2006 Highlights

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December 2006

Visual Arts & Film Programs/Biennales
Preview of the 2006 Cairo Biennale. The December issue of Travel and Leisure magazine includes a special feature on the vibrant contemporary art scene in Cairo. Prominently featured is Townhouse Gallery, ECA's "unofficial" partner for Biennale- related public programs. Two of the artists pictured and discussed in the piece, Amal Kenaway and Moataz Nasr, are ones we know and have worked with in the past. As part of the U.S. participation in the 2006 Cairo International Biennale, supported by ECA, the U.S. Embassy will present a "Meet the Artists" program at Townhouse on December 13, with visiting American curators and critics Domenick Ammirati, Geon Moreno and Anjali Gupta. Moataz also is an alumnus of other ECA-funded programs.

Vocalist, Jason "MC Jahah" Berry fronting HIP HOP group AFAR.

Performing Arts/ Rhythm Road - American Music Abroad
ECA Hip-Hop program delivers positive messages to Southern Africa. "Rhythm Road - American Music Abroad" program featuring urban music group "Afar" visited Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and South Africa November 28 - December 6, 2006. Afar was introduced at one performance by Consul General Steve Coffman, who noted the presence of AIDs NGOs in the audience. The group conducted three radio interviews in South Africa with emphasis on the band and their message of HIV/AIDS awareness, as well as positive messages about the United States. Afar" was the first urban music group to perform in Zimbabwe in two years. The group put on workshops with young music artists emphasizing the importance of communication during live performances. Local artists were free to express critiques on "Afar," and "Afar" had the opportunity to comment on local music groups. This exchange promoted a positive image of hip hop as a forum for dialogue.
For more information about their tour, visit:
http://pretoria.usembassy.gov/wwwhnews061211.html
http://harare.usembassy.gov/afar2.html

November 2006

L to R: Shaz Bennett, Senior Programmer AFI FEST; Hilary Brougher, Jay Craven, Julie Stevens; J.B. Rutagarama, Norman Maake, Ngozi Onwurah; Goutam Ghosh; Christian Gaines, Director AFI FEST; Lucy Walker.

Special Initiatives
AFI Project: 20/20 Begins U.S. Tour Following Launch at the American Film Institute's International Film Festival, AFI FESTNineteen American and international filmmakers participating in AFI Project: 20/20 made their debut at AFI FEST, November 1-12 in Los Angeles, kicking off a year-long filmmaker exchange program. On November 20 and 21, three of the filmmakers came to Washington D.C. for screenings at AFI's Silver Theater.

AFI Project: 20/20 is an international cultural exchange designed to enhance mutual understanding and collaboration by engaging audiences in the U.S. and abroad through filmmakers and their films. Part of the State Department's Global Cultural Initiative, AFI Project: 20/20 is a cultural diplomacy partnership involving the State Department, AFI, the President's Committee on Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

AFI Project 20/20 filmmakers will travel together to screen their films, hold workshops about the shared values the films illustrate, and discuss the role of perception in cross-cultural understanding. Through screenings at film festivals and other venues around the world and professional and cultural exchanges, AFI Project: 20/20 filmmakers will underscore the importance of free expression and diverse perspectives in promoting acceptance and dialogue

Following the launch in Los Angeles, filmmakers visited venues in Tucson, San Francisco, Chicago, St. Louis, Seattle, Salt Lake City, Athens, Ohio, and Silver Spring, Md., where the AFI Silver Theater will screen these films:

SHAME with director Mohammed Naqvi (Pakistan) and the film’s subject, Mukhtaran Mai  
BACK HOME with director J. B. Rutagarama (Rwanda)
STEPHANIE DALEY with director Hilary Brougher (US)
AFTER by director David Cunningham (US)

Other AFI Project 20/20 films and filmmakers:

TO PLAY AND TO FIGHT by Alberto Arvelo (Venezuela)
BIG DREAMS LITTLE TOKYO by David Boyle (USA)
DISAPPEARANCES by Jay Craven (USA)
THE JOURNEY by Goutam Ghosh (India)
THE YACOUBIAN BUILDING by Marwan Hamed (Egypt)
THE ROAD by Zhang Jiarui (China)
FROZEN DAYS by Danny Lerner (Israel)
OFFSIDE by Jafar Panahi (Iran)
BEAUTIFUL OHIO by Chad Lowe (USA)
HOMECOMING by Norman Maake (South Africa)
SHOOT THE MESSENGER by Ngozi Onwurah (Nigeria/UK)
LIFE AFTER TOMORROW by Julie. Stevens (USA)
MEMORIES OF TOMORROW by Yukihiko Tsutsumi (Japan)
BLINDSIGHT by Lucy Walker (UK)
NO SWEAT by Amie Williams (USA)

To find out more about these films, visit http://www.afi.com/onscreen/afifest/2006/project2020.aspx

