A.Al Sayed, United Arab Emirates-M.Liccione, U.S.A.

               Ali Al Sayed

Ali Al Sayed is an ‘all-rounder’ in the entertainment industry; Comedian, master of ceremonies, producer, comedy coach, presenter.. with a few extra tricks (or rather, jokes) up his sleeve. He recently launched his own radio show on Hayat FM and has performed alongside great comics including Maz Jobrani, Dean Edwards of SNL, Dean Obeidallah, Sugar Sammy, Tommy Davidson of ‘In Living Color’, Hollywood legend Michael Winslow of ‘Police Academy’ movies, Nemr Abou Nassar, Aron Kader and many more. He’s had the great honor of making people laugh all over the GCC, Europe, Canada, USA and Africa.
He was recently one of the judges for Kit Kat’s Comedy Break Show, hosted MBC Action’s “Desert Force” TV Show, headlined at Caroline’s on Broadway in New York City and Edinburgh Fringe Festival, co-organized an Arts Camp for orphans in Uganda with the Clowns Who Care Project. Ali has been a prominent figure in the media, with news speeding all the way to the other side of the world via the the New York Times, as well as his own specials on Abu Dhabi TV and City 7.
Ali has also been seen on MBC’s Morning Show- ‘Sabah Al Khair Ya Arab’, ‘Zahrat Al Khaleej’, Dubai One TV’s ‘Twenty Something’ , ‘Studio One’ and ‘Out and About’ , as well as segments on Al Hurra, Al Rai, OSN, MBC, Decision Makers, BBC, Omni TV Toronto and was the weekly comedy commentator on Abu Dhabi Sports TV’s show “The Beautiful Game” where he both wrote and performed comedy material.
He was named ‘one of the most influential comedians in the world’ by Toastmaster’s International Magazine, nominated for Ahlan’s ‘Best in Dubai’ in the Best Personality Category, chosen as one of the ‘funniest people of the year’ by Rolling Stone and was coined “UAE’s King and Queen of Comedy” alongside his wife by Ahlan! Al Sayed was also selected along with his partner and now wife Mina Liccione, for ‘Ahlan’s Hot 100’ as Dubai’s Comedy Couple. He is currently nominated for a Best in Dubai Award in the “Best personality” category for the second year in a row. Ali is currently working on TV and film projects and can be found performing in numerous live shows internationally as well as on the radio Sunday-Thursday.

Mina Liccione, U.S.A.

Mina is an award-winning performing artist, comedian, choreographer and Arts Professor. She began performing at age three and teaching in her early teens in New York. She has been coined Dubai's 'First Lady of Comedy', was nominated for an Emirates Woman of the Year Award and was recently awarded 1st runner-up "Most inspiring Woman in the GCC" by Philly Arabia.
She has been seen on Broadway with STOMP (New York, San Francisco, World Tour), The New Pickle Circus, MTV's “The Grind” (original cast), "Sweet Charity", Yas Hakoshima's Mime and Movement Theater, Circo Romani, Velocity Circus, Everyday Theater Berkeley, Cirque- Special Events, the motion pictures "Pucked" and "Cradle Will Rock" as well as numerous International Cabarets, Festivals, Comedy Clubs and TV spots including NBC, CBS, MTV, BBC, Dubai One, City 7, Al Hurra, ABC, MBC, WROC and Abu Dhabi TV.
Recent performances included headlining in New York, Toronto and Kuwait, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Dubai International Comedy Carnival and a five show run in New York with Judah Friedlander of the "30 Rock" TV Series.
Mina received a B.F.A. in Dance with a minor in Theater Arts from Marymount Manhattan College, an M.F.A. in Experimental Performance Studies and Composition from the New College of California and is a graduate of the San Francisco School of Circus Arts' Clown Conservatory where she later acted as their Dance teacher and choreographer. Mina also had the great honor to co-teach workshops for Cirque Du Soliel with the legendary Jeff Raz and co-directed the San Francisco Youth Circus' award winning multi-media production of "Impressions".
Choreographic credits include the San Francisco Bay Area's long standing annual tradition; The Bracebridge Holiday Show, the 'Magic of Motown' event as part of the Stevie Wonder Concert Celebration on Yas Island, opening and closing ceremonies for the 2011 World Endurance Championship (WEC), "Hey Sailor" Launch for MAC Cosmetics..
In addition she was a lecturer at New York Film Academy and is currently adjunct Professor of Dance and Theater at American University of Sharjah.
On April 1, 2008 she pioneered the first Comedy & Urban Arts School in the Middle East with her now husband Ali Al Sayed. Dubomedy Arts School not only offered a wide variety of on-going training courses but is also the main cornerstone on top of which the UAE comedy community was built.
Mina is extremely passionate about using comedy as a tool to break stereotypes, unify diverse cultures, empower women's comedic voices as well as helping those in need. Her and Ali also founded the 'CLOWNS WHO CARE PROJECT' which brings joy, love, light, awareness and support to centers for children and adults with special needs, senior centers, charity organizations and hospitals.

Don’t think, improvise!
Co-lead by Mina Liccione and Ali Al Sayed

This workshop will focus on ensemble based theater games, movement and comedy structures geared towards short form improvisation performance. Improv’ is an excellent tool for any genre of performing arts and trains students to react in the moment, focus, listen, create unique characters, say “yes and” all while relieving stress and having fun.