Performing Arts and Cultural Diplomacy

How does the role of cultural ambassador influence the artistic process? How do differing artistic practices cross-pollinate and inspire new work? Join Elizabeth Coker (Co-Artistic Director and dancer for the Sean Curran Company) and UMN faculty Sonja Kuftinec and Kathleen Collins for a lively conversation.

Seán Curran‘s dance journey has taken him from Irish step dancing to lead dancer with Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Company to the original cast of STOMP. His new work, Dream’d in a Dream, was a result of another journey—one his company took to the far reaches of Central Asia as cultural ambassadors of the U.S. State Department—and was inspired by the haunting and exquisite beauty of traditional Kyrgyz music, created in collaboration with the Ustat Shakirt ensemble that will play live for this full-evening work on Saturday, October 24 at 8:00pm.