AFI Project: 20/20" screens at AFI'S Silver Theater. This international cultural exchange (part of the Global Cultural Initiative) is designed to enhance mutual understanding and collaboration by engaging audiences in the U.S. and abroad through filmmakers and their films. Three of the nineteen American and international filmmakers participating in AFI Project: 20/20 attended screenings of their films at AFI's Silver Theater outside Washington November 20 and 21 following their debut at AFI FEST in Los Angeles. The filmmakers introduced their films and took questions from audiences afterward. Pakistani director Mohammed Naqvi, whose film SHAME details the struggle of Pakistani women's rights activist and "honor" crime survivor Mukhtaran Mai, was joined by Mai at an AFI reception for the filmmakers. The other filmmakers included J.B. Rutagarama of Rwanda and American Hilary Brougher. Rutagarama's film BACK HOME details his return to Rwanda years after escaping genocide. Brougher's film STEPHANIE DALEY stars Tilda Swinton and Amber Tamblyn, who this week received an Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for her performance in it. AFI Project: 20/20 is a partnership with AFI, the President's Committee on Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute for Museum and Library Services. The overseas component of this year-long filmmaker exchange is expected to be launched this February.

American bluegrass opens a door to Chinese. Abby Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet received an unexpected warm reception in Guangzhou, a musically conservative society. Funded by the ECA Performing Arts Initiative, the American bluegrass music ensemble presented performances to large audiences in Guangzhou from November 2-3, 2006. Abby Washburn, the lead singer, speaks and sings in Chinese, and the group's excellent bluegrass rendition of traditional Chinese songs won the hearts of their audience. In their first performance, the group was joined by students of the Chinese Xinghai Conservatory who accompanied the group with traditional Chinese instruments. After the first performance the word had spread that the show was such a success that most people of the Foreign Affairs Office showed up at the second concert, and the Director of the Foreign Affairs Office in Guangzhou stated that she, "Never imagined that they would be this good," and that next year she would make sure that they played at the Xinghai Concert Hall, the premier concert hall in Guangzhou which can handle up to 1,500 people. The program received excellent media coverage which included several major newspapers as well as south China's largest media group, Nanfang. The U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou described the group as "phenomenal." Additionally, Consul General, Robert Goldberg personally expressed that he, "could not imagine a better way of introducing America to China than through song -- traditional, modern, and an eclectic Chinese-American hybrid," and that his Chinese counterparts who came into contact with the group truly appreciated the group's talent and Abby Washburn's linguistic skills.

Grant Opportunities
International Writers Program turns pages towards mutual understanding. It was November 16th, a brisk Thursday evening; a reading of literary poetry was set to take place at the Library of Congress. ECA grantee organization, the University of Iowa's International Writers Program showcased the works of six writers from Indonesia, Afghanistan, Estonia, Uruguay, Libya, and Senegal. Some readings appeared to be rather descriptive of personal experiences with universal themes, whereas other readings reflected the ways in which the American experience had impacted their lives. Their visit included stops in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Portland, Maine, Washington, DC, and New York City. The following day, there was a debriefing for 15 writers where they provided insights for deepening the impact of the program such as the development of a future reciprocal exchange program.

October 2006

Apple Hill Chamber Players with Jordanian alumni of their summer residency program after a concert.

Grant Opportunities
Apple Hill Chamber Players dazzle youth audiences in Jordan. Performing to overflow crowds in Amman and the provincial city of Irbid, the American string quartet "Apple Hill Chamber Players" made an extremely positive impression on their youth and adult audiences in Jordan during their four-day program (October 29 - November 1, 2006). Jordan was one of three countries visited as part of their Middle East tour organized with ECA grant funding. During two of the three concerts, they were joined by Jordanian pianist and Apple Hill alumna Reem Abu Rahmeh. Her participation was significant in that it showcased music's ability to cross cultural boundaries. The musicians conducted three master classes at Jordan's largest music departments: the National Music Conservatory and the music departments at the University of Jordan, and the Irbid-based Yarmouk University. Their workshops strengthened important ties with the U.S. Embassy and provided students mentoring opportunities with world-class musicians. The musicians offered the possibility of a scholarship to attend the Apple Hill Summer Residency program at their facility in New Hampshire in summer of 2007. Apple Hill's very favorable media coverage included a featured article in the independent daily Arabic-language newspaper, Al Ghad. The article was titled "A chamber music performance by the American Apple Hill Center: Strings that tell the story of the soul".

Abby Washburn with Tibetan boy band "Heavenly Lake"

Performing Arts/ Performing Arts Initiative
American music program in Tibet: will it open the door? In the first-ever Public Diplomacy program approved by Tibetan authorities, Abby Washburn and the Sparrow Quartet toured the Autonomous region of Tibet and reached an audience of over 6,300 people that included students and general public from October 26 to November 1, 2006. The program was sponsored through ECA's Performing Arts Initiative. The group presented performances and master classes at the Lhasa High School, Lhasa University, Tibet Agricultural University and at the largest club in Lhasa. The performances created harmonies through combining Bluegrass music with traditional Chinese and Tibetan music and involved collaborations with high school and college-aged students along with the Tibetan boy band, "Heavenly Lake" and the Tibetan rock band, "Tian Chu." The Director of the Tibetan Cultural Office and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs both expressed their hope that this new cultural exchange with the U.S. would continue. As a result of this program, the Tibetan public expressed a new found love of American music.

Emily Freeman Brown and Aiman Mussakhodjayeva perform.

