Master classes & Meet-the-Artists Reception at Mukogawa Women’s University, Takarazuka

BDC members all attended an afternoon workshop for over 100 high school and college-age dance students from Kansai area institutions including Tenhy University in Nara, Ashiya Performing Arts Academy and Mukogawa University in Takarazuka.

To commence, Jonathan Hollander gave introductory commentary and presented all members of the company.

Sean Scantlebury taught a hip- hop master classes for over 50 students who picked up the material proficiently and enthusiastically. The atmosphere was fun and the students were extremely cooperative and friendly.

Jeanene Winston and Lydia Tetzlaff gave two successive master classes in modern dance. The students ranged from intermediate to advanced levels and followed the teachers’ instructions with relative ease.

A small reception was held afterwards and gifts were presented to each of the BDC members

Matinee performance for Mumbai street children at Nehru Centre, October 7

Battery Dance returned to India after a gap of five years, presenting a matinee for homeless children at the 800-seat Nehru Centre. The matinee was coordinated by Bunty Chand and her staff of the Asia Society India Centre, who obtained all the necessary permits and reached out to three charitable organizations whose clientele is the homeless community of Mumbai: Akanksha, Pratham and C.C.D.T. Performing for this ebullient audience was one of the highlights of the tour.

Evening performance for the general public at Nehru Centre, October 7

The same evening, BDC gave a performance for the public, sponsored by Citibank, Taj Group and Asia Society. The house was full with a very enthusiastic crowd, drawn by BDC’s reputation in India, enhanced by a full page feature in Time Out Magazine. Members of the professional dance, film, music and theater communities from as far away as Pune attended the performance and accorded the dancers a standing ovation. Considering the very difficult technical conditions encountered at Nehru Centre, BDC’s tour technical director David Bengali did an extraordinary job.

Over the course of 2 weeks in the summer of 2006, 12 teaching artists from New York, Russia and Australia teamed up in pairs to work with groups of students from three public high schools in Freiburg, Germany. The thesis behind their work was to employ the art of dance to help teens in Germany work through their feelings about the traumatic history of the Holocaust, and to invest themselves into the group creation of dances that reflected and resulted from this process. The project was entitled “Dances for the Blue House”, referring to the building, converted into a living museum, that serves as the physical reminder of what had been a thriving Jewish community in the adjacent town of Breisach until Krystallnacht and the subsequent deportations.

The teaching artists comprised six members of Battery Dance Company in New York, four members of Drastic Action in New York, a guest teacher from the teen program SMILE in Novosibirsk, Russia and a guest teacher from Buzz Dance Theatre in Perth, Australia. The project was conceived, planned and supervised by choreographers Jonathan Hollander and Aviva Geismar, artistic directors of Battery Dance Company and Drastic Action respectively. Both Hollander and Geismar had deep connections with the effort surrounding the Blue House --- Hollander as a friend of nearly 4 decades with Dr. Christiane Walesch-Schneller, founder of the Blue House project, and Geismar, as the descendant of a Jewish family originally from Breisach.

The two choreographers and their dance companies worked together in planning curriculum and discussing approaches to this highly experimental project. They also took part in training sessions beforehand with people who could lend a special perspective to the work they would be doing: Arne Lietz of Facing History & Ourselves; Ralph Eisemann, a Holocaust Survivor, son of the last Cantor of Breisach, and former resident with his family of the Blue House itself; Professor Dan Bar-On, noted author and trainer, who met with Jonathan Hollander at Ben-Gurion University one year prior to the project, and with the dancers of Battery Dance Company in Breisach. These trainings helped prepare, encourage and validate the teaching artists for their special task in Germany. All of the teaching artists were experienced in working with youth, but engaging with the Holocaust theme introduced a new dimension into their role as facilitators and teachers.

The German teens who participated in the project were, for the most part, previously untutored in dance. Ages of the participants ranged from 13 – 19. The two groups at Kepler School included a mixture of boys and girls. At Lessing Schools, there were exclusively girls, and at Theodor Heuss Gymnasium, one courageous boy took part with a full complement of girls. The involvement of the special education program at the Lessing School, where students whose learning style is different and where, for many of whom, the German language and culture is a second one, gave another character to the group.

