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The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) will celebrate Eid Al Etihad, UAE National Day, with the 11th annual Hekayah | The Story on Thursday, November 27, 2025 at 7:30pm in The Black Box. Performed in an intimate setting, the evening brings together performances by poets, singers, dancers, and instrumentalists from across the UAE’s diverse communities to reflect on belonging, heritage, and family through their personal histories.
As one of the longest-running and most beloved annual events in The Arts Center’s calendar, Hekayah | The Story embodies the 11th season’s theme, Stories of Our Communities, inspired by the UAE’s Year of Community. The season invites audiences to explore heritage, memory, and transformation through an interdisciplinary lens, celebrating the UAE’s cultural mosaic and the shared human stories that connect us across generations and geographies.
Executive Artistic Director of The Arts Center Bill Bragin commented: “Hekayah has always reflected The Arts Center’s mission to celebrate the voices and stories that make up our shared community. This year’s edition deepens that spirit by bringing together artists who make their homes in the UAE, whose personal narratives echo the collective story of the nation itself – one of connection, diversity, and belonging. It’s a moment for reflection and celebration, reminding us how the arts can bridge cultures and generations through empathy and creativity.”
In the lead-up to the performance, The Arts Center will also host a related creative workshop, Poetry in Motion: Crafting Stories for the Stage, led by poet and curator Jennah Fakhouri on Sunday, November 23, at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi. The session invites participants to explore how words can resonate beyond the page through voice, presence, and performance. Open to poets and performers of all levels, the workshop complements the spirit of Hekayah | The Story and the S11th season’s theme, Stories of Our Communities, by fostering creative connection through shared storytelling.
The performers were selected through a collaborative curatorial process by leaders in the UAE’s literary and performing arts communities, including Ali Al Dhiyebi, Founder of STR8UP Entertainment; Bill Bragin, Executive Artistic Director at The Arts Center; Jennah Fakhouri, an award-winning poet, writer, and wandering spirit; Lana Goliath, Senior Associate Producer at The Arts Center; Rawad Raidan, poet, writer, and co-host of Abu Dhabi Writer’s Club; Reem Allam, Associate Director of Artistic Planning at The Arts Center; and Trixie Danielle, poet, writer, performance artist, and core member of TRIBE Creatives & Communications and 63Kolektib.
Biographies
Nathalia Khawand
Nathalia Khawand is a Lebanese poet whose work examines culture, identity, and belonging within the Arab diaspora. She was a finalist in the Roundhouse Poetry Slam 2025 in London. Her poetry has been commissioned by Meraas as part of the Home to Seeing Differently initiative and displayed publicly at Bluewaters and Dubai Design District.
Nima Elnour
Nima Elnour is a Sudanese-American partnerships consultant, poet, content creator, and public speaker. Her poetry reflects on identity, love, and culture, drawing from her dual heritage and legal background. She holds a Bachelor of Law and a Master’s in Legal Practice and has been performing her work on UAE stages since 2022.
Nurzy
Nurzy is a Lebanese singer-songwriter known for her Arabic pop music. She began her career in 2017 as part of the region’s first teenage girl group, Carizma, before launching her solo career in 2022 with her debut EP Safrit Beirut. She has performed at major UAE festivals, including Tunes DXB, The Fridge Concert Series, and Saadiyat Nights. A nominee for Time Out Dubai’s Best Original Act and winner of Musivv Awards’ Female Pop Artist of the Year, she is also part of The Arts Center’s Numoo Artist Development Program (2024) and is developing her debut album, هويتي Hawiyati (2026).
Omar Awbu
Omar Awbu is a Palestinian-American multidisciplinary artist whose work combines hip-hop, poetry, and film. His art explores themes of faith, identity, justice, and truth, creating raw and emotionally resonant performances that connect with audiences on a deeply human level.
Rei Co
Rei Co is a 19-year-old professional dancer and member of Sima Dance Company. She began performing professionally at twelve and has since appeared at the Dubai Opera, Expo 2020, and NYU Abu Dhabi, as well as on international tours. She created INA and LAYAG for the Sharjah Art Foundation’s April Acts program and choreographed the full-length work Metro Diaries with +63Kolektib.
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