Omar Aena is a world music DJ, event producer and cultural storyteller based in NYC.
He is passionate about bringing people together to discover and express their true selves.
His offerings reflect his experiences as a born & bred New Yorker, a student of the Sufi path and a lover of the sacred arts.
CURRENT PROJECTS
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LILA Productions
Founder + Director
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LILA Productions is a media and travel company producing ‘The LILA Series’ - a documentary series about sacred music and dance traditions from around the world. Each episode features a particular culture and tells their story about how they use art as a form of spiritual communion, prayer and healing, and to show the evolution of these traditions and the challenges they are facing today. We also host events and are organizing group trips to Morocco and Turkey in 2023 that will immerse us into these sacred music traditions.
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Dance Lab
Founder + Resident DJ
Dance Lab is a community event series based in Brooklyn exploring the intersection of Movement & Therapy. Each event starts with a guided movement class, followed by a free-form dance with a DJ, ending with a sound meditation. It is a safe and sober space for all, giving people the freedom to express themselves without judgement.
Dance Beyond
Founder + Co-Producer
Dance Beyond is a convergence of several dance communities and started as an intimate group retreat in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala. In 2022 it relocated to the Northeast for 2 events: a larger scale weekend gathering, which featured live music & DJ’s, embodiment workshops, talks & ceremonies, and a 5-day deep dive winter retreat in the Catskills in Upstate New York. In 2023 there will be another Summer Campout and a Fall/Winter retreat.
Unifier Festival
Co-Producer
This annual festival in the Berkshires brings together world-class musicians, DJ’s and facilitators for a weekend on 414-acres of community-owned land. This year Omar was invited in to curate some of the musical acts from the NYC world music + dance community.