The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi announces third cohort for Numoo

• Supported by the U.S. Mission to the UAE, ‘Numoo’ fosters the advancement of performing artists while developing the UAE arts ecosystem.

Abu Dhabi: The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) has announced the third edition of the artists development initiative, Numoo, an intensive program to foster and accelerate the growth of performing artists in the UAE and contribute to the development of the nation’s arts ecosystem.

Numoo has been supported by  grants from the U.S. Mission to the UAE since its inception in 2021. The current edition is running from May through September 2024. The program enables artists to grow professionally in their field, providing enhanced tools to showcase their work to the UAE public and beyond, and build a sustainable artistic community that promotes ongoing development and collaboration. 

The participating UAE-based artists come from diverse backgrounds and levels of artistic experience. From poets to musicians, dancers, choreographers, writers, and theater makers, this international group learn from professionals in the field and are trained in different skills to develop a comprehensive understanding of the arts field in the UAE and beyond.

The 2024 cohort of artists, all based in the UAE, are:

• Afra Al Dhaheri (Emirati – Multimedia)
• Arqam (Emirati – Music)
• Dana Naidu (Indian – Music)
• Karim Ennoury (Moroccan – Dance)
• Kinda el-Atrach (Syrian-American – Music)
• Ksenjia Kovac Romano (Slovenian – Dance)
• Mohammed Masharqa (Palestinian – Physical Theater)
• Nurzy (Lebanese – Music)
• Rashika Ojha (Indian – Dance)
• Trixie Danielle (Filipino – Theater/Spoken Word)

Selected through a mix of nominations and an open call application followed by a collaborative evaluation process, the 2024 cohort receives guidance from The Arts Center staff, international arts professionals, and benefits from learning from one another. As part of the program, they will also engage with The Arts Center’s public performances and attend Off the Stage workshops and panels.

The program can be thought of as an accelerator, tailored toward enhancing professional skills and process, rather than being product oriented. Numoo includes regular meetings with the cohort and instructors, working sessions, and independent work for each artist based on their own artistic practices.

Reflecting on their Numoo experience, the 2023 and 2024 cohorts emphasized its pivotal role in creating a supportive network of creatives, as well as providing perspectives on the many skills needed to thrive as professionally working performing artists. The participating artists highlighted the program’s impact in creating positive change and building a platform for personal development. Members of the previous 2023 cohort added that it led to such outcomes as successful grant applications, expanded artistic visions, and project showcases and touring in the UAE and internationally. Praising Numoo’s emphasis on community building and a holistic vision of the roles of an artist, cohorts said that it inspired sustainable and accessible artistic approaches, allowing them to make a meaningful impact and contribution to the thriving arts scene.

Executive Artistic Director at The Arts Center at NYUAD Bill Bragin said: “At The Arts Center, we are dedicated to nurturing the vibrant local artistic and cultural scene. For the third year in a row, Numoo will serve as a catalyst for creativity, empowering UAE-based artists to showcase their talents and develop their professional skills. I find participation in the Numoo workshops especially gratifying personally, as we watch artists have large and small epiphanies about how to approach their own career development with greater senses of agency and empowerment, in a mutually supportive community.”

The U.S. Embassy’s Counselor for Public Affairs Robin Solomon said: “The U.S. Mission to the UAE is thrilled to offer the Numoo program once again in partnership with The Arts Center at NYUAD to a talented third cohort of arts and culture professionals. Each year the thoughtful and substantive program develops the practical business skills of local artists and creatives. The UAE’s creative industry is thriving, and we’re proud to sponsor Numoo in support of the local arts ecosystem.”

Refined and adapted based on the skills and experience of the finalists selected, Numoo offers hands-on practical business skills that assists artists as they promote their careers. Curriculum course elements include refining and communicating an artistic vision; building your team and finding creative collaborators; budgeting and project management; understanding contracts and negotiation; the fundamentals of intellectual property; fundraising; developing technical specifications; crafting marketing strategies for projects as well as developing an artistic “brand”; and developing project proposals.

For more information on the 2023 and 2024 cohorts of artists and testimonials about their Numoo experiences please see supporting document accompanying the press release.

2024 3rd Numoo Cohort Biographies

Afra Al Dhaheri – Multimedia Artist

Afra Al Dhaheri’s work is rooted in her experiences growing up in Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE. Working across various mediums including mixed media, sculpture, drawing, painting, installation, photography, and printmaking, Al Dhaheri draws out notions of time and adaptation, rigor and fragility. She obtained her MFA from Rhode Island School of Design, Rhode Island in 2017, and had her residencies from The Salama bint Hamdan Emerging Artists Fellowship, in partnership with the Rhode Island School of Design (2014); Porthmeor Studios, St. Ives, Cornwall, UK (2019); Viafarini, Milan (2022); and The Watermill Center, NY (2023). Al Dhaheri is among the finalists for the Richard Mille Art Prize 2022.