Noticeable and amazing in the workshops was the complete absence of cynicism, ridicule or self-consciousness that could have been expected in a mixed group of teens. The element of vulnerability was a key to the successful realization of the project and was exemplified by the teaching artists as well as the students. It was clear throughout that everyone was learning together.

The culmination of the workshops was six performances, three in the schools as part of end-of-year ceremonies, and three in nearby Breisach. The school performances were important in that a large proportion of parents, students and teachers saw the results of their schools’ workshops and the school was, in effect, putting a spotlight on the students who had volunteered to take part. Likewise the teachers from the schools who volunteered untold hours of time in planning, preparing and facilitating the workshops received the approbation of their administrators and fellow teachers.

The three performances that were held in the town of Breisach, included a site-specific work created by Aviva Geismar on the formerly named Judengasse and Synagogenplaz; followed by performances by Battery Dance Company and Drastic Action and all of the student works. These performances were to have been held at the outdoor amphitheater Festspiele; however, weather conditions precluded this option. Instead, the Mayor of Breisach and his staff made it possible for the performances to be shifted on a moment’s notice to the sports hall Breisgau Halle located on the border of the town.

U.S. Ambassador William Timken, Mayor Oliver Rein of Breisach and other officials and V.I.P. guests from the local region as well as those from Switzerland, France, Israel, Canada and the U.S. attended the opening day performances and ceremonies, their ranks swelled by local community members of all ages. The two subsequent performances were similarly well attended. An overall audience tally has been approximated at 1,500, a huge audience for such a small town.

The impact of Dances for the Blue House is evident through the achievement of the 100 German high school students whose lives were changed through the workshop experience.

Quite ambitiously, PAO Jeff Daigle proposed that BDC create original dance works with local Cambodian dancers, to be incorporated into the Company’s performance at Chaktomuk Hall, increasing the chances that Cambodian King Sihamoni would attend. At first, there was trepidation on the Company’s part: How could a brief interaction between dancers from such disparate backgrounds result in a performance meriting a Royal Command performance?

However, in the short span of four days, the Cambodian dancers bonded with their American mentors and the unimaginable took place. Elements such as partnering and weight-sharing, common to American modern dance but totally alien to the Apsara traditions, were embraced and conquered by the young Cambodian dancers with their fearless attitude and appetite for unexplored territory. Amrita Performing Arts personnel, including the visionary Fred Frumberg and his superb local staff, assisted in the areas of translation, technical and programmatic facilitation, supporting Battery Dance Company at each juncture.

Jeff Daigle described the success of the program in a statement issued soon after BDC’s visit:

Battery Dance Company (BDC) brought modern dance to Cambodia for the first time during the group's October 16-22 stop in Phnom Penh while on an EAP/PD-sponsored tour of Asia. Battery Dance, based in Lower Manhattan, is one of America's leading contemporary dance troupes. During their stay, BDC conducted a four-day workshop with twenty two young Cambodian apsara dancers--apsara is the traditional Khmer dance form--to develop a piece entitled "Homage to Cambodia," which was presented during a gala performance on October 21. By all accounts the performance was a smashing success. Tickets for the event were completely sold out three days in advance, the first time this has ever happened for an Embassy cultural event. His Majesty King Sihamoni was the honored guest at the performance (also another first), and other notables in attendance included the Deputy Prime Minister and numerous Ministers. Although Cambodians rarely applaud at performances, the audience gave the dancers rousing cheers between each number, and His Majesty the King led the audience in a final standing ovation at the end of the night.*

He went on to comment on the media buzz generated by Battery’s performance, noting that “three television stations and numerous radio programs and newspapers covered the performance,” including a television broadcast of the performance on TVK, Cambodia’s national network, and three full pages in the English-language Cambodia Daily.

