"In the Dark We See" is an immersive, playful, and sensory networking experience designed to delve deeply into what it is that connects us, and to ignite human connection. Perspectives and histories dissolve in the eyes of the other, by sharing and experience the universal - our humanity.
In this workshop, we inspire deep and meaningful connection through the absence of vision, and then the reawakening of vision in a deeply thought provoking experience.
New senses take the lead: the rhythm of breath, the sound of a voice, the subtleties of thought and feeling that are usually drowned out by the speed of life. Through a series of guided moments—silent, tactile, and reflective— pariticipants explore how awareness shifts when distraction falls away. They emerge from darkness not only seeing differently but understanding one another in a new and profound way.
By stepping outside of their comfort zone and simply allowing themselves to delve into the present, a journey of self-introspection, and consequential awareness of each other awakens.
Structure:
Before the session, people are invited online to participate in a shared dialogue. They must submit the answer to a question “Which word do you hold close to your heart?” These answers are recorded by the team before the session, and are written on cards in the space before everyone arrives.
As participants arrive, they are welcomed in the room, one by one, and gently blindfolded.
Participants are guided into an installation where sight is surrendered, and the inner world awakens. Through a guided meditative session, with sound, recited poetry and a sensory ambience, the group is invited to delve within, touching on what it is that connects us, beyond borders, constructs, and beliefs. After the 20 mins guided meditation, all are positioned to face each other in a circle. Instead the blindfolds are replaced by a white mask in which each person sees themselves exactly as the other. The reveal is powerful, thought provoking, and playful. At this point the participants are invited to explore - in silence - by interacting with one another through a series of guided games. At the end of this 15 mins, each person is prompted to find their word - which is placed in the room - and to reveal themselves by removing their mask. A celebration follows of joy, interactions and exchange.
There is mystery, there is nothingness, there are a few surprise twists to trigger further the collective space.
Surrendering to the present, allows each one space to explore, directionless, anonymous, dissolved, yet connected: By tumbling down the rabbit hole and into a blank canvas, they then emerge into a surprising collective wonderland, and ritual of seeing.
Capacity of session: 30 participants
This is not a workshop
It is a living artwork, an artistic intervention for the mind and team spirit, created exclusively for networking and building meaningful human connections.
Designing around your understanding:
Over the past year, “the rabbit hole” has been developing some of their signature immersive experiences into powerful and unique formats to facilitate understanding, beyond borders, histories and societal constructs. At the essence of the rabbit hole, the collective seeks to stimulate new ideas about the self and other and to challenge culturally constructed limits and borders.
Founder and director Samina Virani, along with creative producer Carlos Calvo, both trained at Theatre of the Senses in the art of sensory communication; and their team of experienced facilitators have created workshops specifically to promote understanding, and exploring the mystical in the human condition. With a certificate in Muslim-Christian Understanding from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Samina has worked for decades with her mentor Professor John Voll to create interactive and highly impactful channels to bridge dialogue and connect people as humans.
“The experience played with my perception of my surroundings and prompted me to see things through an entirely different lens and outlook. Connecting through sounds and smells gave me a chance to sense others and other things in new and thought-provoking ways. The built-in narrative took me to a place of introspection and helped me connect with parts of myself that I don’t normally pay much attention to. I could then see this easily in my colleagues. Everything became transparent, trusting and open. It was a truly powerful and lasting experience for me that completely shifted how I engaged with my team.
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“I have been attending Samina’s performances and experiences since 2008 when the rabbit hole started in New York City. This time I was a participant in “In the Dark, We See” in a private penthouse art space overlooking Paris in March 2025. I can say that over the years the rabbit hole’s team have really mastered the art of designing experiences that allow for trust, safety and understanding to resonate, through a large toolkit of creative and playful means. This one is exactly what we need and exactly what is missing from our coherence in understanding. We are missing so much of the magic. It is powerful as a self exploration tool but also and most definitely to connect our groups together. They really nailed it. I left feeling mesmerized, seen, and transformed.”
