Previous Performances
Meet Me Between Tehran & Mbabane
Meet Me Between Tehran and Mbabane was directed by Nava Derakhshani, composed Shayan Azizi, and choreographed by Nikki Farahanchi for Mabou Mines iNYC. The piece intertwined shadow-play and dance to intimately tell the narrative of an Iranian family immigrating from Iran to Swaziland in Southern Africa. The show embraced the nostalgia of leaving homeland as well as the difficulty of living through current events from a distance. The 2022 Woman Life Freedom movement in Iran was a central focus of the performance, reading names of lost innocent lives, protesting with the cutting of hair, and moving in the midst of protest chants. This choreography featured Sufi whirling, Afrio-Persian dance, and an exploration of shadow-play.
Neek Dance Ensemble 2024
Eshghe Bandar was a Bandari performance by Nikki's very own performance group the Neek Dance Ensemble. Perfuming at the Secret Room in Manhattan as well as 2024 Persian Parade, Nikki choreographed a colorful splash of joyous movement originating from the Persian Gulf dance style known as Bandari. This six minute group piece blended traditional and modern music to authentically share the vibrant culture of southern Iran to a wide range of audiences.
Azar Show 2022
Azar (Fire) was a 2022 two hour production featuring a wealth of rich Iranian culture by diaspora members at the University of Michigan. This show featured 6 of Nikki's choreographies, authentically showcasing several Persian dance styles, including Classical, Bandari, Gilaki, Baba Karam, Kurdish,Azerbaijani, and Contemporary Persian dance. The purpose of this show was to display the beauty and diversity within Iran and to proudly share Persian dance, poetry, and art to the Michigan community.