As I was showing Felipe Oyarzun, our new dancer from Santiago, Chile around DC today I started thinking about the importance of international dialogues. I feel very lucky to have traveled with the company so much in the last 10 years because it has expanded our network and opened our eyes as to how vital it is to engage in a global dialogue. Dance is a universal language and to invest in relations with other countries is extremely important, especially for America right now. It expands how I choreographically create work and informs how my work can speak to all cultures. One of the major factors to learning how to choreograph effectively has been our travels and the many conversations we have had artists abroad. These travels and friendships help me create works that are universal vs. just American in aesthetic. I am in search of universal archetypes; I am very happy to support and sponsor our dance artists from Mongolia, Korea and Chile this year. I know that their experiences here will propel them and me to new heights. I especially look forward to our tour to Jordan in May. Understanding the Middle East through the arts will help us all get along. It will continue a shared humanitarian conversation and allow our young dancers to further their careers in the near future.
More soon! Dana
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