Arqam – Soul Singer

Arqam is an Emirati Soul singer, who left the corporate world to make a difference with positive music and conscious entrepreneurship. His music is an embodiment of the UAE, where the old values meet the new and progressive – old school soul and neo-soul beats, with lyrics rooted in positivity, introspection, love and search for purpose.

Dana Naidu – Musician

Born and raised in Dubai, Dana Naidu has been a vibrant presence in the local music scene since 2020. Her performances, marked by an emotional depth with a blend of R&B, soul and neo-soul, have graced major venues and events such as d3 Unplugged and Sofar Sounds. Naidu’s collaborations span a wide range of artists, enhancing her repertoire and presence. Her participation in significant campaigns for notable brands further underscores her influence in Dubai’s cultural narrative.

Karim Ennoury – Dancer, Actor, and Singer

Karim Ennoury is a Moroccan dancer, actor and singer, based in the UAE. He graduated from High Institute of Dramatic Arts, spent seven years in a conservatory of ballet and attended the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy. Ennoury is a dancer, choreographer, and a singer, performing in festivals and across renown local venues like Expo 2020 and at Dubai Opera. Ennoury has also starred in movies and television series, and, in parallel to his studies, teaches physical theater and contemporary dance at Sharjah Performing Arts Academy.

Kinda el-Atrach – Singer/songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist, and Sound Engineer

Kinda el-Atrach, known as Kinda, is a Syrian singer/songwriter, guitarist, pianist and sound engineer born and raised in Los Angeles and Dubai. Drawing inspiration from Western indie folk melodies and infusing them with the rich hues of Arabic musical tradition, her songs resonate with a harmonious blend of worlds. Having performed across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the USA professionally since 2017, Kinda’s journey has been one of evolution and intentionality. With her debut single “”Wasteland”” she sets her sights on the future, where her forthcoming releases will pay homage to her Arabic heritage.

Ksenija Kovač-Romano – Professional Ballet Soloist and Choreographer

Ksenija Kovač-Romano is a professional ballet soloist and choreographer with International experience. She has over 25 years of performance and teaching experience in classical and modern ballet in Ballet, Contemporary and Opera productions. She has worked for and collaborated with famous choreographers and theater directors such as Irek Mukhamedov, Leo Mujic, Julio Lopez, Youri Vamos, Gagik Ismailian, Jiri Kylian, Heinz Spoerli, Dragan Živadinov, Hans van Manen. Kovač-Romano is a certified ballet and contemporary teacher, a choreographer and instructor in Dance Therapy. She has performed in productions in the US, UK, Russia, Germany, Austria, Croatia, the Netherlands and Slovenia.

Mohammed Masharqa –  Artist and Actor

Mohammed Masharqa, a Palestinian actor, embarked on his journey in the performing arts field in 2015. Over the years, he has been involved in various productions, ranging from comedies and tragedies to contemporary plays. In 2020, Masharqa took a significant step towards becoming a professional actor by enrolling in the Sharjah Performing Arts Academy, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts degree in professional acting. Throughout his years in the performing arts, Masharqa has actively participated in a wide range of productions, and his work encompasses acting, dancing, physical theater, audio drama, and improvisation.

Nurzy- Singer, Songwriter, and Musician

Nurzy, an independent Lebanese singer-songwriter and musician, began her musical career in 2017 as a member of the pioneering teenage girl group “Carizma.” Since going solo in 2022, she has released several successful tracks, including “Zaker,” “25,” and “Heetan El Beit.” Nurzy’s artistic goals include bringing her lyricism and fun melodies to a wider audience while representing Arabic language and culture within the UAE music scene.

Rashika Ojha – Indian Classical Dancer, Teacher, and Choreographer

Rashika is a UAE-based Bharatanatyam dancer who has been practicing and teaching for over a decade. Rashika received her B.A. in English Literature and M.A, in Arts and Aesthetics. She was trained under Late Guru Padma Bhushan Saroja Vaidyanathan and Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan. She is an empaneled artist with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations that explores this medium’s agility in various contexts beyond its traditional mythological sources. Ojha collaborated for the Hekayah Festival with Shilpa Ananth, curated by The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi, and has performed for The Embassy of India and the India Social Cultural Centre, Abu Dhabi.

Trixie Danielle – Poet and Performance Artist

Trixie Danielle is a poet and performance artist who performed on Rooftop Rhythms (NYU), Robert de Guzman’s Museum of Migration and Memory (NYU Abu Dhabi), various open mics, poetry slams, and commissioned performances in the UAE. Danielle excels in production management and stage management, and, during her tenure, acting roles, directed, and wrote short plays mainly in her dialect — Hiligaynon. She is a member of the artist collective 63Kolektib and was a stage manager, an understudy, and part of the technical team in the recent staging of Lola Basyang in the UAE held in Bayt Al Mamzar and 421. Now, she writes poems in English and Hiligaynon.