40 student dancers and 15 guest dancers performed at Attitude’s, a Student Interest Group, largest-ever dance recital. Dancers and spectators from Abu Dhabi joined the NYU Abu Dhabi community in the event, which was attended by over 200 people.

“I really enjoyed the recital and found it inspiring and well organized,” wrote Alfonso “AlFunky” Perfetto, 33, a hip-hop dancer and chemical engineer working in Abu Dhabi. “I liked the different genres being proposed. It is important to give a wide view of what dance is.”

The recital featured a world-class hip-hop choreographer from the U.K., a professional tango dance couple from Argentina and Singapore, a rising local professional hip-hop crew and a local bachata, a dance originating from the Dominican Republic, group. Performances spanned eight broad genres of dance.

“The mix between beginners and experienced dancers is most definitely positive,” wrote Perfetto, “because it [gives] these beginner dancers some reference figures and charismatic people to look at. Nevertheless it is important that every dancer is well aware of his/her level in terms of skills, personality, technique and showmanship.”

Speaking on the future of the Attitude SIG, co-founder and President of Attitude Xuexin Cai said he wished to include more dances specific to the cultures of the global NYUAD community.

“Maybe not regular classes [of culture-specific dances], but students teaching workshops,” he said.

Cai’s wish for Attitude is that dance grows beyond a student-led activity and becomes an institutionalized effort in the wider university. Though he sees his plans for a Dance concentration and an international dance competition at NYUAD as somewhat far off and difficult to achieve, he wants to see the university contribute more actively to the art.

“I want to make this the pride of NYU Abu Dhabi. In the future, you know the brochure they send out to high schools around the world, I hope there will be two pages reserved just for Attitude,” said Cai.

“Regarding the dance culture in Abu Dhabi,” wrote Perfetto, “well ... I have to say I have not seen a lot so far. There are most definitely clusters of people but these clusters do not communicate with each other. The clubs are seen as the center of some styles … most of the people have only a superficial knowledge of the basic steps and techniques and they are not pushed to improve themselves because all they are looking for is to have fun in the clubs.”

There are plans beginning to crystallize for an academic conference “on the histories, politics, economics, choreographies and performance of dance,” according to Cai. He said that administration had so far responded with interest.

There are currently classes from the Athletics department and the Fitness Center, and Cai said he is working with other departments to work on a more coordinated program.

“It is actually very good what NYUAD is doing and I hope it will [later] open its doors to everyone,” wrote Perfetto.