Cultural Representatives/ Cultural Envoys
The gift of American classical music resonates with Kazakhs. In a country where conducting is almost solely a male profession, Cultural Envoy Emily Freeman Brown introduced American Classical music to professional and student musicians in Almaty and Astana from October 1-12, 2006. Selections performed included works by Samuel Barber, Aaron Copeland, William Schuman, Samuel Adler and John Corigliano, offering audiences a unique chance to hear American works never performed in the country. In addition to the performances, Ms. Brown conducted master classes and workshops in both cities. The student musicians found the American works difficult to play at first since the rhythms were quite different from what they were used to playing. The workshops and master classes provided the students with an appreciation of American classical music. Internationally renowned violinist Aiman Mussakhodjayeva performed a John Corigliano piece with the professional orchestra in Astana. The musical communities of both cities were grateful for this unforgettable international experience. This Envoy program was the fourth event marking the U.S. Embassy move from Almaty to Astana.

September 2006

Uzbek weavers working on a textile.

Grant Opportunities
Weaving the fabric of cultural exchange between Americans and Uzbeks. As one of the first groups to sponsor U.S. Uzbek exchanges, the Institute for Training and Development, an ECA grantee, reached out to eight Uzbek weavers and brought them to the Massachusetts and Rhode Island to work with their American counterparts from September 27 to October 18, 2006. While in the New England area, the weavers gained expertise on natural dyeing, dye plant horticulture, design, weaving, and embroidery. During their stay, they conducted a series of workshops teaching traditional weaving, as well as demonstrations and exhibitions on traditional crafts. The news of the Uzbek artisans' visit was widely publicized on websites and email networks of fiber artists and craft guilds in the New England area and in New York State. The Uzbek artisans also participated in the Paradise City Arts Festival where over 15,000 people attended and were published in their fall catalog with a spotlight article detailing their experience which reached an audience of over 150,000. The media effect of the outreach was so extensive that the expected enrollment in their studio classes at Snow Farm, (a fiber art education center in Massachusetts) more than tripled. In one class at Snow Farm featured a power point presentation complete with Uzbek music on the Uzbek textiles which the students in the workshop showed genuine interest for. After the visit many American artisans, students and textile wholesalers expressed interest in purchasing the magnificent Uzbek textiles and designs. Knowledgeable dealers said nowhere else in the world were 100% silk rugs of this quality being made. The artisans made thousands of Americans aware of the Uzbek culture and the Islamic art that inspires their work. The project provided awareness among both Americans and Uzbeks of one another's cultural traditions and increased mutual understanding.

Peter Kalivas and the children's dance troupe from the Palace of Youth.

Cultural Representatives/ Cultural Envoys
American choreographer makes a big "Splash" in Kazakhstan Inspired by the theme of the festival "Splash" for the opening of the American Embassy in Astana, American Contemporary Choreographer Peter Kalivas created a work specifically for his Cultural Envoy program from September 5-25, 2006. During his three week stay in Astana, Kalivas worked with professional dancers from the National Opera and Ballet Theatre and conducted master classes for 50 children from the Youth Palace of Astana. The professional dancers and children were provided with a unique opportunity to work and perform with choreographer of such a high caliber. Five hundred young dance enthusiasts, professional dancers and guests from other diplomatic missions stood and cheered with the last leap of dance in a standing ovation, seven curtain calls and an encore. Television and local press throughout Kazakhstan likewise applauded the event. Everyone involved in the project were impressed by the talents of Peter Kalivas and express that the program was a wonderful cultural exchange, as local dancers do not have many opportunities to work with choreographers from other countries. Kazakh audiences were very eager to be introduced to contemporary dance from the United States, and asked the U.S. Embassy to invite more prominent cultural envoys from America.

The New Orleans All-Star Brass Band performs before 3,500 at the Chiang Mai University Convention Center.

Performing Arts/ Performing Arts Initiative
From the Bayou to the people of Thailand: "Thanks." The New Orleans All Star Brass Band wowed an audience of nearly 7,000 people through four public performances and one university workshop, commemorating the King of Thailand's 60th Anniversary. The series kicked off with a free concert at Chiang Mai's University's Convention Center on September 25, and was hailed as the best-attended musical event ever staged in Chiang Mai. On September 27 the band played at Bangkok's 8th International Festival of Dance and Music. Ambassador Boyce hosted a reception prior to the concert. Two more performances and a master class with 30 music students at Payap University in Chiang Mai completed the program. As is so often the case, cultural events offered an excellent way to reach out to Thai audiences, especially the Thai Muslim community and a great opportunity to further thank the King and the Thai people for the assistance they provided to the people of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. The events of the program were widely covered by the media of newspapers, television and magazines and reached roughly 6,000,000 people.

For more information, visit: http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/consulcm/events/2006/Master%20class.htm and http://bangkok.usembassy.gov/consulcm/events/2006/New%20Orleans_Eng.htm

Chet Walker at a workshop for children with special needs.

Cultural Representatives/ Cultural Envoys
Broadway meets Belgrade. Cultural Envoy Chet Walker, a New York jazz dance musical theatre director and choreographer, visited Belgrade from September 17-30. He gave master classes in jazz musical theater for professional dancers and students, workshops for children with special needs and children without parental care. All major Belgrade-based media carried reports from the press conference and interviews with Mr. Walker, including a high-profile appearance on the TV B92 program "Yellow Cab," which reports on the latest cultural and social events in Belgrade.

