The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi Podcast | Powered by afikra

Episode

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  When Dance Becomes a Solution to Language | Youness Atbane 23.09.2026 50mnt

  Navigating the intersection of institutional power, identity, and postcolonial discourse, artist and choreographer Youness Atbane examines how contemporary art spaces shape cultural narrative. Through performance works like Untitled 14 km and Waterproofed Artists, Atbane interrogates the elitism of the global art world while drawing on his roots in Moroccan pottery traditions and choreography to move beyond the limitations of spoken language. Blending speculative fiction with subtle humor, the discussion explores the Andalusian legacy, the politics of curation, and the true cost of artistic freedom.
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  The Djembe, Diaspora & the Sound of West Africa | Djembe Virtuoso & Bandleader Yahael Camara Onono 23.07.2026 57mnt

  Master djembe player and composer, Yahael Camara Onono, discusses his musical journey and his mission to elevate West African percussion. Growing up in London, the djembe served as an umbilical cord to his Manding heritage, allowing him to blend traditional sounds with contemporary influences like grime and hip-hop. He founded the Balimaya Project in 2019 to challenge the pigeonholing of African music and to demonstrate that percussion can serve as a complex, leading melodic force rather than just an add-on. His work delves into personal and vulnerable themes, such as grieving for his late son through music, while also celebrating innovative collaborations with virtuosos like Egyptian oud player Abakary Kadry. For Onono, the djembe is a glue that brings people together, serving as a powerful symbol of identity and black pride.
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  Music as Resistance, Healing & Prayer | Flautist, Vocalist & Composer Naïssam Jalal 18.06.2026 53mnt

  Music serves as a vital sanctuary and a form of spiritual recovery in a world frequently defined by violence, injustice, and fatigue. Flautist, vocalist & composer Naïssam Jalal shares her profound reflections on a career shaped by the search for belonging and the transformative power of sound. Growing up in Paris as the daughter of immigrants, she recounts facing persistent racism and discrimination, which eventually spurred a deep need to reconnect with her roots and understand her identity. She offers a nuanced look at her artistic evolution, from early Western classical training to her discovery of improvisation as a way to express the inexpressible. She reflects on her formative years in Cairo, describing the challenges of navigating society as a solo female musician and the immense generosity of mentors like violin legend Abdo Dagher.
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  Why Live Theater Still Matters | Ahmed El Attar 28.05.2026 53mnt

  Playwright and director Ahmed El Attar explores the evolution of the Egyptian independent theater movement, tracing its roots from the 1990s counterculture to its role as a precursor for social change. He discusses the crisis of state-run institutions in the Arab world, marked by bureaucracy, censorship, and a disconnect from contemporary audiences. Through his own work, such as "The Discrete Charm of the Pillars of Society", El Attar examines the universal power structures of the family and challenges notions of Western superiority by revealing shared human greed and prejudice.
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  Arabian Fuzz & Revolutionary Poetry | Thomas Attar from Al-Qasar Band 28.01.2026 45mnt

  Thomas Attar of Al-Qasar Band joins The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi Podcast ahead of their performance at the Tamaas Festival on January 29th. Attar strives to make music that reflects the complexity of modern, multicultural, and transnational identities. Growing up in Paris before moving to the US, he shares the origins of Al-Qasar, a collaborative project that was an intentional response to a "white rock scene" that felt disconnected from everyday life, aspiring to make music with a deeper connection to the human experience. He discusses the term "Arabian fuzz," which he uses to describe the band's sound. He credits his early musical influences, such as The Beach Boys and 70s Arab rock bands like those on the album Hard Rock from the Middle East, for training his ear to accept later Arab sounds. The conversation touches on the issue of the term "World Music" as a marketing term.
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  Yasmine Hamdan on the Spotifyification of Music, the Diaspora Experience & Finding Her Center 26.01.2026 50mnt

  In the lead up to her performance at Tamaas Festival on January 29, musician Yasmine Hamdan joins Mikey Muhanna on The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi Podcast to discuss her return to music after a significant hiatus. Yasmine, who's considered an icon of music for a generation of Arab listeners, explains that her time away was essential for reconnecting with her purpose, moving beyond career strategy, and focusing on the core of her art. She tells us about the emotional and political factors that contributed to her needing a break, including the theft of Lebanese people's money and the Beirut Port explosion. She addresses the current challenges in the music world, citing the "Spotifyification of music" and the burden of uncompensated, invisible work (like being your own an agent and promoter) that artists are now required to take on. She also shares her creative process for the new album "I remember I forget", which she feels speaks to the diaspora experience, and the vital role of trusted collaborators, whose feedback gave her the energy to finish the record. The discussion also touches on the importance of maintaining a comfortable relationship with oneself while creating, her "rock and roll" experience performing at Tiny Desk, and her excitement about performing for the diaspora in Abu Dhabi with scenography collaborators Elias and Yousef Anastas from Radio Alhara and Wonder Cabinet.
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  Dear Children, Sincerely: A Sri Lanka-Rwanda Performance | Ruwanthie de Chickera 14.11.2025 47mnt

