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Gulf Today
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Water! from Guinea's Circus Baobab at NYUAD The Arts Center
The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) is presenting the Middle East debut of Yé ! Water! by Guinea's Circus Baobab, a high-energy fusion of contemporary West African circus, hip hop, and environmental storytelling (May 9, 10). The family-friendly show will be staged in The Red Theater at The Arts Center at NYUAD. Set against the backdrop of Guinea's vibrant traditions and modern realities, Yé ! Water! is a vital and visually stunning experience — perhaps the perfect summer entertainment option for families, students and art lovers across Abu Dhabi. Using African circus in a dynamic and poetic expression of environmental issues, Yé ! Water! is a call to build a better world for tomorrow together — one in which humans take more heedful care of nature and its future. Aligning with the UAE's ongoing commitment to building a sustainable future and a cast of flying acrobats, contortionists, breakdancers and musicians, Yé ! Water! delivers a compelling and urgent message about the global water crisis. The production transforms circus into a vibrant, thought-provoking art form that celebrates culture, resilience, and the power of human connection. A performer in flight. Executive Artistic Director at The Arts Center at NYUAD Bill Bragin said that 'since the beginning of The Arts Center a decade ago, sustainability and the environment have been recurring themes in our programming. We've also made a strong commitment to contemporary circus as a form which is hugely entertaining for the whole family, while also being able to engage in conversations about important issues. Circus Baobab's Yé brings both of these interests together, in a dynamic circus performance of West African acrobatics and hip-hop dance, inspired by the prevalence of single-use plastic water bottles in our lives.' Through pyramids, aerial choreography and kinetic storytelling, the artists of Circus Baobab take audiences on a journey through the environmental challenges facing the planet. As they leap, lift and defy gravity, the performers symbolically reflect humanity's struggle and durability in the face of ecological collapse. Their movements become a visual metaphor for both fragility and strength, urging viewers of all ages to take action for a sustainable future. The May 9 performance will feature a post-show Q&A moderated by Chinasa Ezugha, Assistant Arts Professor of Live Art/Art as Social Practice in the Theater programme at NYUAD, offering a deeper insight into the themes and creative process behind the production. As part of the Off the Stage presented by Mubadala series, The Arts Center will also host a special Acrobatics Workshop led by Circus Baobab on May 6, open to participants aged 12 and older. The workshop introduces techniques such as balancing, human pyramids, and creative games designed to build trust and community through movement. The participants could have varying styles and levels, but it's an ideal opportunity for circus enthusiasts, dancers and curious learners, to connect with the company's special physical language. Founded in 1998, Circus Baobab is a collective of performers from Guinea and the diaspora, blending traditional African circus techniques with contemporary performance styles. Under the artistic leadership of Kerfalla Camara, the company creates works that celebrate heritage while addressing pressing global issues, with a strong commitment to community engagement and social responsibility. After evolving through various creative phases, including the Térya Circus project, Circus Baobab was revitalised in 2021, continuing its mission to innovate, uplift, and connect through performance. A self-taught circus innovator and founder of Cirque Inextremiste, Yann Ecauvre is known for pushing the boundaries of balance and performance. His projects range from jazz-circus collaborations to aerial shows in hot-air balloons. A master of theatrical risk and visual storytelling, Ecauvre brings a spirit of bold experimentation and humanist values to Yé !, where his creative vision translates urgency and unity into acrobatic expression. In doing so, he creates a world in which individuals are in tight interdependence, and where solidarity and listening to others enable the survival of the group. Presenting music, theatre, dance, film and interdisciplinary performances, The Arts Center at NYUAD is a performing arts centre that presents distinguished professional artists from around the world alongside student, faculty, and community productions. The Center draws on the resources of NYUAD to create a space for research, investigation, and the active pursuit of knowledge and wisdom for audiences as well as visiting artists. NYUAD is the first comprehensive liberal arts and research campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. Times Higher Education ranks NYU among the top 30 universities in the world, making it the highest-ranked university in the UAE and MENA region. NYUAD integrates a selective undergraduate curriculum across the disciplines with a world centre for advanced research and scholarship. The university enables its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities and arts to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity's shared challenges. NYUAD's high-achieving students come from over 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of the global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Arts Center expanding to boost programming
