Founded by New York-based Artistic Director Fadi J. Khoury (who grew up in Iraq and Lebanon) and Associate Artist Sevin Ceviker in 2014, FJK Dance is dedicated to creating a unique fusion of visual arts and dance styles – including modern, jazz, ballroom, classical ballet, Argentine tango, Middle Eastern movement, and traditional folkloric – to inspire a positive cross-cultural dialogue, with a unique insight into “Middle East meets Western tradition” that will help lay the foundations for understanding, appreciation, and healing between cultures and people.
According to Khoury, “what began as a blended choreographic form has become something larger – my role is not to just create fusion choreography, but to use dance as a message of peace for the world at large. At FJK Dance we are offering the freedom to understand our differences artistically.”
This week, October 7-9, following the long COVID-19 shutdown of the performing arts and venues, the company will present its seventh annual season performance, RESET: Season 2021, at New York Live Arts. Featuring two world premieres and the FJK Dance repertoire, the full evening program is dedicated to all those lost during the pandemic and honors the memory of inspirational founding Board member Genevieve Young (1930-2020), whose legacy lives on in the commitment to creating positive change.
Reset will be performed by ten company dancers, representing eight different nationalities and FJK Dance’s global vision. The program is as follows:
Mirage (World Premiere) – Human stories from the Middle East, set to the music of Schubert’s Piano Trio in E-flat;
Forbidden (World Premiere) – When love is locked, and the key is inside, with music by Abdel Wahab and Hossam Shaker; and
Bolero – Exploring the challenge of duality, danced to the masterwork of Maurice Ravel.
RESET: Season 2021 plays Thursday, October 7-Saturday, October 9, 2021, at 7:30 pm, at FJK Dance, performing at New York Live Arts, 219 West 19th Street, NYC. Tickets are $45 and can be purchased online. All audience members must provide a proof of COVID-19 vaccine and wear a face mask inside the theater.
