Metro Diaries - 63Kolektib

An engaging theatrical journey that transforms public transit into a stage, bringing to life the untold stories of Dubai’s diverse commuters

Metro Diaries invites audiences to step into a world where movement and poetry intertwine, reflecting the rhythm of daily metro rides. Through evocative performances that blend spoken word, dance, and live soundscapes, the experience unfolds in vignettes that capture fleeting connections, moments of solitude, and the universal search for belonging. Designed fluidly by mirroring the spontaneity of real metro journeys—passengers board, interact, and part ways, each carrying a story. Some encounters are lighthearted, filled with warmth and curiosity, while others reveal the deeper struggles and resilience of migrant communities. At its core, Metro Diaries is a meditation on loss, hope, and grounding—three universal threads that bind all travelers together, whether on a train or through life.

Beyond the stage, Metro Diaries extends into the community through a series of free workshops. These sessions invite participants to share their own narratives, exploring the power of theatre as a means of connection and cultural expression.

63Kolektib

63Kolektib is an artist-led community committed to creating performances that amplify underrepresented voices, particularly those of migrant communities in the UAE. Born from a shared passion for storytelling, movement, and cross-disciplinary collaboration, the collective seeks to investigate and challenge narratives of displacement and belonging. Founded by artists with diverse backgrounds in theatre, poetry, and performance art, 63Kolektib crafts works that are both intimate and universally resonant. Through projects like Metro Diaries, the collective strives to make theatre accessible, using public spaces as a canvas for social reflection and dialogue.

Trixie Danielle

Trixie Danielle is a multidisciplinary artist based in the UAE. Her work delves into migration, identity, and belonging, mainly through theatre, poetry, and storytelling, while exploring the Filipino diaspora and fostering connection across cultures, reimagining personal and collective memories in her pursuit of community and creative collaboration. She was a 2024 Numoo cohort member at The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi. As a core member of TRIBE Creatives, she contributed to Sulyap. As a core member of 63Kolektib, she has contributed to projects like Metro Diaries; she also co-wrote the group’s reimagination of Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang (Tales of Grandma Basyang), and the Museum of Migration and Memory.

Juan Gonzales

Juan Gonzales is a Filipino migrant and multi-disciplinary performance-maker based in Dubai, and co-founder of 63Kolektib. He began his artistic journey in the Philippines, where he studied and practiced theatre, learning early on that art must engage with social issues. This belief continues to inform his work today. Metro Diaries, his first devised work since leaving the Philippines in 2016 to work in the UAE, is a deeply personal exploration of migration and placemaking. This performance explores his struggle in navigating a sense of home while being confronted by his transient existence in the UAE —a state of liminality that shapes the artist's reality. Collaborating with dance artist Rei Co, who started her professional career at the age of 12 and is a member of Sima Dance Company, he was brought to Dubai at just three months old, and has a unique understanding of what it means to live between worlds. Both artists weave their personal narratives of these themes through embodied movement.

Jomel Duran Reyes

Jomel Duran Reyes is a Theatre and performance-maker based in Abu Dhabi, dedicated to promoting Filipino culture through the lens of the migrant experience. He is a co-founder of 63Kolektib, an all-Filipino theatre and performance group in the UAE that provides a platform for Filipino artists in the region. Since 2018, he has produced and contributed to numerous performance projects across both Dubai and Abu Dhabi, including Ang Pambansang Litanya ng mga Inang Wala sa Bayan (National Litany of Mothers Away from the Motherland) and the Tipon: Artists Round Up Series, among others. His most recent project, as a producer, was the December 2023 production of Mga Kwento ni Lola Basyang (Tales of Grandma Basyang), a cherished Filipino literary classic. This production reimagined the tales through the lens of Filipino migrant and second-generation experiences, exploring themes of identity, heritage, and belonging. Jomel is also a proud member of the inaugural cohort of The Arts Center at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Numoo Arts Program, where he further developed his knowledge in performance and arts leadership within the UAE setting.

Rei Co

Rei Co is a 19-year-old professional dancer who began her journey at just six years old. By eight, she was training with Sima Dance Company, and by twelve, she launched her professional career. At thirteen, Rei not only created her debut solo piece featured in Ansaf by Alaa Krimed, but also began teaching contemporary and hip-hop at Sima Performing Arts, where she continues to share her expertise. Her impressive resume includes performances on major stages such as the Dubai Opera, the amphitheater at Expo 2020, and The Black Box and The Red Theater at The Arts Center at NYUAD. Beyond Dubai, she's graced stages with Sima Dance Company internationally. At eighteen, Rei achieved a significant milestone by creating her first original piece, titled INA.