For more information, visit http://belgrade.usembassy.gov/embassy/pa/ce/060922.html.

Performing Arts/ Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad
Lincoln Center jazz musicians draw an "A" list of Malagasy to US Embassy event: Annette Aguilar, a jazz percussionist, and Barry Olsen, a jazz pianist, returned to Madagascar to spread the gospel of jazz as part of the Rhythm Road -American Music Abroad program in collaboration with Jazz at Lincoln Center. Prime Minster Jacques Sylla attended an event held at the Ambassador's residence, which included a jam session with a well- known Malagasy musician. The duo also conducted workshops with teachers and students of the Jazz Department of the National School of Music and Dance. Workshop students joined both musicians in a collaborative performance for the final concert.

The Eric Byrd Trio

Performing Arts/Performing Arts Initiative
The Eric Byrd Trio participates in festivities of Bolivia. As part of the Performing Arts Initiative, the Eric Byrd Trio traveled to Bolivia where they conducted three workshops and presented six concerts from September 5 to 11, reaching over 2,500 people. The concerts included performances in La Paz at the Sixth International Jazz Festival, in El Alto at the Fourth Annual Sun Festival, and at the First US Culture Week in Cochabamba. The events were widely broadcast on popular Bolivian TV stations. The group conducted workshops with local young musicians on the saxophone and American jazz. The Trio performed contemporary American jazz, and served as a great cultural representatives for outreach to young audiences and indigenous communities.

Visual Arts Programs
U.S. Presentation at the 2006 Venice Biennale of Architecture Opens to positive response from the Public and the International Press: The official U.S. representation to the Venice Biennale of Architecture, the leading international gathering of the architecture profession and related field, has received a positive response in the national and international press since its opening in the U.S. Pavilion in Venice on September 7. The Los Angeles Times, The Guardian, Frankfurter Allegmeine and other leading publications positively noted the U.S. contribution in reviews of this major exhibition, which includes entries form over 50 countries. In its review of the entire Biennale, the Guardian Unlimited noted that, "only the U.S. Pavilion seems to have any sense of purpose." The U.S. presentation After the Flood: Building on Higher Ground, focuses on award-winning designs for single family and multi-family for New Orleans, the Gulf region and other parts of the world facing similar challenges.

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August 2006

HaviKoro's Joel doing a headspin.

Performing Arts/ Performing Arts Initiative
Hip-hop group Havikoro stands culture on its head in Denmark. The hip-hop, break-dance group Havikoro traveled to Denmark, Argentina, Croatia and Kiev as part of the Performing Arts Initiative. In Denmark, between August 2-5 the group performed at Copenhagen's Town Hall Square during the finals of the Urban Street Basketball Challenge. In addition to their performance, they judged participants in the Scandinavian break dancing finals, and held a second performance at a young-adult dance club. In Odense, Denmark's third largest city, Havikoro performed in the Town Hall Square to an audience that included many young people from local dance studios. This performance included youth participants that were invited to join the group on stage. In the final stop in Aarhus, Havikoro conducted a break dancing clinic where underserved youth had the opportunity to learn and improvise on the skills and technique in break dance.

For more information, please visit: http://denmark.usembassy.gov/events/2006/summer/havikoro.htm

Rafael Velez and friends at work in Honduras.

Cultural Envoy Presents and Judges in Honduras: Rafael Velez, a New York painter, traveled to Honduras as a Cultural Envoy from August 7-21. While there, he was part of the jury for the 20th Annual National Art Biennale in Tegucigalpa. Velez also conducted art workshops for over 150 students including a week-long mural workshop at the National School of Fine Arts and watercolor workshops for children ages 7-14 at the Pilot Program to Combat Urban Poverty. Velez distributed materials to workshop participants and shared his techniques and values with the Honduran participants. He also gave a public presentation on his artwork and that of several New York based artists to students, artists, and art "aficionados."

Dennis Rathnaw at work in Cameroon

Ethnomusicologist Dennis Rathnaw Uplifts Cameroon's Music Industry: Cultural Envoy, Dennis Rathnaw, an ethnomusicologist from the School of Music at the University of Texas, traveled to Yaoundé, Cameroon to share his expertise on digital audio recording practices and related software. During his visit, he conducted workshops with a group of Cameroonian musicians and cultural entrepreneurs on the techniques of multi-track recording and mastering. The workshops culminated in the construction of a digital audio studio involving all participants. This studio will remain in Cameroon, as encouragement for Cameroonian musicians to record in country and the technology will make the production of good quality discs at an affordable rate possible.

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July 2006

Grants Opportunities
Uzbek Musicians in Residence "Bang On A Can": Two Uzbek musicians, supported by ECA's grant to CEC/Artslink, completed a month-long residency at the Bang On A Can Summer Music Institute at the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams, Massachusetts during the month of July. The Institute is a summer residency program for young musicians and multi-media artists, attended by 30-40 artists from the United States and other parts of the world. While at Bang On A Can, the musicians worked with noted American multi-media artist, Meredith Monk. They were also introduced to American improvisational music styles and techniques, which had not been part of their formal training. They brought their new improve abilities to a culminating Blue Grass jam with fellow Institute participants.

