachid presents the World Premiere of his work, The Main Circle: 7.83 on 16 and 17 June in The Black Box. It explores the perception of dance across Middle Eastern cultures and traditions, and is inspired by the work of the aforementioned Sam Green.
Off The Stage
Off The Stage presented by Mubadala accompanies the season with a strong lineup of arts chats and workshops on film, dance, storytelling, and puppetry, in support of the UAE’s national strategy to grow the nation’s cultural and creative Industries.
For more information visit The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi.
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