Mar. 29—JAMESTOWN — A project to expand The Arts Center will most importantly serve more children in the community, said Riley Akervik, president of the Jamestown Fine Arts Association Board of Directors. "It's definitely important from a multitude of aspects, but I do think probably the most important piece is that currently we are denying so many children in our community proper arts education," he said. The Arts Center has an artist in residence, Anna Brock, going into the schools to teach some art programs, Akervik said. The Arts Center also currently provides programming for grades 3-6. Mindi Schmitz, executive director of The Arts Center, said with the expansion project, they plan to offer additional programming for grades K-2 and middle school. To serve more children, the Jamestown Fine Arts Association, doing business as The Arts Center, announced the Raising the Bar for the Arts capital campaign in 2023. The nonprofit purchased the former Wonder Bar located next to The Arts Center to expand classroom space for children's programming. The building is expected to be renovated in time to open in August for fall programming, Schmitz said. A grand opening is expected at that time, Akervik said. The project will provide one classroom in the existing Arts Center building and a second one in the addition plus a culinary kitchen. The kitchen will be used by students attending Jamestown Public Schools and the James Valley Career and Technology Center. It's also expected to be used for other Arts Center classes and others, Schmitz said. The expansion also means more adults can attend events and classes along with having new event spaces to rent. In addition, there will be two studios for local/regional artists. "Physically, we're going to have a large footprint here in Jamestown and we'll be able to expand our programming, which is exciting, and offer different opportunities, particularly with the culinary kitchen to the community and surrounding areas," Schmitz said. Of the $2 million goal set for the "Raising the Bar for the Arts" capital campaign for the project, $1.7 million has been raised, Schmitz said. The new goal is now $2.4 million, with the campaign called "Raising the Bar (even higher) for the Arts." Schmitz said the change in the capital campaign goal was due to cost increases and a requirement to add a sprinkler system in The Arts Center and the addition. Phase I of the project was purchasing the building and demolition, Schmitz said. Phase II is the renovation of the building, and Phase III will finish two studio apartments planned for visiting artists. "I'm feeling positive about it (the project) and I know the community will get behind us even more after they see construction progress," Schmitz said. Akervik said adding the space means The Arts Center will be able to increase the number of students taking classes. "So currently, we can host maybe eight to 12 students depending on what kind of class it is but with the new space, we're anticipating we'll be able to host about 40 students," he said, noting there has been a waiting list for students to attend Arts After School. "It's really just going to allow us to offer accessible arts education to so many kids in our community that we never could allow before due to the space limitations. "I would say No. 1, that's why this project is important to me and important to the board," Akervik said. "And then additionally, we're also looking at expanding our programming." Arts programming is important for students, Schmitz said. "I think there's a great demand out there for students to have alternatives to sports and other extracurricular things," she said. "Art provides a whole different avenue for students to create and even find some different emotional stability." The new art therapy program for children that held its first session in March is also expected to be located in the new space as well, Akervik said. The Jamestown Fine Arts Center secured a $203,500 grant from Strengthen ND to provide a two-year pilot program to serve children who are referred for the program. The Skills Enrichment Through the Arts program is coordinated by Jennifer Lipetzky, who has a Doctor of Psychology, teaches psychology at the University of Jamestown and had a clinical practice in Jamestown for about 10 years, she said. "We have limited resources in Jamestown for mental health care and because we have limited resources, the more acute kids will get, hopefully, the services that they need, where you have this whole other group of kids that could benefit from supports but they're unable to get them," Lipetzky told The Jamestown Sun in February. "So by offering a program like this, we can reach those kids that don't have other supports otherwise so that they don't continue to struggle." Akervik said students who have gone through traumatic experiences or are grieving due to the loss