Past Programs
Eight traditional Indian dancers/choreographers visited California and Washington D.C. from April 23 - May 7 as part of a program coordinated by the Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Choreographer Debbie Allen guided the selected young artists during the program so that they would gain a greater knowledge and appreciation for the American tradition of dance. The dancers first visited Washington D.C., from April 22-28, 2006 where they participated in a press briefing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, to highlight the importance of exchange programs that support the arts. During their visit to the Kennedy Center the dancers learned about Arts Management and Arts Administration. While in D.C. the dancers visited Howard University where they learned about the university level dance education , and they had the opportunity to attend dance classes of Jamaican Hip-Hop, African traditional dance, and Afro-American dance styles. In California, Debbie Allen had the dancers attend salsa dance classes at her studio, Debbie Allen's Dance Academy.
Azerbaijan Musicians Welcomed as Cultural
Visitors
Four talented, young musicians from Azerbaijan visited the
United States as Cultural Visitors under a grant that was awarded to the John F.
Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The group, which included, a pianist, a
flute player, clarinetist and a marimba player were welcomed in Washington, D.C.
on September 9. After spending a few days in Washington touring the city and
participating in various program activities, the group flew to Chicago, where
they attended meetings and performances with American musicians, who offered
insights and approaches to help the visitors develop their artistic talents.
Among the institutions that the group visited was the Civic Opera House, where
they were given a tour of the facility and had the opportunity to observe a
dress rehearsal of Tourandot. They also attended a performance at the Chicago
Symphony Orchestra as a part of the World Music Festival. Following their stay
in Chicago, the musicians returned to Washington where they took part in lessons
with various musicians of the National Symphony Orchestra and the Washington
National Opera. Finally, the musicians were invited to the White House for the
launch of the Global Cultural Initiative. As a special treat, two of the
musicians shared traditional musical selections from their home country.
Egyptian Visual Artists make cultural visit to the
U.S.
On September 1, 2006, four Egyptian visual artists traveled to
the United States as participants in the State Department's Cultural Visitors
program under a grant awarded to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing
Arts. The four week visit allowed the artists to produce new works in a
supportive, creative environment; explore works by U.S. artists, develop
connections with the U.S. arts community and participate in an open dialogue
about their work. Once the group arrived in Washington, they were met by
representatives of George Washington University. They had an opportunity to
participate in a roundtable discussion with Alexander Dumbadze, who is an
Assistant Professor of Art History and students from the school's Department of
Fine Arts and Art History. This dialogue allowed the visitors to have
significant exposure to the scholarly field in the U.S. After a brief stay in
Washington, two participants traveled to the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga,
California and two visited Art in General in New York City. Once the
month long residency was complete, the artists returned to Washington, D.C.,
where they presented their new works as well as shared existing projects with
guests at the Kennedy Center. Among the guests were representatives from the
Egyptian Embassy.
Kazakhstan Filmmakers
Four young
filmmakers arrived in Washington, D.C. for a two-week Cultural Visitor program
on September 15th. The program, which is made possible through a grant awarded
to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, gave the filmmakers an
opportunity to expand their knowledge of their craft. While in Washington the
Kazakhstan visitors met with American filmmakers and were invited to attend the
LunaFest film festival reception and final screening. During the second week
their visit, the group traveled to New York City, where they attended a series
of discussions on various aspects of the film industry, including distribution,
funding projects, and the film festival circuit. At the end of the two-week
visit, the filmmakers departed the United States for their home country excited
to share what they had learned.
Highlights
•Los Angeles Theater Experts Present Innovative Workshops to Young Salvadoran Musicians
• Cultural Envoys bring Hip-Hop to China’s Muslim West
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Inquiries regarding the Cultural Visitors program may be sent to CultureContact@state.gov.