Performing Arts Program/Performing Arts Initiative
Tony Ellis and the Musicians of Braeburn (bluegrass) traveled to Belarus to reach out to youth and other target audiences in Minsk and Molodechno. The performers conducted master classes with local musicians and music students, held public concerts, performed at a local orphanage, and participated informal jam sessions. The group was interviewed by local journalists, and shared valuable information during roundtable discussions on "Music as a Profession and Business" and "Music of the American South."

The Andrew Shantz Jazz Quartet Performs in Yemen: The Andrew Shantz Quartet performed in the cities of Sanaa and Aden to audiences of over 1,200 Yemeni citizens, mostly youth. The Andrew Shantz Quartet was the first U.S. band to visit Yemen. The quartet performed with a famous Yemeni singer, Mohammed al-Atrooshm that was very well received by the audience. In addition to their performances the quartet participated in a workshop that culminated in a collaborative effort with Yemeni musicians.

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June 2006

Gardner and Anderson perform for youth in one of four cities they toured in Honduras.

Performing Arts Program/Performing Arts Initiative
Honduras: American Jazz Pianist and Honduran Guitarist Perform Afro-Caribbean Music: American jazz pianist Jeff Gardner and Honduran singer and guitarist Guillermo Anderson created goodwill for the U.S. in four cities in Honduras, generating wide-ranging media coverage. The workshop and performance project brought American jazz and Afro-Caribbean music to areas where a large percentage of indigenous and marginalized populations reside. One hundred and fifty music students from low-income families participated in the first workshop in San Pedro Sula, followed by a performance for an audience of 400 at the Binational Cultural Center, including artists and government officials. In Tela, the second stop on the tour, the artists performed to an audience of 300 indigenous people at a local community cultural center. Due to rain at the annual fair in Trujillo, the third stop on the tour, 130 people squeezed into a room to enjoy the duo's performance. In La Ceiba, the tour's final stop, the musicians conducted a workshop with students at the music conservatory and performed a public concert for an audience of approximately 600.

Poster of the Attack Theatre group.

Attack Theatre Leaps into Indonesia: As part of the Performing Arts Initiative, Attack Theatre (a group of musicians and dancers) performed in the Indonesian cities of Surabaya, Jakarta, and Bali from June 9- 20. Their performances explored space and human relations with a humor and beauty that instantly made a connection with the diverse Indonesian audiences. During their visit the group conducted workshops with Indonesian students on theatre performance techniques. A leading Indonesian newspaper described the performance as one that "Blurs the borders between art, music, voices, dances, and visual technology to provide something unique."

Nina Drath at work in Lebanon.

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Envoy
Texan Pianist Visits Lebanon: Cultural Envoy and pianist Nina Drath of Corpus Christi, TX conducted master classes, workshops and one-on-one coaching sessions with students at the Lebanese National Higher Conservatory June 10-18, 2006. She introduced American classical music to 60 students of the USG-supported ACCESS English language program at a concert with the Lebanese National Symphony Orchestra, performing Bernstein's "The Age of Anxiety" to a 1300 person audience, prompting an enthusiastic standing ovation afterwards. The concert also included a work by Bechara El Khourys, a well-known Lebanese composer. The concert offered ACCESS public high school scholarship recipients i their first experience with live music of any kind. The students had reserved seating at the concert and responded enthusiastically to the experience. Ms. Drath presented a recital at the ambassador's residence for 50 guests from political and business circles (including five former and current cabinet ministers).

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May 2006

Grants Opportunities
Jazz at the National Cultural History Museum in Pretoria: Under a grant to Jazz at Lincoln Center (JALC) Wycliffe Gordon Septet toured in South Africa as part of an on-going exchange between JALC and South Africa's Field Band Foundation. Our Embassy in Pretoria, reported the ensemble "blew the roof off" the National Cultural History Museum at their May 12 launch of the ten-day exchange. The American musicians are working with youth in townships throughout South Africa who are involved in the Field Band program. The grant supports the partnership between JALC and Field Band Foundation designed to foster joint musical activities and positive dialogue on HIV and AIDS awareness and prevention.

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Envoys
Exciting New Indian-U.S. Dance Work Premieres in San Francisco: As a result of her Cultural Envoy program in India three years ago, renowned American choreographer Margaret Jenkins premiered a new work at the Bay Area Festival in San Francisco on May 17, 2006. The Indian dancers from Calcutta's Ananda Shankar Center for Performing Arts (ASCPA) that Jenkins introduced to American choreography have worked extensively with her over the past two years to create "A Slipping Glimpse," a stunning new work that blends Indian and American dance traditions. This new work will tour in the U.S., Europe, and India. . Ms. Jenkins has received many awards, including the Guggenheim Fellowship and the San Francisco Arts Commission Award of Honor.

Dancing in the Street: New York hip hop artist and break dancer, Leslie Feliciano, reached more than 400 youth in Peru, May 7-June 1. He worked closely with the D1Dance troupe, a hip-hop and break-dance company composed of street youth from Lima's toughest neighborhoods, demonstrating that hip-hop and dance are a healthy and creative form of expression and alternative to illicit, drug-related lifestyles. The daily program instilled a sense of discipline and professionalism in the young dancers. D1Dance joined Mr. Feliciano for activities in Tacna at the recently opened Binational Center

Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project Ensemble perform at the Philharmonic Hall in Baku.