Feedback from U.S. Ambassador Joseph Mussomeli, in a letter written to Jonathan Hollander, memorializes the performance vividly:

I would like to express my personal thanks to you and the entire cast and crew of Battery Dance Company for the superb performance the Company recently mounted in Phnom Penh. By all accounts the presentation was a tremendous success. Never before has one of our cultural events been sold out days in advance, with a waitlist of more than 100 to boot! Nor have we had a production meet with such acclaim, including praise from His Majesty King Sihamoni, who is himself a professionally trained dancer. The subsequent nationwide broadcast of the show as a prime-time television special was merely frosting on the cake. Of course I would be remiss if I did not also mention the “Homage to Cambodia” dance piece that Battery Dance Company created during its four-day workshops with local Apsara dancers. This work was as moving for the audience to watch as it was exciting for the Cambodian dancers to perform. I thank you and the entire Battery Dance Company ensemble for your dedication to fostering mutual understanding between Cambodians and Americans. Bravo!

Many strands came together to form the rich tapestry that was BDC’s first visit to Taiwan. The fact that BDC had two former Taiwanese dancers who had since returned to their native country, Nai-Yu Kuo and Bulareyaung Pagarlava, helped to stir its curiosity about the country and to open doors in the planning and execution of the project. The team at the American Institute in Taiwan was first rate and working with them made for a dense and very successful program. The combination of numerous outreach activities with a high level performance as part of the Taipei Arts Festival gave the project wonderful breadth.

Through the energetic, tactical and expert support of the Cultural Affairs Officer (CAO) the Cultural Affairs Assistant (CAA) and the entire staff of The Pacific American School in Taiwan (PAS), under the leadership and vision of American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) BDC realized a very ambitious program for its debut in Taiwan.

BDC’s residency in Taiwan stood out among the dozens of cultural diplomacy projects in which the company has participated over the years for its depth of impact and broad variety of activities. The schedule was streamlined for economy, but sacrificed nothing in the pursuit of artistic excellence, clarity of intent and targeted communication. Months of careful planning and preparation went into the crafting of the schedule with PAS/AIT communicating in detail with BDC in meeting all needs and demands well before project implementation. BDC’s activities in Taiwan were of a length and magnitude as to require corporate sponsorship to supplement the financial support accorded by AIT and the East Asia Pacific Bureau . BDC used its historical relationships with Citigroup and Deloitte to introduce the idea of cost-sharing among the local executives of these companies. The CAO adroitly followed up on the proposals issued by BDC, resulting in sponsorships. Similarly, BDC’s earlier hospitality sponsorships from international hotel groups proved a helpful factor in convincing the Grand Hyatt Taipei to donate rooms and fitness center privileges.

In Taiwan, the standards for technique and craft in modern dance have developed rapidly over the past decade with the ascendancy of Cloud Gate Dance Theater and the building of excellent conservatory-style training programs at the University level. Accordingly, BDC was able to pitch its classes and performances at a high level. Further, by meeting and greeting fellow artists in a collegial atmosphere such as that provided by a Taipei Artists Village reception and the visit to Cloud Gate rehearsal studios, the interchange and sharing between equals was reinforced. It has often been commented that BDC artists are unpretentious, a quality that served the company well in Taiwan.

Over four days, Battery Dance Company’s team of dancers doubled as teaching artists in various settings for master classes and workshops. Due to BDC’s versatility, the offerings included ballet, modern and hip-hop, and each program was tailored to the differing age groups and skill level of the students. The BDC teaching artists gave master classes at the dance departments of Chinese Culture University in Yangming Shan and the National Taiwan University of the Arts; Hua-Gan Art School, also in Yangming Shan; Cloud Gate Kids Class in Taipei; Lan-Yang Dance Troupe in Yi-lan County (Eastern Taiwan), and Taichung Cultural Centre.

In addition to working with professional dance students, the Company members gave a workshop for teenagers at the local Yi-lan High School. BDC member Jeanene Winston departed the tour prematurely due to a family emergency in New York. Adjustments in the teaching and performing schedule and assignments for the later legs of the tour were necessitated. Jonathan Hollander recounts how his own experience in Taiwan was affected, “I took over the teaching position for a workshop with the teachers of the Cloud Gate Kids Program. This turned out to be serendipitous. I have rarely spent a more rewarding morning. Working with twenty young teachers, I structured a session on choreography, focusing on the springboards for my explorations and creations: music, theme and design. We split the participants into three groups, each group being assigned just one of these elements and composing a miniature piece around it. Reviewing the session afterwards, the whole experience seems unbelievable -- but in the span of approximately 30 minutes or less, each group produced startlingly original and credible results. I noted the absence of any discord among the participants and marveled at their ability to reach an ambitious (and in each case, unexpected) goal in such short time.”

