The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi yesterday announced the launch of the fifth season of various performances under the slogan «Communication», to celebrate its fifth anniversary in the year of tolerance.

This came in a press conference during which the Executive Director of the Arts Center Bill Bragin reviewed the list of upcoming performances for the new season, highlighting the achievements of the Arts Center in the past years, as the events will start next month and continue until June 2020, and host some of the most prominent artists inspired at the levels Local and international, which will present more than 100 events, including six commissioning works, three shows for the first time in the world, 14 shows for the first time in the UAE, in addition to more than 90 interactive and educational events under the program "Out of Stage". The new season is based on the mission of the Arts Center to encourage communication between people.

“The new season starts with the theme of 'Communication,'” said Bragin, whose themes are inspired by the values ​​of the Year of Tolerance in the UAE, reflecting the many ways the Arts Center embraces people of different cultures through shared art experiences.

`` I am delighted to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Arts Center, and this milestone in his successful career, which coincides with the tenth academic year of NYU Abu Dhabi, and the first time for me as Vice President, '' said Mariette Westermann, Vice President of New York University Abu Dhabi.

“From my role in shaping the authentic vision of NYU Abu Dhabi, when I was a founding dean, this was a kind of benign return to my place,” said Westermann. I am proud of the status of the Center, as it has become a major part of the rich cultural fabric that forms Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general, and I am optimistic about the artistic creations that will flow over NYU Abu Dhabi in the next five years. ”

The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi is scheduled to officially open the fifth season of events on September 5, 6 and 7, 2019 with the Ethiopian Dreams show by the Circus of Abyssinia. New season events, and by the occasion of the Ethiopian New Year in the week following the show.

the program

The season sees the creation of the theatrical show «Flight» creativity of the theater «Fox Motos» Scottish innovative, which draws inspiration from the slogan «communication» and values ​​of the year of tolerance. The show is based on Caroline Brothers' Hinterland novel, which will be present during a panel discussion at the New York University Abu Dhabi Institute during her stay. This poignant story revolves around two young refugees from Afghanistan on their journey to safety in Europe.

In addition, the Arts Center will host two art exhibits exploring Arab voices on the African continent from Egypt to Zanzibar. Artist Fathi Salameh and Sheikh Mahmoud Touhami will perform the show “Sufi versus modernity”, while the Dow Music Academy will present a unique show of Tarab and Kedumbak music from Zanzibar. The ceremony reflects the objectives of the Barda Festival, which was launched by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development to support contemporary Islamic arts. The show combines the sounds and rhythms of traditional Sufi hymns with contemporary Egyptian jazz, presented by Fathi Salama, the only Arab Grammy Award-winning artist, along with vocalist Mahmoud Tohamy. The Dow Music Academy will present a mix of Indian Ocean culture and Afro-Arabic music, in partnership with the New York University Abu Dhabi Music Program.

Cunningham Celsius

As part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Mers Cunningham, the pioneer of the most influential postmodern choreography of the 20th century, the Arts Center will witness the first-ever Bebed Theater in the Middle East, a multimedia dance show with live music from The creativity of author Gavin Briars and his band, as well as the show "How to Pass, Kick, Fall & Run," is the fruit of Cunningham's collaboration with creative composer John Cage. These performances are part of the Center's endeavors to highlight the most prominent works of dance from the late twentieth century.

Cooperat

The fifth season witnesses the return of a number of distinctive and popular events to the public, including the evening of poetry and singing «Hikaya», which is held for the first time under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development to celebrate the UAE National Day. Hikaya will be presented by Emirati poet Salem Al Attas, with the participation of a group of artists from diverse communities in the UAE, who will share their creations in poetry, prose and singing.

Another highlight of the season is the Arabic Contemporary Film Series, which will be launched during selected evenings on Monday in collaboration with the New Cinema and Media Program at New York University Abu Dhabi and the Sorbonne - Paris Abu Dhabi. The exhibition, commissioned by the Raheel Art Center, is a contemporary play by contemporary Emirati writer Reem Al Menhali and award-winning American director and professor at New York University Abu Dhabi Joanna Settle.

This is followed by the launch of the fourth edition of the Isthmus Festival, which was recently renovated to include six live performances on three theaters the same night.