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Ambassador
Cultural Ambassador Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project Ensemble: A Major Hit with Local Musicians, Students and Media in Azerbaijan: Cultural Ambassador Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Project Ensemble (SRPE) participated in three workshops, an impromptu jam session, an open rehearsal, a press conference, and a concert in Baku. Each event featured SRPE founder Yo-Yo Ma. The visit included a collaboration among Yo-Yo Ma, other Ensemble members, and five leading Azeri musicians, three of whom will be in the United States in a second part of this exchange program later this year. The three workshops reached more than 750 music students, primary and secondary students, and teachers. The open rehearsal engaged 160 elementary students and teachers from internally displaced persons (IDP) districts in the Baku metropolitan area.. One of the Ensemble members summed up his experience by saying, "What really connects is the passion - sharing similar feelings about the mus

Big Hillbilly's Mike Munford on banjo accompanies a Georgian a cappella group.

Performing Arts Program
The Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band Performs in both Georgia and Tajikistan As part of a Performing Arts Initiative grant, the Big Hillbilly Bluegrass Band performed in Georgia and Tajikistan May 19-31, 2006. They performed at multiple venues throughout the country. Among the attendees, the Russian Ambassador stated, "I feel as if I'm in my village in Dagestan!" Their performance in Georgia at the State Drama Theatre made the Band the first American group to perform in Abkhazia.

To find out more, visit http://georgia.usembassy.gov/events/2006/event20060525BlueGrass.htm

The Yellow Bird Dancers with ECA Alumni in Azerbaijan

"Let it Be Like This": Native Americans Performing and Creating Harmonies and Collaborative Performances in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia: The Yellow Bird Dancers of Mesa, Arizona presented Native American culture to audiences in Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia through a traditional blend of dance art, and music. The events were free to the public and funded with support from a Performing Arts Initiative. In each country, their performances and events were broadcast widely. In Armenia, harmonies were created through an improvisational jam session between Yellow Bird and Armenian folk musicians. In Azerbaijan performances included an audience of the alumni of U.S. government exchange programs and a final performance that included several costumed Azerbaijani dancers with swords and drummers joining the Yellow Bird Dancers in a memorable joint dance sequence. In Georgia the Native American Indian dancers both performed with Georgian musicians, and invited the local children to join the group onstage for a traditional Apache dance.

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April 2006

Performing Arts Programs/Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad
Agora Latin Jazz Quartet tours Greece: The Agora Latin Jazz Quartet's recent tour of Greece "accomplished more in one week than a year's worth of traditional programming might have accomplished," the Embassy reported. During this highly successful tour, Agora's activities included workshops at two major Greek universities and concerts in Athens, Thessaloniki, and Corfu. The people who attended the Agora Quartet's concerts and workshops left with a deep admiration for the American art form of Latin Jazz and its practitioners. In a remarkable potential expansion of the program's impact, the Embassy negotiated the recording of two of the group's performances by ERT, the Greek state operated national radio service for possible re-broadcast on Greek public radio, and for transmission to the European Broadcast Union public satellite system. Under the latter, the concerts can be downloaded for commercial-free re-broadcasting in over 129 countries.

Skip Blumberg, curator of U.S. Express, with students of the Lazar Licenoski Art High School in Skopje.

Visual Arts
ECA's Video Art exhibition, U.S. Express, premieres in Skopje, Macedonia: New York City artist and U.S. Express series curator, Skip Blumberg, inaugurated the exhibition at Skopje's Mala Stanica gallery on April 19, 2006. The premiere of U.S. Express coincided with a weeklong international video production workshop featuring artists and professors from Germany, France, and Macedonia at a USAID-funded media center in primarily Muslim Tetovo. Many of the students attending this workshop came to see Mr. Blumberg's other events as well. The artist visited the only high school for art students in the country, where students were highly appreciative of the opportunity to work with a professional American video artist.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess and two members of his company with Peruvian Ballet dancers.

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Ambassadors
Choreography and Cultural Exchange: Washington, D.C. choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess coordinated the John F. Kennedy Center's presentation of the Peruvian National Ballet Company at the Millennium Stage on April 24, 2006. In 2003 and 2004 as a Cultural Envoy, Mr. Burgess worked with the company on incorporating modern techniques. He has sustained and deepened that relationship. His choreographies have become part of the Ballet's repertoire and his work "Dariush" was on their program at the Kennedy Center. This summer Dana is returning to Peru as a Fulbright Senior Specialist to work with the San Marcos University Ballet.

Naeem Pasha, consulting architect; Michael Kaiser; and Naeem Tahir, chief executive, Pakistan National Council of the Arts, inspecting the PNCA's new National Art Gallery, under construction..

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Ambassadors Cultural Ambassador Michael Kaiser Jump Starts Cultural Exchange with Pakistan: Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser developed an ambitious, multi-year plan for exchanges with Pakistan during a one-week visit to the country, April 14-21. Mr. Kaiser and the Pakistan National Council on the Arts director Naeem Tahir agreed to activities focused on the presentation of Pakistani culture to American audiences and the strengthening of the institutional capacity of Pakistani cultural organizations. In the short term, the Kennedy Center will produce a website for students, highlighting Pakistani artistic expression, and Mr. Kaiser will return to Pakistan for an intensive management seminar for cultural organization leaders.