Summary:
“In the Dark, We See'“ is a 45-60 mins immersive experience, where each participant is individually welcomed into the experience some days before, with an invitation that lures them into a virtual labyrinth; prompting them to answer a specific question. Each person’s answer, which becomes part of a collective thought, is revealed as the experience evolves. Two specially trained actors in sensory experiences guide the delicately scripted session, which is composed of 4 playful sections: Journey into the unknown, self-introspection, awareness of the other, and the reveal.
“In the Dark, We See”
is designed specifically for delving into understanding:
Deepens Human Connection and Self Awareness
Shared vulnerability strengthens group cohesion and trust, creating bonds that go far beyond the workshop.
Builds Trust Through Shared Experience
Replaces surface-level “fun” with meaningful, memorable moments that encourage authentic relationships.
Opens Space for Every Voice
Moves beyond extrovert-driven dynamics, creating an environment where quieter or less dominant personalities can contribute fully.
“When we remove the pressure to be seen, people begin to truly see one another.”
Who’s behind this:
Samina Virani
Director, Paris
Founder and Artistic Director of the rabbit hole, Samina Virani is an internationally recognized conceptual visual artist, known for immersive installations that transform perception and invite introspection. Her work bridges art, anthropology, and the psychology of human experience, and has been featured in leading cultural spaces- like Pioneer Works, New York; Hermann Nitsch Museum, Naples, and Sharjah Arts Museum, UAE, among other private commissions worldwide. After studying Culture and Politics at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service program and then working as a creative strategist in global advertising based in New York, she has learned how to uncover what truly moves people: This rare capacity to translate profound human moments into unforgettable experiences is a skill she now brings to creating deeper, more purposeful immersions in groups.
Carlos Calvo
Creative Producer, Barcelona
Carlos brings a balance of precision and creativity to In the Dark We See. With a background in producing immersive events and managing complex creative projects, he ensures every detail — from logistics to atmosphere — supports the depth and flow of the experience. His ability to translate vision into reality allows the work to unfold seamlessly, so participants can be fully present in the moment. After studying Dramaturgy in Barcelona, he went onto to become the Creative Producer for the immersive theatre company, Teatro de los Sentidos where he learned how to craft precise moment to moment experiences. Carlos has directed plays in New York and is now based in Copenhagen where he is part time Creative Producer of Recoil Performance Group, overseeing all the international development and strategy for the artists in the group.
Rossella Christy
Facilitator, Rome
Rossella Christy is an Italian Parisian-based actress whose work blends emotional precision with immersive storytelling. Trained in both classical and contemporary performance, she brings a sensitivity to roles that explore human connection and transformation. In In the Dark We See, Rossella guides participants through the unseen and the unsaid, using voice, presence, smells and tastes intuitively throughout the experience. Trained in acting in Rome and then later studying marketing at the Sorbonne in Paris, she comes to the project with a versatile understanding of how to inspire connection through performance.
So imagine:
Bringing strangers together in a space,
Where roles are left at the door — no masks, no barriers.
Just real human connection.
Here, everyone is equal.
Present. Open.
In a safe space to wander,
Trust, empathy and inspiration transpire.
Through play; innocence returns.
Through connection; insights emerge.
In this shared experience,
Community, inclusivity, authenticity and vulnerability naturally unfold.
This is where people become human — together.
The rabbit hole’s specific focus in Euro Med and the Middle East:
Since 2011, the rabbit hole has been creating experiences around Europe and the Middle East.
1) Crystal Express: June 2012
5 international artists were selected to embark on "the crystal express" - a 14 day train journey from Barcelona to Tel Aviv. They travelled and interacted with communities across Western and Eastern Europe and The Middle East. Their task was to explore connectivity across borders, countries and cultures, and to generate individual responses to the following question: what happens when we deconstruct all the paradigms, open all the borders and explore connectivity using our most powerful technology…..the senses?
https://www.101010n.com/thecrystalexpress
2) The Art of Remembering: Naples, 2021
“All that is solid melts into air,
Diffusing the labyrinth,
A continuum of existence in the end
As travellers. they do journey,
Searching for some sort of wonderland.
What is it that connects us?
A memory?
What if we stop remembering?”
- Samina Virani
On September 21, 2021 “the rabbit hole” collective presented “the art of remembering” ; in its first global residency program in collaboration with Fondazione Morra, Naples E-M Arts, and the University of Naples.
https://www.101010n.com/the-art-of-remembering