The Company was honored to present an exclusive performance at the AIT-hosted reception for Fulbright alumni. “Secrets of the Paving Stones” and several solo performances delighted the former Fulbright scholars and Honorees at the Performing Arts Center of Taipei National University of the Arts. In contrast to the intimate, private performance for the Fulbright alumni and scholars, Battery Dance Company performed four group pieces and four solos with the theme “Changing Winds from New York” at the 1000-seat Metropolitan Hall. The Company’s performance, part of the highly-publicized Taipei Arts Festival, was well attended by a broad cross-section of young people, Taiwanese dancers and arts aficionados and was glowingly reviewed in Ballet-Arts Magazine.

Creative thinking on the part of the AIT Commercial Section and seamless cooperation with the PAS Section led to a BDC “first”: a talk with members of the AmCham and representatives of the Taiwanese business community and high-level government representatives on the topic of Corporate Social Responsibility and its application in the world of arts & business cooperation. BDC’s Artistic and Executive Director Jonathan Hollander shared his experience of working with the corporate community in New York and provided examples of best practices ranging from corporate sponsorship and grants programs to volunteer board matching mechanisms, in-kind contribution initiatives and other innovative programs that have been developed and implemented in the U.S. The dialogue was very lively and promoted a sense that the talk would be a springboard for further exploration and cooperation between the U.S. and Taiwan, business and arts sectors.

Battery Dance Company enjoyed a warm welcome and its programs were well received in each country of the tour. Most often, the impression was made that American dance programs are a rarity and that the American approach (friendly, collaborative, artistically innovative) is profoundly appreciated. Young people flocked to the workshops and master classes and every performance was full if not over-subscribed. Cultural exchange and performance tours with European and other Asian countries appear to have supplanted the U.S. in the field of dance to some extent. This situation, however, could be reversed were the touring ability of American choreographers and dance companies to increase. New York City, and America in general, still holds an obvious allure for the Asian and South Asian dancers and audiences, and many Asian dancers and choreographers aspire to study and/or show their work in the U.S.

Sean Scantlebury taught two hip-hop classes and John Byrne taught two modern classes, with the same students, divided into two groups of 25, switching places so that each one was able to take each type of class. The energy was palpable and the level of skill and diligence were immediately apparent. We enjoyed meeting Sarit and Sasi Avizoor, proprietors of the studio and talked about cooperation in the future.

In 2005, BDC sent Lydia Tetzlaff to teach dance to a large cross-section of dancers based in classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance techniques. Her goals were to teach both aspiring dancers and non-dancers new techniques that are otherwise unavailable to them, and to open much needed lines of cross cultural communication between America and the Middle East.

BDC's goals were met beautifully- the entire trip was more successful and rewarding than BDC could have hoped for. Lydia taught up to 50 students of extremely diverse religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Program Activities

The overall format of the program was effective, and the scheduling was appropriate for the time allotted on this trip. Lydia taught three or four classes a day, and had two days off per week. Two weeks in Jordan was more or less sufficient, although she says that more time would have permitted her to work more intensively with each group. The responses she received from each group were that they would have appreciated quite a bit more time, and are all extremely interested in her returning for a continuation of the program.

In Jordan Lydia spent most of the first week in Amman working with students of the Noor/Hussein Performing Arts Center under Director Lena Attel and Deputy Director Rania Kamhawi. They have an outstanding school where they train local students in dance and theater, and work directly with the community in order to expand the acceptance for and appreciation of the arts. Lydia taught 15 classes to Jordanian students ranging from 10-30 years of age. One thing of note is that the families of the students ordinarily do not allow their girls to take more than two classes per week, but Lydia had the older group for seven classes in the week's time. This was a testament to both their as well as Ms. Kamhawi's interest in Lydia being there as an American teacher from New York.

Lydia taught 9 classes at the SOS villages in Amman and Aqaba, Jordan. The SOS villages are for orphan children of various ages and backgrounds, and they employ surrogate mothers to raise the children as their own, educating them and preparing them for a fulfilling life in society. They are wonderful, altruistic, non-governmental organizations that provide an unbelievable service for these children. They rely completely on private donations and volunteer services, and both had never received any dance classes before their experience with BDC. The children in Lydia's classes ranged in age from 5-10 in Amman and 6-26 in Aqaba. In all cases, their fascination for and appreciation of Lydia being there as an American was significant. Working these children goes a long way in opening communication and dispelling stereotyped misconceptions about Americans.