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March 2006

Performing Arts Programs/Rhythm Road - American Music Abroad
Rocking and Dazzling on the Rhythm Road: The Alejandro Aviles Latin Jazz Quartet was on the road in Venezuela and Costa Rica, March 4-14, 2006 "rocking" and "dazzling" audiences outside the capital cities. Ambassador Langdale was with the quartet in Limon, Costa Rica, and was warmly welcomed by the city's Civic and Cultural Committee. The concert kicked-off with a series of speeches recognizing U.S. friendship and generosity to the region. The ensemble remained on the road going to Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Trinidad.

For more information about Aviles Quartet's tour through Central America and the Caribbean, visit http://sanpedrosula.usvpp.gov/cultural_events.html and http://bridgetown.usembassy.gov/jazz_quartet.html

Aviles Jazz Quartet Brings American Jazz to Trinidad: Finishing up a thrilling State Department tour of Central American and the Caribbean, the Alejandro Aviles Jazz Quartet visited Port of Spain, Trinidad for a concert, a workshop with student musicians, and a special performance at the home of the U.S Ambassador to Trinidad. The highlight was the performance at Ambassador Roy Austin's home, at which government officials and musicians of Trinidad mingled and danced to the joyful sounds of Aviles' band. The workshop was also a great experience, with many students reporting that they learned a lot from the group about improvisation, and developing technique on their instruments. The Aviles Quartet's visit was part of The Rhythm Road, a partnership with Jazz At Lincoln Center, which supports international trips by American musicians.

Hot Night in Jeddah: Hip-Hop Quartet Opus Akoben Wins Over New Fans in Saudi Arabia: Hip-hop group Opus Akoben completed a successful tour of Jeddah and five other posts in the Near East this March as part of the Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad project, carried out by Jazz at Lincoln Center. Opus Akoben collaborated with three traditional Hejazi musicians delighting audiences. The band visited a number of schools in Jeddah, working with 85 students in a number of workshops. Students played instruments and rhymed with the musicians, while learning about the values of creativity, individual responsibility, and the social consciousness of hip-hop music.

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Envoys
Baker-Tarpega Teaches Modern Dance in Johannesburg: Los Angeles choreographer Esther Baker-Tarpega worked with young dancers from two historically disadvantaged communities in the Johannesburg area, Mamelodi and Eersterus, developing a complete dance performance with them over the course of two days. This work is currently being performed in a number of surrounding communities. Baker-Tarpega also met with five of the most famous dance troupes in Johannesburg, talking about education and the international dance scene. She plans to return to Johannesburg next year for Africa's most famous dance festival, Dance Umbrella. Her program in South Africa was an add-on to her Cultural Envoy program in Botswana, which began in March.

Cultural Envoy Karen Konnerth with children in New Orleans.

Cultural Envoy Engages with Children: Cultural Envoy Karen Konnerth of Calliope Puppets, a New Orleans based puppet troupe, performed Spanish and English versions of "The Fisherman and His Wife," a presentation focused on the critical impact of coastal wetland loss, geared for school children and teachers in Costa Rica. She also represented the U.S. at San Jose's annual Iberoamerican Arts Festival. Additionally during her March 20-31, 2006 visit, Ms. Konnerth gave 13 workshops on "student motivation through puppetry" to English, art and home economics teachers, as well as to housewives, psychologists, environmental coordinators and librarians.

Ambassador Baltimore awards Omani students.

Artist Linda Bastian Sparks Creativity Among Omani Children at the 2006 Muscat Festival in Oman: The children of Oman were treated to a day of projects designed to spark individual expression and creativity with Dr. Linda Bastian at this year's Muscat Festival. This was the third year for the "Art Tent," which shows Omani children new possibilities in art. This year Dr. Bastian included teacher-training sessions for Omani art teachers. Ambassador Baltimore distributed awards to the children, and thanked them for their stunning work. Dr. Bastian's work in Oman was funded through ECA's Cultural Envoy program.

Azeri artistan Abilova Qanira displaying one of the four carpets Cultural Envoy Karen Koblitz commissioned her to make.

Cultural Envoy Program produces lasting relationship. Azeri artisan Abilova Qanira, was commissioned by March 2006 Cultural Envoy Ms. Karen Koblitz to weave four carpets to be shown in display at an art gallery in downtown Los Angeles. Koblitz, a ceramist and weaver from Los Angeles, CA, visited Azerbaijan as an ECA Cultural Envoy to conduct workshops with local Azeri artisans.

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February 2006

Grant Opportunities
U.S. and Jordan Preserve Cultural Heritage Together: A grant to the Cincinnati Art Museum supports a training and internship exchange with the Jordanian Department of Antiquities to help preserve Mid East cultural heritage. This effort is aimed at creating a pattern of cooperation and learning to the mutual benefit of U.S. and Jordanian museum specialists. The photo below shows Sami Mohammed Al Nawafleh, an Inspector of Antiquities, working with a Cincinnati specialist, learning how to repair and replace missing sections of a frame molding for an exhibit. The techniques of re-creating missing sections and toning the areas to match are applicable to the repair of any object, be it an ancient stone sculpture or a more recent ceramic vessel.