  The artistic director of "Dear Children, Sincerely," which was performed at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi joins us to talk about this powerful theater collaboration between Rwanda and Sri Lanka. Ruwanthie de Chickera shares the inspiration behind the project, its unique approach to intergenerational dialogue, and the profound impact of connecting with elders who witnessed pivotal historical shifts. Ruwanthie also shares personal anecdotes about growing up in civil war-torn Sri Lanka, the unexpected insights gained from interviewing the generation born in the 1930s, and the moving experience of bringing these stories to a diverse audience at NYU Abu Dhabi. Discover how personal histories intertwine with national narratives, revealing the complexities of post-colonial identity, the nuances of human relationships in shaping history, and the enduring power of hope and collective action.
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  Widad Mjama on Moroccan Rap & Aïta Mon Amour's Performance at the Tamaas Festival in Abu Dhabi 12.02.2025 44mnt

  In this episode of the NYUAD Arts Center podcast, we're joined by Widad Mjama, one-half of the musical group Aïta Mon Amour, in the lead-up to their performance at the Tamaas Festival in Abu Dhabi. The pioneering rapper from Morocco explores her musical experiences, her early exposure to various music genres in Morocco, and her eventual gravitation towards rap. Widad discusses the Moroccan rap scene and the significant impact of artists like Tupac on her life. The discussion delves into the origins and significance of Aïta, a traditional Moroccan music genre, and how Aïta Mon Amour celebrates and modernizes it. Widad sheds light on her collaboration with Khalil, their creative process, and the challenges of preserving tradition while introducing modern elements.
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  Beytna Dance Performance Over a Banquet at the NYUAD Arts Center | Omar Rajeh 24.01.2025 52mnt

  In this episode of the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center Podcast, we delve into the intrinsic philosophy of dance with dancer and choreographer Omar Rajeh. The conversation spans his journey from founding dance company Maqamat in Beirut in 2002, to developing contemporary dance awareness in Lebanon and organizing the influential BIPOD festival. Omar discusses the transformative power of dance, its societal impact, and the innovative production "Beytna" set to be showcased at The Arts Center's Red Theater on January 30th. He gives his testament to the inclusivity and philosophical depth dance can achieve in our world today.
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  Comedian Maysoon Zayid Performs on Two Nights in Abu Dhabi at The Arts Center's Red Theater 15.01.2025 37mnt

  In the lead up to her two-night comedy show performance (in English on January 15 and in Arabic on January 17) of Bint Balad at the NYUAD Arts Center, Maysoon Zayid joins us on The Arts Center's podcast to chat about performing in Abu Dhabi, working with NYUAD, and the importance of creating an accessible future for individuals with disabilities. She provides insight from her multifaceted career as a comedian, writer, and university professor, and talks about her teaching philosophy, the unique dynamics of teaching a condensed J-Term, the global diversity of her students, her innovative course "Message in a Bottle," and her passion for performing live. Maysoon emphasizes the power and responsibility of storytelling, recounts her personal experiences with disability, and highlights the critical need for designing accessible environments in general. This episode is packed with humor, wisdom, and a powerful call to action for inclusivity and understanding.
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  Chrystèle Khodr on Lebanon, Theater & Her Play Augurs 25.11.2024 43mnt

  Creating intimate worlds through theater, reckoning with Lebanon's state of play, and paying homage to two of her home country's leading actresses: a conversation with theater maker Chrystèle Khodr. Khodr's play Augurs follows actresses Hanane Hajj Ali and Randa Asmar as they retrace their theatrical journeys from the moment they decide to work in theater in the early 1980s. Using her play as a basis for our conversation, we talk about the Lebanese theater scene at large, erasure of collective memory, and the realities of working in this field from Beirut.
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  Bill Bragin & Maya Allison | 10 years of The Arts Center 11.09.2024 55mnt

  We’re kicking off the third season of the NYUAD Podcast with Bill Bragin, founding executive artistic director of The Arts Center at New York University Abu Dhabi, and Maya Allison, founding executive director of The Art Galleries and senior research scholar and chief curator at New York University #AbuDhabi. They tell us all about what this year holds at NYUAD’s Arts Center with reflections on the legacy they’ve built so far and the local cultural eco-system that they’ve painstakingly nurtured. Maya and Bill invite us into their curatorial decision making, how they see their “local” context in Abu Dhabi, and what it took to speak to an audience that didn’t yet exist. From their biggest learning curves through to curating for an audience with wildly different reference points and cultural backgrounds, this conversation gives us a fascinating look at how the NYUAD Arts Center came to be the fixture of Abu Dhabi’s cultural scene that it is today. You'll also get a sneak peak of what to expect from this new season of performances and exhibitions at The Arts Center.
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  Finding My Sound in My Tunisian Identity | Emel Mathlouthi 29.02.2024 1j 4mnt
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  Unified Through Music From the Nile to Rio | Dina Elwedidi 20.02.2024 54mnt
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  FRONTERA: Dance Theatre That Crosses Borders | Dana Gingras 09.10.2023 49mnt
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  Breaking Down Stereotypes Since 1993 | Asian Dub Foundation's Steve Chandra Savale 18.09.2023 46mnt
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  Abu Dhabi's Performing Arts: Present & Future | Bill Bragin 14.09.2023 49mnt

  Bill Bragin – executive artistic director of the NYUAD Arts Center – talks to us about the center’s upcoming season, how it's impacted the city of Abu Dhabi so far, and what he envisions for the future of both the center and its ripple effect on the country as a whole.
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  Spoken Word in Abu Dhabi | Rooftop Rythms at the NYUAD Arts Center 13.09.2023 1j
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  Processing Life & Death Through Performance | Amir Nizar Zuabi & Samar Haddad King 13.09.2023 1j
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  What The Day Owes To The Night | Hervé Koubi at the NYUAD Arts Center 12.09.2023 50mnt