of a parent, sibling or relative can get bused to The Arts Center from school for the art therapy sessions with a licensed psychologist who can help them work through their struggles, grief and trauma by expressing themselves through the arts. The Jamestown Public School Board approved a memorandum of understanding in 2024 that establishes a partnership between the James Valley Career and Technology Center and The Arts Center to provide a culinary arts facility, The Jamestown Sun reported in June. The culinary kitchen will be located in the southwest corner of the former Wonder Bar building, Schmitz said. Jamestown Public Schools is paying for the equipment in the culinary kitchen, which will be used for classes during the day for JPS/JVCTC students. "We are thrilled about this partnership as it provides benefits for students from all our JVCTC member schools," said Adam Gehlhar, director of the JVCTC. "Students from our current member schools include Pingree, Montpelier, Gackle and Jamestown. We also see some potential for Jamestown Middle School students, the Jamestown High School Family and Consumer Science classes, and obviously the Jamestown community to benefit from this facility." Heidi Eckart, assistant director of the JVCTC, said JVCTC will offer Culinary I and Culinary II classes. When students/staff are not using the kitchen, it would be open for others to use, such as The Arts Center or local individuals making their own products, she said. "We're just really excited to have a collaboration with The Arts Center to be able to offer these courses and be able to share facilities," Eckart said. "I think that's a great way that we can utilize the community and vice versa and have that symbiotic relationship of helping one another out." Eckart said they expect to begin offering Culinary I in the spring of 2026. The culinary arts program prepares students for college programs in food service, according to the course information, along with being ready for different paths after graduation and work-based learning opportunities. The Culinary I course is designed to prepare students for occupations concerned with the preparation and service of food, and Culinary II is designed to allow students to continue training for food service occupation. "It just makes sense in our community to have these kinds of partnerships," Gehlhar said. "JVCTC and JPS are always looking for community partners to work together for the community benefit and workforce development." He said there have been other successful partnerships with its programs. "Culinary arts is the first program we have tried with this sort of off-site facilities partnership and we are excited about the possibility of more win-win partnerships like this within the business or non-profit community," he said. Jamestown Tourism provided a $25,000 grant for the kitchen, Schmitz said. Allison Limke, visitor experience manager for Jamestown Tourism, said Tourism's board of directors approved a City Promotional Capital Construction Fund grant in March 2024. The amount awarded was because The Arts Center and the culinary kitchen project meet multiple tourism goals, Limke said. The kitchen will allow local people to create certified goods to sell in local markets, such as the General Store at Frontier Village, adding to the "North Dakota nice experience," Limke said, along with being a learning source for students. Akervik said bringing in students for courses in the culinary kitchen means The Arts Center will be able to serve about 60 students at one time in the building with all of the programs it will be offering. He said he hopes that will lead students to come to other classes not only as a student but as an adult who has stayed in the community. The Arts Center will be working on a strategic plan this spring, Akervik and Schmitz said. "One main reason for the strategic plan and the reason why we're doing it so soon is just because of the new space and that it's going to be growing very, very rapidly within the year," Akervik said, "so we just want to make sure we have a proper plan in place as far as staffing goes and classes that we'll be offering and facilities management so that the space is used to its fullest potential." The growth means they will need more staff and will be looking at adding one or two positions in the future, Akervik said. Currently, The Arts Center has two full-time employees and one part-time employee. Akervik thanked the donors, business members and sponsors for their support, noting that they couldn't do the project or keep The Arts Center open without them. "Last year was the best year The Arts Center has had in over 10 years financially," Akervik said. He said they've worked to secure new grants and new ideas with programming to ensure The Arts Center was financially stable and saw stability and growth last year. "I would love to be able to see the spaces used all day long, during the day and in the evening, by offering different classes, providing support for different art groups," Schmitz said. "... right now, we have a writers group that meets once a month, we have a wood carvers group that meets once a week. We have Open Mic Night. Any way we can support creativity in Jamestown, that's what we're here to do."
