US State Department Arts Envoys conduct workshop at CCP

MANILA, Philippines - Two dance artists from DanceAbility International, an organization that seeks to bring people with and without disabilities together through dance, was in Manila recently to conduct a workshop on the DanceAbility method at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)’s Bulwagang Amado Hernandez.

Alito Alessi, artistic director and founder of DanceAbility International, and Karen Daly, a DanceAbility teacher, cancer survivor, and wheelchair-user, interacted with Filipino dancers, artists and teachers, both with and without disabilities.

Alessi and Daly are Arts Envoys of the US State Department and as such are travelling through Indonesia, Mongolia and the Philippines to share the DanceAbility methods to groups that integrate people with and without disabilities.  DanceAbility International is based in Eugene, Oregon, United States.

The Arts Envoy Program is very selective and prestigious. As stated on their website, the mission of the program is to “share the best of the US arts community with the world and foster cross-cultural understanding and collaboration.”

Alessi and Daly feel honored to have been chosen to represent the United States in sharing the cutting-edge of dance and the celebration of diversity. They are the first participants in the Arts Envoy program to hail from a “mixed-abilities” dance company (integrating dancers with and without disabilities.) They conducted various dance workshops, organized by the US Embassy. Some of the workshops will be professional teacher trainings, so that local dance educators will be equipped with the skills needed to lead groups that integrate both people with and without disabilities.

In addition to the opportunity of sharing DanceAbility with new audiences, Alessi and Daly also looked forward to promoting cross-cultural artistic collaboration. “The DanceAbility method has arisen from people on several continents,” said Alessi. “I’m excited to both take this information to three new countries and add more wisdom of more cultures to the DanceAbility method.”

DanceAbility International is a nonprofit organization based in Eugene, Oregon. It celebrates the beauty of diversity, by bringing people together, with and without disabilities, through dance. It conducts performances, educational programs, teacher trainings and workshops, worldwide. In its 25 years of activity, it has reached more than a million people in 37 countries. Over 400 people in 25 countries are Certified DanceAbility Teachers. Alessi is a Guggenheim Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, and Fulbright Senior Fellow.

For information, call the CCP Cultural Exchange Department at 832-1125 locals 1708-1709.