Roses In Sand

For the first time in New York City's theatrical history, a group of artists with a shared heritage of Middle Eastern-North African (MENA) background come together during a time of unparalleled disarray as a means to bring peace and education to those in attendance. With the help of Art Take Productions, Project TAG, & Khalil Ayed, and in partnership with One Journey Festival, all of whom are joining forces to create this event at David Dupy Studios.

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Though this event will be a celebration and an example of peace, this performance will be the complete opposite. The paint. The sounds. The rhythm. The general energy will shift once the lights drop. This performance will show the true essence of what is hidden beneath the surface of these MENA artists.

Walking into the studio, the sounds of each MENA region will be welcoming you to this communal space. Curtains will be hung along the studios’ performance floor painted by Khalil Ayed. Abstract & poetic calligraphy will be written top to bottom with the colors of each artist's country represented.

Roses will be placed within the sand all along the performance floor to represent each example of the beauty that is hidden in all of us. A mosaic of different backgrounds and cultures, coming together today to celebrate their common heritage and cherish their personal journeys.

As the performance begins to start, we will have our guest storyteller narrating the performance to help guide you through the events that will take place. As well as how each artist coincides with one another.

Project TAG will be headlining the performance through dance as Khalil Ayed uses their bodies as canvas’ as a symbolic way to decipher their hidden messages. The dancers will bring a movement that shows the magnified experiences of each artist. The true reality of these experiences.

After the performance, we will use this time as a means of celebration. The audience and the artists shared this vulnerable moment to better understand this impaired heritage and in turn, found the beauty that was there all along.

This event is brought to you in partnership of:

One Journey: an organization that amplifies refugee voices and enhances public awareness of refugee talents and contributions. We strive to build enduring allies for refugees and use cultural and technological tools to facilitate human connections between refugees and their host communities. After hosting several events around the country we have chosen to support these refugee artists to host our first NYC event, Roses in Sand.

Project TAG: created with the artistic mission to inspire discourse through dance as ‘how to commune’ within a world that is designed for conflict, complexity, and chaos. We all have a point of anger. These emotions flow in from what we go through on a daily basis. Weaknesses and bad habits that surround us each day. Rather than letting out those emotions on others, we need to explore them. Learn from it. Adapt from it. Make friends with our anger and have it as an ally rather than an enemy. Project TAG has and will continue to push the limits on learning to cope with reality and remember where we come from.

Khalil Ayed: Khalil is a Tunisian calligrapher, designer, & fine artist based in New York City. Khalil strives to provide beauty through art for all his patrons as a storyteller, as his work is a glimpse into his life and journey into artistic expression.

Khalil continues to dispense his artistic talents throughout different mediums within digital media, curated events, and his noted network of international individuals.

Art Take Productions: Founded in 2021, ATP is a new type of production company that focuses on forgotten history & humanizing people and their culture. Every culture has its own beauty, positivity, and philosophy that separates it from other varying cultures. Knowing our society can be misled by those that have an agenda when telling these stories we believe re-education of these stories would be best told from those that lived those lives through the lens of an unbiased team. Art Take Productions is bringing film and storytelling to a new age of creative expression. Art Take Productions has chosen to explore this concept by not simply sharing each story but by adding the amplified emotions felt through dance. Art Take Productions welcomes the opportunity to work with any and all dance companies willing to join us on this artistic journey.

David Dupuy Studios: a Midtown East studio for photography and videography production. It has over 150+ items listed on ShareGrid and more on KitSplit.com. A full-service photo and video rental space with equipment but perfect for intimate events. David is looking forward to supporting other creatives who are looking for the gear they need to get the job done and realize their ambitions!

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For media inquiries, questions about the event, or sponsorship details, contact David Scarpetti - david@arttakeproductions.com.