Al Etihad
13-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Al Etihad
The Arts Center at NYUAD celebrates decade of cultural exchange, artistic growth and community engagement
13 Mar 2025 23:05 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI)As the UAE embraces 2025 as the Year of Community, The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has 10 years served as a cultural hub, bringing world-class performances to the heart of Abu Dhabi while nurturing homegrown talent. "From the beginning, it was important for us to be deeply connected to the UAE community, while also forming a bridge to the international performing arts world," Bill Bragin, Executive Artistic Director of The Arts Center at NYUAD, told Aletihad in an interview. A key milestone has been the rise of local shows, with more commissioned productions and world premieres than ever before."This allows our UAE-based talents to create works which focus on stories and themes with special resonance," Bragin noted. "Our ability to put together a season with so many local productions is the result of a decade of deep engagement, exposing UAE artists to diverse works as they attend our performances, and creating connections between visiting and local artists through our robust residency format."He explained that this format enables visiting artists to engage beyond the stage, share their artistic approaches, connect with the community over meals, and experience local hospitality - gaining a deeper understanding of the UAE's cultural landscape. Year of Community President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has declared 2025 the Year of Community under the slogan "Hand in Hand".Bragin believes that art plays a vital role in making people feel more connected to the UAE, and to one another."In a place as dynamic as the UAE, which is always evolving, the arts offer special opportunities to foster shared histories and experiences for people who come from so many different lived experiences," he said. "At every performance at The Arts Center, people from different backgrounds, ages and heritage all come together in a unique one-time-only community that every audience comprises."The Arts Center follows a curatorial strategy to engage a wide local audience, according to Bragin. This is evident in initiatives like the Tamaas Festival, which juxtaposes artists from diverse cultural backgrounds, and commissioned cross-cultural collaborations. Nurturing the UAE's Cultural Ecosystem Beyond performances, The Arts Center is deeply involved in the development of the UAE's cultural ecosystem, supporting both emerging and established artists."The Arts Center's model is based on a residency model, in which the public performances are merely one part of a constellation of activities designed to help grow the UAE's ecosystem," Bragin said."Most artists lead workshops and speak on panels - these both help to develop the knowledge and skills of the local participants, while strengthening the networks of artists, who often meet each other for the first time at the workshops."The Arts Center also offers free matinees for school groups in the UAE, aiming to instill a love for the arts in young Numoo professional training programme further equips emerging artists with the skills needed to build sustainable careers. The Center has also played a key role in commissioning new works, providing platforms for talents such as Emirati playwright Reem Almenhal and theatre collective 63 Kollektiv, whose upcoming production "Metro Diaries" explores the lives of Overseas Filipino Workers in the notable examples include filmmaker Philip Rachid, aka Soultrotter, whose award-winning film "It Ain't Where You From" explores the stories of street dancers from across the region who reinvented themselves in the UAE; and Abu Dhabi writer Deepak Unnikrishanan who created his first movement theatre piece, "PETTEE", inspired by migration to the Gulf. 'Uncovering' Cultural Bridges A defining aspect of The Arts Center's work is its ability to merge global and local artistic expressions. One of Bragin's favourite collaborations was the 2019 Cuban Khaleeji Project, commissioned by The Arts brought together multiple Grammy winner Arturo O'Farrill and his Afro-Latin Jazz Orchestra with regional musicians, including Ali Obaid, Malika Zarra and Yazz Ahmed. The project, which toured New York and Saudi Arabia, led to further collaborations between O'Farrill and such as the acclaimed Live in the Khaleej! album recorded at The Arts recalls a comment made by one of the musicians during an artist-community dinner; "that it felt less that we were building bridges between cultures, but rather, uncovering bridges that already existed, but may not have been travelled for a while."Another memorable collaboration was a season-opening concert featuring two traditional groups - Venezuela's Betsayda Machado y La Parranda el Clavo and the UAE's Lewah Maritime Ensemble. Making the Arts Accessible to All The Arts Center has also been a champion of accessibility, ensuring inclusivity for diverse communities, including people of highlighted featured artists such as dancer Aakash Odedra, whose work explores neurodivergence, blind singer Raul Midón, comedian and disability advocate Maysoon Zayid, and the CanDoCo dance company, whose members include a wheelchair user, an amputee and a deaf dancer. These artists visited sessions at local schools and universities, destigmatising neurodivergence and matinees are also modified to accommodate children on the autism spectrum, fostering an inclusive environment where all audiences feel welcome, Bragin added. Abu Dhabi: A Hub of Global Art and Connection Bragin noted that Abu Dhabi's cultural scene has flourished over the past decade, evolving from a city known for beloved annual festivals to a year-round artistic hub. The reopening of the Cultural Foundation, the rise of institutions like Louvre Abu Dhabi and 421 Arts Campus, and the development of the Saadiyat Cultural District have all contributed to this transformation."I think what sets the capital apart is the incredible internationalism of the audience. There's no place else that I know that brings together so many people with so many different histories, lived experiences, languages, accents and stories," Bragin added. "The UAE welcomes us and gives us a shared foundation that also values what we've all brought with us." Ramadan Special The Arts Center will host Layth Sidiq Quartet: Ramadaniyyat 2025 on March 18. Acclaimed violinist Layth Sidiq will bring together renowned musicians - including Samvel Gasparyan (piano), Alaa Saber (qanun) and Ahmed Kamel (percussion) - for a performance featuring lesser-known Ramadan songs from around the world. "While drawing from nostalgia, he also innovates within the tradition with a multi-cultural ensemble, which encourages non-Muslims to feel even more connected to the spirit of Ramadan," said Bragin. And after the performance, the artists and audience will come together for an informal suhoor.
