Exciting new line-up of live events unveiled by NYU Abu Dhabi

With everyone from jazz giant Ravi Coltrane to Emirati playwright Reem Almenhali, the programme features a diverse array of creative luminaries

Ravi Coltrane will reimagine the groundbreaking music of his parents, jazz pioneers John and Alice Coltrane. Photo: NYUAD Arts Centre

The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi has announced an array of music, theatre, film and dance events, as well as a series of workshops, running next month. Ranging from cutting-edge performance art to immersive jazz sessions, here's what to look out for.

Theatre

Director Joanna Settle and playwright Reem Almenhali will present a revival of their 2020 play Al Raheel | Departure, which explores what it means to be an Emirati woman.

Spanning themes of innocence, womanhood and grief, the production weaves together Arabic and English-language poetry, over a backdrop of images and movement. The play will be staged on October 1 at 7.30pm and October 2 at 3pm at The Black Box.

A performance of 'Al Raheel | Departure' by Emirati writer Reem Almenhali and American director Joanna Settle. Photo: NYU Abu Dhabi

Reem Almenhali will also present an interactive workshop exploring her approaches to turning poetry into theatre scenes. Participants will engage in a series of exercises taking them through their own creative processes. The workshop will be delivered in both Arabic and English on October 10 at 6:30pm at The Arts Centre.

Joanna Settle will discuss her work in theatre and opera in her talk An Exploration of a Director's Approach on October 11 at 6.30pm. Drawing on her experiences in the US and the UAE, she will explore how directors develop and present live performances and some of the challenges they face along the way.

Film

Jordanian filmmaker Zaid Abu Hamdan will present a screening of his film Daughters of Abdul-Rahman on October 3 at 7.30pm, followed by a discussion at The Blue Hall. The film centres on four estranged sisters who are drawn together when their father suddenly disappears and are forced to confront buried secrets.

A scene from Jordanian filmmaker Zaid Abu Hamdan's 'Daughters of Abdul-Rahman'. Photo: NYUAD Arts Centre

Music

Grammy-nominated saxophonist and bandleader Ravi Coltrane will present an interactive, in-depth masterclass, titled Cosmic Music: A Contemporary Exploration of the Music of John and Alice Coltrane. Spanning the skills and techniques of his craft, the event will be held on October 5 at 6.30pm.

The next night, in the Red Theatre at 7.30pm, Coltrane will reimagine the groundbreaking music of his parents, John and Alice Coltrane, two of jazz music's greatest pioneers.

Dance

A dance workshop will be held on October 24 at 6.30pm. Titled What The Day Owes To The Night (Ce Que Le Jour Doit A La Nuit) by Cie Herve Koubi and supported by Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels, it will take participants through some of the fundamental principles of urban and contemporary dance.

'What The Day Owes To The Night' blends urban and contemporary dance with martial arts. Photo: NYUAD Arts Centre

Two days later, at 7.30pm in the Red Theatre, participants can immerse themselves in the What The Day Owes To The Night dance performance that fuses capoeira and other martial arts with urban dance and imagery from orientalist paintings and Islamic architecture. With mystical and hypnotic choreography, Herve Koubi will revisit his own personal history through the story of a young boy from a novel by Yasmina Khadra.

All visitors must present a green status on Al Hosn app to attend events at The Arts Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi. Those interested in attending can find out more at www.nyuad-artscenter.org.

Scroll through images of more upcoming shows at NYU Abu Dhabi's Art Centre below:

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  Arooj Aftab will perform on February 3 at Barzakh Festival. Getty Images

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  'What the Day Owes to the Night', a dance production by Cie Herve Koubi. All following photos: NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre

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  November 3 will be an evening of sensual Latin soul and jazz music by Raul Midon, above, and Alex Cuba, who make their UAE debut with a joint concert.

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  'Huda’s Salon' will be featured on November 7, with a Q&A session by Hany Abu-Assad.

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  The stage show 'Al Raheel | Departure' by playwright Reem Almenhali will also have an encore performance September 29 and 30.

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  Palestinian-American Yaa Samar! Dance Theatre group will stage their production, 'The Last Ward', on February 10.