Debra Levine
Debra Levine is the Director of Undergraduate Studies and Lecturer in Theater, Dance & Media at Harvard University. Debra received her Ph.D. in Performance Studies from New York University and her MFA in Theatre from Columbia University. Her current research interests focus on trans-local imaginaries in transnational and global performance, trans- disciplinary performance, disability arts and culture, social practice art and digital humanities performance scholarship. She has written extensively on AIDS activism and queer demonstrations of care during the early years of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and her research traces the ethics of AIDS activism through historical and contemporary art, performance and protest practices. Before coming to Harvard in 2018, she taught in the Drama Department at New York University, at Barnard College, and most recently was an Assistant Professor of Theater at New York University Abu Dhabi from 2012-2018. I’m very happy to be back in Abu Dhabi for J-term 2019.
Auguste
My name is Auguste. My favorite form of entertainment is hearing people struggle to pronounce my unexpectedly simple name correctly or make up entirely new versions of it.
Anna
I am a first year student majoring in psychology and philosophy. Upon gaining familiarity with the arts center I have taken interest in music and dance. When not exploring new things I enjoy spending time in nature or doing sports.
Laura
Hello! I’m Laura and I love birds, warm light and creating all sorts of stuff. My work explores painting, photography and interactive media. I’m interested particularly in the relationship between art and audience, the limits of the body, and the possibilities of the mind. In my free time I like to wander in random places and draw.
Sharon
My name is Sharon (or Seoyoung), a prospective chemistry major and a human being with a million different hobbies, dancing being one. Despite having had dance as a lifelong companion, stage fright still remains as my biggest fears. I love this course because it is helping me dance my way out of the shell!
Ophelia Senfter
I am originally from Austria but have lived all over the world. Currently, I am in my first year at NYUAD, majoring in Film and Theater. I love creativity and performance so much that I want to dedicate my life to creating work that I want to see but no one is making.
Katrin Todorova
Born in a Bulgarian city known as the ‘small Vienna’. Dedicated to Astrology, Numerology and Theater for life. A philosopher and wanderer at heart.
Bunny
My name is Bunny and I’m 19. I enjoy sunshine, music, and movies. My favourite saying is “hydration is happiness” and I have 4 tiny dogs.
Stalina
Hello, I am Stalina from Ukraine, 18, freshman. I have chosen this course because I am interested in Dance, Cinematograph and Theater and I am happy to explore all its meanings. Being a part of the team, where every person is very unique, artistic, and has a deep inner world is a great pleasure for me. I am changing and accepting myself as a new person thanks to “How Movement makes Meaning” course and I am proudly facing all the challenges and victories I went through so far and I am not ready to stop.
Tori Mondello
Hey there! I’m Tori Mondello (Known by my government documents as “Victoria”). I’m 18 years old, a freshman at New York University Abu Dhabi and I’m from the United States- Massachusetts specifically. I danced for ten years as a child and into my middle school years, but I had to stop because of a knee injury. This course was a great way to fall in love with dance again. I am intending to major in Theater and Interactive Media. As an actor, I focus a lot on physicality and movement based acting, so this course specifically drew me in with its connection to meaning. I hope to continue falling in love with movement and meaning through my years.
Eliza Mic
Wooooh! I’m an alien! I’m a legal alien. I’m a Romanian mandra in Abu Dhabi!
I usually go by Eliza. 🙂
Najla
My name is Najla. I am a freshman, intending to do Engineering. I enjoy diving deep into my interests because I believe this will help me to understand myself more. I enrolled in this course because I view dance as a way to overcome my shyness. One more thing! one rule I follow in my life is to smile no matter what. =)
Daniel Ahn
Annyeong! I am Daniel Ahn, 18, and from South Korea. Despite my passion in the sciences, I initially chose to join the team thinking the class would focus on finding “Meaning in Movement” for I enjoy watching and criticizing other peoples’ dance. When I received the syllabus and entered the first movement class, I realized I actually like to move my body than to watch others move. The focus of the class changed for me to “Making Movements that have Meaning.” The experience of dancing for a month with Trajal and our teammates helped me explore and stimulate other parts in me that make me special.
Yuki
Yuki Chiu (not pronounced in “Chewy”) is from Taiwan and is currently a freshman studying in New York University Abu Dhabi. She loves to spend most of her time to explore new subjects and involve multiple sport activity, especially dressage. Being in the discovering phase on multiple majors, she was glad that she chose How Movement Makes Meaning as her J-term course, which gave her an opportunity to understand “theater” deeper. Though she enjoys dancing, without receiving a proper training, she felt somehow uncomfortable to show in front of people. However, this course has dramatically changed her view about the beauty and the concept of dancing.