A company of eight dancers and staff from the Seattle-based Spectrum Dance Theater arrived in Nepal over the weekend to launch the worldwide DanceMotion USA cultural exchange program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. Spectrum is the first of four American dance companies to cover four continents to promote dance and the arts as a means of cultural expression and diplomacy. Following a week in Nepal, the group will also travel to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
The company, led by Artistic Director Donald Byrd, will visit schools and conduct dance workshops with artistic organizations in Kathmandu and Pokhara. This vibrant cultural diplomacy program is designed to share the rich dance culture of the United States with international audiences through performance and cultural exchange. The majority of participants will be young Nepalis from a variety of diverse backgrounds.
The program will culminate with a public performance at Naach Ghar, Jamal on Friday, March 1. A limited number of free tickets are available at the American Library located at the U.S. Embassy, Maharajgunj and at Moksch, Jamshikel and are available to the general public on a first come, first served basis.
Spectrum Dance Theater was founded in Seattle, Washington, in 1982. Its mission is to produce and present contemporary dance of global caliber that challenges expectations and calls forth strong emotions and thoughtful responses; to provide expert dance instruction in diverse dance forms to all; and to educate the community about dance as an art form and as a social/civic instrument. Under Donald Byrd’s visionary artistic leadership, Spectrum has emerged as a company of regional and national significance. The organization attracts world-class dancers and produces thrilling and challenging works in contemporary dance to critical acclaim.