Tonight (18 April) Abu Dhabi sees the world premiere of PETTEE: storybox, a groundbreaking performance that blurs the lines between stage and audience, dance and theatre. Written and directed by Deepak Unnikrishnan and Karthika Naïr, the piece was commissioned by [ … ]
It can be difficult to pin down the unique value of contemporary dance. Yes, there’s the departure from traditional dance forms, breaking away from the constraints of strict choreographic rules and embracing the possibilities of experimentation and individual expression. But [ … ]
What’s an arts centre for? Arguably there are three key functions: to deliver artistic work that its audience might not otherwise experience, to test the boundaries of the art form by fostering new thinking, and to promote excellence – maybe [ … ]
Circus has come a long way from the days of lion tamers, big tops and clowns with scary faces and big shoes. There’s no less entertainment today in ‘circus’ acts, but it tends to come either from embracing the extraordinary [ … ]
Just what is modern dance? What is its vocabulary, what are its rules? Where do its limitations lie – if at all? And how does dance relate to other disciplines, other ways of thinking – indeed, how does it relate [ … ]
The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi has always aimed to build an audience for contemporary dance in the UAE – “giving exposure to world class companies, providing training for local artists, and opening the doors for larger conversations through [ … ]
Discipline and formality are key to classical dance from the Indian subcontinent. But to the outsider, that discipline can be conveyed as a celebration of rhythm, space and the movement of the body; those dances can be expressive, elegant, or [ … ]
Berklee Abu Dhabi has published its first programme of courses, with starts from 1 March. The full swath of Berklee courses at its US base covers a range of performance skills, including for instance musical theatre and composition, and many [ … ]
Sharjah is getting a fringe festival, with more than 600 shows – mostly (but not all) aimed at families – running in the second half of this month. You’d expect a fringe to be an add-on or ornament to an [ … ]
The magpie team is once again putting together its annual list of the 50 most exciting, innovative and stimulating people in the UAE who are making a difference to the cultural and creative life of the Emirates. And we want [ … ]
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