Afsaneh Ballet
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Afsāneh Ballet (Persian: گروه رقص افسانه) is a non-profit cultural organization devoted to the expressive arts dance, music and poetry of the greater Persian cultural zone Iranian cultural continent: Iran, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Armenia and Western China. The historical trade route Silk Road, stretched across thousands of kilometres in Central Asia — from the China Sea in the East to the Mediterranean in the West, connected these countries for centuries long, not only physically but also culturally. The organization derives its name from the Persian word Afsāneh, meaning Myth, Fable. Afsaneh Ballet is considered to be one of the foremost proponents in the field of world dance and Persian dance in particular.
In 2003, Afsaneh Art and Culture Society launched a translation project. The aim of this project is to increase the visibility of the contemporary Iranian literature on the world stage, create a greater opportunity for Iranian literature to be part of the modern conversation and to receive its deserved international recognition.
In 2005 the organization launched a cultural exchange project with artists in Tajikistan. The Tajik Dance Initiative engages Tajik artists, scholars and arts administrators with their international counterparts, creating opportunities for collaborative work, and support for the dance artists and related expressive arts of Tajikistan.
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[edit] Performers and collaborators
- Sharlyn Sawyer (Caucasian/American), Director
- Aliah Najmabadi (Persian/Norwegian)
- Sahar Hojat Dehghan (Persian/Iranian)
- Miriam Peretz (Israeli/Moroccan), Assistant Director
- Rosa Rojas (Mexican/American)
- Tara Pandeya (Indian/German)
- Hannah Romanowski (Russian/American)
- Farima Berenji (Persian/Iranian)
- Leila Sadeghi (Persian/Iranian)
- Mariam Gaibova (Tajik)
- Wan-Chao Chang (Taiwanese)
- Jade Raybin (Caucasian/American)
- Behrouz Sadeghian (Persian/Iranian)
- Neema Hekmat (Persian/Iranian)
- Pourya Khademi (Persian/Iranian)
- Ashkan Ghafouri (Persian/Iranian)
- Pesham Akhavass (Persian/Iranian)
- Kaveh Heydayati (Persian/Iranian)
- Salokhuddin Fakhriev (Uzbek/Tajik)
- Tameem Afzali (Afghan/American)
- Mohammad Nejad (Persian/Iranian)
- Aziz Herawi (Tajik/Afghan)
- Siamak Pouyan (Persian/Iranian)
- Sherene Melania (Assyrian/American)
[edit] Awards
- The Persian Center of the Bay Area
- The Shabe-Ashanaee Persian Cultural Organization
- The Persian Students Association of Stanford University
- Iranian American Society of New York
- San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom humanities achievement award
- Afghan Coalition
- Iranian Federated Women's Club-Payvand School
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- A collage of dance performances by Afsāneh Ballet, 2008, YouTube: [1] (4 min 22 sec).
- Short excerpts of two dances by Mirian Peretz with Afsaneh Ballet, 2007: [2] (3 min 32 sec).
- Excerpts of two performances by Afsaneh Ballet, San Mateo, California, 2007: [3] (1 min 18 sec), [4] (1 min 7 sec).
- A performance by Afsāneh Balleh at San Francisco City Hall Rotunda in celebration of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz, March 2007, YouTube: [5] (7 min 32 sec).
