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Abu Dhabi Authority For Culture And Heritage And British Council Kick Start A Week-Long Residency With Specially Designed Workshops For Abu Dhabi Students |
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Taster Classes by UK’s Sonia Sabri Company Tailored to Inspire Creativity in Students at Schools and Colleges across Abu DhabiBritish Council, in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH), will present a tailored education programme, including several workshops by the innovative Sonia Sabri Company in schools and colleges across the capital, the organizations announced today at a press conference in Abu Dhabi. ‘Kathakbox’ is an uplifting production that expresses the diverse energy of modern Britain and which encourages audiences to ‘think outside the box’ by bringing together a unique palette of art forms, that includes poetry, music, movement and hip hop. While audiences across the UAE will have the chance to witness the unique style and production of Kathakbox in performances set for February 26 in Abu Dhabi and February 28 in Dubai, students in Abu Dhabi are being given the rare opportunity to enjoy demonstrations and performances by the artists during taster workshops tailored to different ages and ability. They will also have a chance to hear from international and local speakers from the British Council, mac, UK, and Birmingham City University, UK, at a seminar that aims to explore the role that Arts and Creativity can play in supporting community cohesion and collaboration. “Our aim is to engage students by holding a series of workshops and conversations around Kathakbox by exploring the richness of poetry and movement. Kathak is an art form which encompasses movement, gesture, expression, music and the spoken word, and it encourages us to think outside the box,” said Hannah Henderson, Head of Arts, British Council, Middle East. “From its connections with youth culture through to beatbox and hip hop, to workshops on creative communication and self-expression, to social media projects linking UK and UAE students, this British Council initiative in conjunction with our partners will inspire and educate UAE students and audiences,” added Hannah. Students at the Future Centre for Special Needs in Abu Dhabi will experience dance elements using hands, feet, gesture, facial expressions and movement which will be combined into a short performance at the close of the workshop, while students at Zayed University will discuss movement and the spoken word as drama and will have the opportunity to watch the artists perform through various demonstrations. Students at Abu Dhabi Women’s College will focus on poetry, rhythm, storytelling, movement and gesture - all with the aim of encouraging students to communicate creatively and share individual ideas, while students at Abu Dhabi Men’s College will have the opportunity to compare, relate and contrast traditional Kathak elements (‘kathak rap’ known as kavitt and vocal table percussion) with ‘modern’ urban beatbox, attitude and movement. “We are very happy to be partnering with the British Council on this fantastic cultural initiative. Such events reach out to the community and the workshops and educational activities will no doubt widen the impact of the programme to students that desire to be creatively inspired,” said Abdullah Ameri, ADACH. ADACH, established in 2005 by the Abu Dhabi Government and chaired by H.E. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, is a visionary organization committed to the development of Abu Dhabi’s culture and heritage goals. “Such projects are in line with ADACH’s vision of culture and to the development of Emirati and international arts, music, literature and cinema and reflect our vision to create programmes that are rich in symbolism and importance to the people of the UAE,” added Ameri. Workshops at Al Raha International School will focus on dance, music and poetic techniques and repertoire, which will be used as building blocks to create a performance piece at the end and one which they will later showcase at the Abu Dhabi Theatre. Students will have the opportunity to work in one or more of three areas: Dance and movement (Urban Kathak with contemporary and street influences), music (vocal percussion, table vox, beatbox, song) and the spoken word (as a narrative and rhythmic tool). Students will perform a short curtain raiser performance for Kathakbox at the end at Abu Dhabi Theatre. Meanwhile, students at the Canadian International School will experience workshops which include Indian music, beatbox, dance and rap while Abu Dhabi Homes School Association students will receive a workshop that focuses on dance. Sonia Sabri is well known as one of the brightest and most inspirational British-born dancers/choreographers working today. Her work spans from classical North Indian Kathak to explorations of contemporary approaches, while her productions reflect her appreciation of Indian and British cultures. Through her work she has created a fresh, individual style of Kathak by pushing boundaries and creating work that is original in concept, exciting and relevant to audiences today. “It is tremendously exciting for us to be given the opportunity to perform to audiences in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and to visit local schools and colleges. We are committed to sowing the seeds of creativity in the next generation and we hope to inspire people through such innovative collaborations that showcase dance styles and art forms while preserving Kathak’s essential purity and integrity,” said Sonia Sabri. The British Council continues to create and develop innovative, high-quality events and collaborations that link thousands of artists and cultural institutions around the world, drawing them into a closer relationship with the UK. With the help of the global team British Council works with its Middle East and UK partners and dancers and musicians to draw on the innovation and creativity of the UK’s contemporary dance scene to open up the arts to more young people.
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