In Amman, Lydia also worked with the Haya Cultural Center, a long-standing organization that has recently changed administrations. Due to this change there were some difficulties for Lydia in organizing the workshops. For instance, there had been a plan for Lydia to teach Iraqi UNHCR children, but it fell through in the administrative, changeover. Lydia was able to observe their class, and it was wonderful. The new General Director of Haya, Dina Abu Hamdan, also a former member of Caracalla for 10 years, is visionary, with a great desire and willingness for cooperative programs like Culture Connect. Haya offers local children a safe, enclosed environment in which to spend their summer days engaged in an assortment of activities. The result is a group of children enjoying the process of learning different artistic skills. With them, Lydia taught 5 classes of children ranging in age from 6-16.

BDC's time in the Middle East received a good deal of press, including articles from two newspapers, One English and one Arabic, and an article in a new arts Magazine schedule for November 2015 in Amman.

Assessment

Lydia shares her reactions and reflections about her experience in Jordan

I feel that the need for positive examples of American citizens is palpable, and everyone that I interacted with was eager for this kind of human interaction. Every student, teacher, and organizer expressed sincere gratitude for my coming, as well as strong and numerous invitations to return on a regular basis for more and longer programs. For the youngest children that I taught, they will have early positive memories of their 'American Teacher' that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. My hope and belief is that direct sensory impressions like this last longer and have more impact than any negative things that they may hear in other areas of their lives. The directors and dancers of Maqamat and Caracalla warmly and openly welcomed me as an American dancer and teacher to share the diversity of my career and background and expertise with them. Since they are both professional companies with significant exposure in the local media and society, the positive cultural effects of my interactions with them are huge, especially with my being an American in the current political climate across that part of the world. Building a continuing relationship with them through Culture Connect would be invaluable.

The benefits that I received personally and professionally on this trip are more than I can express in words. Personally, both the richness of the cultures with which I interacted as well as the hospitality that I received has given me insight into and understanding of people that I probably never would experienced otherwise. It has deepened my desire to learn and listen more and to judge less. It has deepened my belief that from one side of the world to the next people are people, and that we can create substantial and lasting peace just by sitting down with someone we perceive as vastly different from ourselves and having an engaged conversation, or share a dance class. Professionally, I will take with me all that I have experienced and incorporate that experience into my performances and classes in the future. This has opened a feeling of possibility for me of which I was previously unaware. I have a strong desire to be programmed through Culture Connect as much as possible, both to return to the same areas where I have just been as well as go to other new areas in the world.

In 2005, BDC sent Lydia Tetzlaff to teach dance to a large cross-section of dancers based in classical ballet, contemporary and modern dance techniques. Her goals were to teach both aspiring dancers and non-dancers new techniques that are otherwise unavailable to them, and to open much needed lines of cross cultural communication between America and Lebanon.

BDC follows the belief that dance is a special vehicle for this kind of sharing and communication as it is in the arts and human to human interaction, that perceived boundaries and stereotypes can be dissolved and overcome. This was evident in Lebanon.

In Lebanon, BDC's goals were met beautifully- the entire trip was more successful and rewarding than BDC could have hoped for. Lydia taught up to 50 students of extremely diverse religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

In Beirut, Battery Dance taught for two professional companies, Maqamat Dance Theatre and Caracalla Dance Company, as well as for the school of Caracalla. Maqamat is directed by Omar Rajeh, a former member of Caracalla, and a professional dancer. Most of the company members were predominately actors, and lacked much formal dance training. Lydia taught a Contemporary/ Modern class for about 15 Lebanese dancers, focusing on strengthening their technique and emphasizing freedom of movement. Caracalla is a firmly established professional dance company directed by Alissar Caracalla, and is arguably the most significant in the entire Middle East Region. Lydia taught two Contemporary/ Modern classes for the company (with approximately 25 dancers in each class), as well as two classes for the school (approximately 20 dancers in each class).

