MANAV SACHDEVA MAASOOM and DENI BONET: MAGICAL PERFORMANCE at AWoW'S ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE

Manav Sachdeva Maasoom kept the full house spellbound at AWoW’s Anniversary Showcase with his mystical, magical rendition of his opening poem “The Song of Humanity” dedicated to Tagore, from his debut poetry book, The Sufi’s Garland.

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Deni Bonet and Machev Sachdeva Maasoom
Deni Bonet and Machev Sachdeva Maasoom. Photo by Vera Hoar

A Luce Foundation Poet Laureate, Manav Maasoom, accompanied by the extraordinary fiddler Deni Bonet, matching and making the Sufi poetry even more magical through the wonderful matching renditions of the violin, made sure the evening had a taste of the spiritual, romantic, war, and indeed the whole repertoire of poetic thought represented.

 

An evening to never forget. Hopefully Manav Sachdeva Maasoom will grace us again with his creations in the not too distant future. 

 

DARRAH CARR DANCE at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION

Darrah Carr Dance showcased excerpts of “ModERIN SWINGS! Darrah Carr Dance with Tara O’Grady & her Black Velvet Band” during AWoW’s Fourth Anniversary celebration at The Cell Theatre on February 23rd. The dance company premiered this collaboration in November 2015 as part of their annual NYC season at the Irish Arts Center. 

 

Jonathan Matthews and Laura Neese
Jonathan Matthews and Laura Neese

Using inspiration from O’Grady’s original songs, as well as the Andy Cooney Band, Darrah, the groups’ Artistic Director, has provided exuberant works for the company’s outstanding dancers. Dancers for the Artists Without Walls’ celebration included: Darrah Carr, Jonathan Matthews, Laura Neese, and Mary Kate Sheehan.

 

Matthews and Neese began the set dancing to Tara’s rendition of Irish Rover. They were followed by Mary Kate’s modern dance to Tara’s “Black Velvet Band.” Their last piece, an Irish step dance, included Darrah, Jonathan and Laura, which was performed to a track from The Andy Cooney Band.

 

Mary Kate Sheehan
Mary Kate Sheehan

As a reviewer for the New York Times wrote “Darrah Carr Dance…putting a new wrinkle into New York modern dance with a program of pieces that add Irish step dancing to the modern mix.”  So true. Their performance was sensational.

 

Darrah Carr, Jonathan Matthews and Laura Neese
Darrah Carr, Jonathan Matthews and Laura Neese

And the ever gracious Darrah ended the evening proclaiming, “Many congratulations on Artists Without Walls’ four year milestone and thank you so much for including us!”

 

Photos by Vera Hoar

JOIN NIAMH HYLAND and CHARLES R. HALE at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE

Join Artists Without Walls on Tuesday, February 23rd, at The Cell Theatre for an evening of great entertainment as it begins its fourth year.

 

“We’ve always been inspired by the flowering of artistic achievement, which often arises when cultures come together. Jazz is one of the great examples. As a result, we were inspired to create a dynamic environment that allows for and promotes cultural collaboration and artistic achievement. We are excited that we have created a laboratory where people can experiment with their ideas in a safe space and collaborate with their peers in new untapped ways.” Charles R. Hale and Niamh J. Hyland, Artists Without Walls cofounders and artistic directors.

 

The Cell Theatre is located at 338 W23rd St, NYC. The Cell’s doors and bar open at 6:45. 

 

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SPOKEN WORD ARTIST LIV MAMMONE at AWoW'S ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE at THE CELL in NYC

Come meet and listen to spoken word artist Liv Mammone at Artists Without Walls’ Anniversary Showcase at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St., NYC, Tuesday, February 23rd.

