Vitae, modern dance piece is the choreographic debut of Kevin Ke, Class of 2020, who is currently studying Theatre and Economics. With a markedly vested interest in dance, Ke has been heavily involved in promoting dance at NYU Abu Dhabi since 2016. In 2017, he led the student dance organisation, Attitude Dance Society and he currently serves as the chair for Body Voices — a student led organization aiming to blend dance theory and practice. Vitae represents Ke’s first foray into the world of professional choreography after only having participated in casual dance pieces throughout his career at NYUAD. Featuring an original score and ten committed student dancers, Vitae was created through a collaborative process intended to mimic that of a professional dance company.

In his choreographer statement, Ke explains his process, “I ended up developing the piece through an ensemble-based collaborative process that is representative of how I might lead my own dance company in the far future. To that end, I am so thankful to have such an incredible cast of dancers, who are far more than just performers, but who really helped shape the piece into what it is today.”

Split into three chapters, tickets to Vitae are free of charge but require online reservation. Members tickets were available from April 10 at 3 p.m. and general tickets are available from April 17 at 3 p.m. Vitae is due to make its scintillating debut on April 28 Sunday at 8 p.m. at the Black Box in the NYUAD Arts Centre. Get your tickets here now: https://www.nyuad-artscenter.org/en_US/events/2019/vitae/

In conjunction with the Silent Iftar that will take place during the Holy month of Ramadan, NYUAD will be organizing an introductory workshop on Emirati Sign Language. Iftar is the evening meal with which Muslims break their fast during the month of Ramadan. The event organizers said, “Our aim with this initiative is to support people of determination with hearing impairment and create a more inclusive community by fostering increased communication and understanding.” The workshop will be offered on April 28 and April 30 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and is designed for those already familiar with the Arabic Alphabet. Participants who join one of the training sessions will then be invited to join the Silent Iftar which will be held on either May 14 or May 15 and will have the opportunity to practice their sign language skills with hearing impaired guests from the community.

The Film and New Media Department Capstones had their first showing on Apr. 27. If you missed the event, however, have no fear, as second screenings will be held later this week. On Wednesday, May 1. the ten minute long films by seniors, Wani Modi, Yulia Piskuliyska and Riva Razdan will be shown in the NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Center screening room.

The second group of films by Sabrina Zhao, Arthur De Oliveira and Luis Carlos Soto Ruis will be screened at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 2.