Installation of exhibit at the gallery of La Crypte Saint Joseph in the historic district of Beirut.

Visual Arts/Traveling Exhibitions
Beirut Presentation of Landmarks of New York Photo Exhibition Inaugurated by Ambassador Feltman: U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Jeffrey D. Feltman opened "Landmarks of New York: An Illustrated Record of the City's Historic Buildings" in the gallery of La Crypte Saint Joseph in the historic district of Monot, Beirut February 7, 2006. The 100 attendees included government officials, the Minister of Justice, former USG grantees, and leaders in the arts, culture, and historic preservation. Members of the business community with connection to New York also attended the opening. In his remarks, Ambassador Feltman underscored the importance of the New York City Landmarks Law in helping preserve buildings, properties and objects with a unique character or special historic or aesthetic value. He noted that the U.S. Embassy chose the crypt of St. Joseph Church for the exhibit because it was a historic building in a neighborhood of Beirut that had retained its traditional character and charm.

Toni Blackman and Thai Rapper Joey Boy

Performing Arts/ Rhythm Road - American Music Abroad
Coming Off East Asian Rhythm Road: In February, the Toni Blackman Hip-Hop Quartet completed its tour of Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines. The quartet's themes of peace, unity, love for oneself and family, and overcoming struggles through non-violence translated well to youthful audiences. Programs conveyed the message that young people can empower themselves to voice their feelings through music and dance. The hip-hop ensemble ended the visit to Bangkok on a high note by co-performing with Thailand's most popular rap star, Joey Boy. Earlier in the Philippines, the Quartet performed for large crowds of young people in Manila, Davao, and Cebu. The ensemble also conducted master classes for aspiring hip-hop artists and vocalists and young musicians. The students responded energetically and passionately to the Quartet's musical instruction and positive message. The American embassy in Manila said the Toni Blackman Ensemble showcased how music can be used to promote social engagement and freedom of expression, and put a, caring face on U.S. music and culture.

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January 2006

Special Initiatives/ New Orleans Jazz Heritage Tours

Hurricane Katrina "Thank You" Performances Draw Unprecedented Media Attention in Japan: The New Orleans jazz sextet, "Doreen Ketchens' Jazz New Orleans," played to standing room only audiences in Osaka, Niigata, and Tokyo, Japan. The sextet drew "unprecedented" national media coverage and conveyed America's appreciation to the Japanese people "sincerely and effectively" for their response in the aftermath of the devastating storm. The presentation in Japan was the last in the series of performances arranged to thank countries that had assisted the U.S. following Hurricane Katrina. The Osaka and Niigata performances struck an important chord because these cities had received extensive support from the U.S. following devastating earthquakes there, and both had given extensive aid for hurricane relief. The Tokyo performance, introduced by Ambassador Schieffer and Vice Foreign Minister Shintaro Itoh, was an opportunity to thank individual and group donors, including corporate chairmen, volunteers just returning from the U.S., and elementary schoolchildren.

Performing Arts Programs/Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad

U.S. Latin Jazz Artists Reach Thousands in Madagascar, First Stop on Rhythm Road Tour: Latin jazz quartet "Annette A. Aguilar & StringBeans" kicked off ECA's Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad tour with star performances and inspiring workshops January 20-27, 2006 in Antananarivo. Performing for thousands of people live in concert and recorded for radio and television broadcast, the group collaborated with Malagasy artists in an easy fusion of Latin and Malagasy music. A highlight was a concert at the Presidential Palace, where the American quartet performed with traditional Malagasy musicians and 12 young Malagasy Latin dancers. The U.S. quartet also gave a high-energy performance at the Hilton Hotel in a concert that also included Malagasy musical and dance participation. The Latin jazz quartet's last concert, at the Ambassador's residence, was a "phenomenal tour-de-force of pulsating rhythm, lyrical violin and guitar which compelled the audience to take to the dance floor."

Grants
Museum Partnerships Announced for 2005-2007: Seventeen U.S. museums will partner with foreign institutions in the 2005-2007 cycle of the International Partnership Among Museums, managed by the American Association of Museums (AAM) under an ECA grant. The partnerships were selected in a competition managed by AAM and open to all U.S. museums and to foreign museums nominated by our Embassies. The partnerships match natural history, science, children's and fine arts museums and include work in a variety of museum disciplines. The foreign institutions represent countries in Africa, East Asia, Europe, South Asia and the Western Hemisphere. The grant provides funding for a project and includes an exchange of a U.S. and foreign museum professional in each partnership. For more information visit: http://www.aam-us.org/getinvolved/ipam/index.cfm

Cultural Representatives/Cultural Envoys
Cultural Envoy Promotes HIV Awareness in Mozambique: Choreographer Makeda Thomas reached 500 invited guests and a television audience of over 200,000 with the performance of "A Sense of Time," a multi-media dance piece that she wrote and directed with performers from Mozambique's National Song and Dance Company. The program used the arts to promote HIV/AIDS education. Through Ms. Thomas's marriage of her own style with Mozambican traditional music and dance, the project demonstrated respect for foreign cultures.

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