 

Liv Mammone
Liv Mammone

Liv is an editor and poet from Long Island, New York, where she lives with her parents, brother, family of feral cats, and geriatric dachshund. She has previously taught creative writing at Hofstra University and Queens College. Liv’s poetry has appeared in wordgathering, Wicked Banshee, The Medical Journal of Australia, QDA: a Queer, Disabled Anthology and is forthcoming in the anthology, Grabbing the Apple. As a spoken word poet, she has featured at Sip This, Artists Without Walls, Tache Chocolates, and is the winner of Union Square Slam’s 2015 Nerd Slam. She is the third visibly disabled poet ever to place as a finalist for a national slam.

 

The Cell’s doors and bar open at 6:45. 

"LUCE FOUNDATION POET LAUREATE" MANAV SACHDEVA MAASOOM at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE at THE CELL THEATRE

Join Manav Sachdeva Maasoom and a great collection of performers at Artists Without Walls’ Anniversary Showcase, Tuesday, February 23 at The Cell Theatre, 338 West 23rd St., NYC.

Manav Sachdeva Massoom
Manav Sachdeva Maasoom

 

Manav is an international poet and diplomat, and has worked or traveled through forty-five countries. Manav was born in India and currently divides his time between Kyrgyzstan and New York. He studied Poetry and Policy Studies at Columbia University for his Masters of International Affairs and is the Luce Foundation Poet Laureate for the US for 2015. Manav has worked on an Afghan film, “Camp Victory,” as a subtitle interpreter and editor, and written a book, “The Sufi’s Garland”, dedicated to his time in Afghanistan. He speaks Dari, some Pashto, Urdu, Panjabi, Hindi, English, and some Russian, Spanish, and French. Manav worked with the United Nations and other international NGOs and development bodies over the last two decades.

 

The Cell’s doors and bar open at 6:45. 

ALESSIA SUSHKO and SEDLY BLOOMFIELD at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE

Alessia Sushko and Sedly Bloomfeld will be performing a scene from Shakespeare’s Othello at Artists Without Walls’ Anniversary Showcase on Tuesday, September 23, at The Cell Theatre, 338 W23rd St, NY. Alessia’s film and television credits include House of Cards, Mysteries of Laura, Sex & Drugs & Rock&Roll, Billions. In New York theatre she has appeared in Death, Please! (Theatre Row Theatre) and MacBeth (The Players Club). Alessia was raised in Belarus where she began her acting and ballet training.

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Alessia Sushkov and Sedly Bloomfield
Alessia Sushko and Sedly Bloomfield

 

Sedly Bloomfield grew up in Brooklyn, where his development was stimulated by a Brooklyn’s unique melting pot of culture. After graduating from Erasmus Hall High School, Sedly attended Lee Strasberg and ran his own dance and acting club in Brooklyn NY. He has appeared in stage roles as Oscar Charleston in Cobb, Captain Davenport in a Soldiers Play and Hoke in Driving Miss Daisy, and on television he has appeared in All My Children, Torchwood and The Guiding Light.

 

The Cell’s doors and the bar open at 6:45

DARRAH CARR DANCE at ARTISTS WITHOUT WALLS' ANNIVERSARY SHOWCASE

Join Darrah Carr and a great collection of performers at Artists Without Walls’ Anniversary Showcase, Tuesday, February 23 at The Cell Theatre, 338 West 23rd St., NYC.

 

Darrah is the director of Darrah Carr Dance, a Bessie-Award nominated Irish dance company that specializes in ModERIN: a unique combination of traditional Irish step and contemporary modern dance. NYC performance highlights include: a return appearance on NBC’s “The Today Show,” a guest performance with The NY Pops at Carnegie Hall, a benefit engagement at Jazz at Lincoln Center, “Victory Dance” at The New Victory Theater and “The Yeats Project” at the Irish Repertory Theatre.

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Darrah Carr Dance. Darrah (center)
Darrah Carr Dance. Darrah (center)

The company has performed at venues throughout the US including MASS MoCA, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, The Yard at Martha’s Vineyard, the San Jose Fleadh and the company’s annual New York season at the Irish Arts Center. Darrah is also a respected scholar of Irish dance and has presented her research findings at the Congress on Research in Dance, the World Dance Alliance, and Dance Research Forum Ireland.

 

The doors and bar open at 6:45