The professional dancers were at a highly advanced level, approximately half Lebanese and half from other countries. BDC dancer, Lydia was able to offer the students and company new techniques and approaches to movement which they ordinarily would have had no exposure to.

As for the reactions to the program, they were amazing and powerful. Every student, teacher and organizer expressed sincere gratitude for Lydia's coming, as well as strong and numerous invitations for BDC to return on a regular basis for more and longer programs.

Lydia said that the benefits she received personally and professionally on this trip are more than she could express in words. Both the richness of the cultures with which she interacted as well as the hospitality that she received has given her insight into and understanding of people that she probably never would have experienced otherwise. It deepened her desire to learn and listen more, and to judge less. It deepened her belief that from one side of the world to the next people are people, and we can create substantial peace just by sitting down with someone we perceive as vastly different from ourselves and engaging in conversation. Professionally, Lydia will use this experience to inform her performances and classes in the future. She has a strong desire to be programmed through Dancing to Connect as much as possible, both to return to Lebanon and to other areas of the world.

For each of the Perth performances, Buzz shared its audiences and half of the program with Battery Dance Company, thereby launching BDC into the Perth community through a well-designed series of workshops, master classes and interactions. Battery and Buzz have much in common, not the least aspect of which is the fact that Buzz's General Manager at the time had served as Battery's Managing Director from 1996 - 1999! The staffs of Buzz Dance Theatre and Playhouse Theatre were extremely professional, courteous, efficient and gracious. Battery experienced no major problems or challenges in presenting its work to good effect. We were delighted to meet Nanette Hassall, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Dance Department and a former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in New York; as well as Justin Rutzou, Buzz Board Member and Lecturer in Dance at the University, Lucette Aldous, acclaimed ballerina (former dance partner of Nureyev's) who teaches ballet at WAAPA and Reyes de Lara, Coordinator of Contemporary Dance. Ron Banks, Arts Editor for The West Australian, printed a very favorable review of our performance with laudatory comments for both Buzz and Battery. A full-page feature and photo appeared in the West Australian on Wednesday, our opening day. We understand that Buzz has had a very hard time getting attention from Mr. Banks in the past, so Battery's presence seems to have had a good impact for Buzz as well – their generosity paid off. Each of the six performances presented on Wednesday - Friday were marketed primarily to high school audiences. Several leaders of Australia's arts-in-education movement were in attendance. The performances were a mixed bill with Battery Dance as the first half and Buzz Dance Theatre as the second. Buzz premiered a new work called "PreTender". There was a significant amount of contrast between the two companies' works -- with "PreTender" being a stylized dance-theater piece with a sound score, contrasting with the more abstract nature of Battery's "Notebooks", and the vaudevillian quality of "Used Car Salesman". Sitting in the house for the first four performances, I never felt the audience flagging. They stayed engaged throughout and accorded loud cheers of ovation for each work and every one of the dancers. Each performance ended with a bow by all the dancers of Buzz and Battery on stage intermingled together, and a Question & Answer session with the audience. The first day of performances was followed by a lecture/panel discussion hosted by the Institute of Advanced Studies at the University of Western Australia in which Jonathan was a guest speaker. Attendance was highly engaged but sparse due to a University-wide strike that day protesting government budget cuts. On the second day, the entire Battery Company was invited to attend "Dangerous Liaisons,” the new production staged by West Australian Ballet at His Majesty's Theater after one of the master classes. We enjoyed seeing the wonderful dancers, beautiful costumes and lighting, and it was useful to get a perspective of what this esteemed classical company is serving up to Perth audiences. The company enjoyed a great dinner and good spirits lavished by the U.S. Consul General and her husband. The Company was given a wonderful uplift from the senior USG diplomat in Perth and is very grateful for such a show of friendship and support. Both of Saturday’s performances were attended by full houses (450) and accorded the strongest ovations of the entire week (which is saying a lot!). We were overwhelmed by the generosity and warmth extended to our company by the entire Buzz team, from the administrators to the dancers, designers and tech team. This was truly a great example of international friendship through the arts. We hope to reciprocate by organizing a New York engagement for Buzz in the near future. The quality of their work certainly deserves to be seen by American audiences, in schools and on stage.