Expeditions touring grants are awarded to support the
presentation of cross-disciplinary touring projects for New England Communities.
Below is a list of Expeditions touring grant recipients for 2007.
Expeditions also awards planning grants each year. To
see a list of 2007 planning grantees, click
here.
To view a list of past Expeditions touring grant recipients, click here.
The African Children’s Choir is a group of thirty child performers from Kenya, Sudan, Uganda, Nigeria and Rwanda. Many have lost one or both parents through the devastation of war, famine and disease. Their music is filled with praise songs, gospel tunes and simple traditional African songs accompanied by drums. The New England tour will showcase the uplifting voices of these children and will spread an important educational message about the AIDS epidemic. Each of the tour sites will engage schools, churches, choral groups and other non-arts organizations in their communities.
Alpha YaYa Diallo and the Bafing Riders
Expeditions touring grant total: $11,750
Alpha YaYa Diallo is a vocalist, guitarist and composer originally from Guinea in West Africa. Diallo grew up in a number of regions in Guinea, thus absorbing the musical traditions of the Malenke, Sousou, and his own Foulani people. Possessing an uncanny ear he quickly learned how to transpose to his guitar the melodic and rhythmic patterns from indigenous Guinean instruments. The union of traditional and contemporary music has made him one of the hottest acts on the world music scene. Diallo’s New England tour will feature performances of his music as well as educational outreach activities in music and dance.
Aurelia Thierree
Expeditions touring grant total: $23,000
Created and directed by Victoria Therree Chaplin and performed by her daughter, Aurelia Thierree, Aurelia’s Oratoria is a unique work that blends elements of the music hall, circus, and dance with theatre. The work is descendant of the 12th and 13th century troubadours and is deeply French with its visual juxtapositions, intellectual imaging and surreal imagery that charm and startle. In its first tour of New England, DBR will reach dance, classical music, new music and hip-hop audiences. In addition to performances, the tour sites will feature rehearsals, demonstrations, master classes and community workshops with the artist
Bridgman Packer Dance will conduct residencies and premier their latest video dance Trilogy Under the Skin, Seductive Reasoning and Memory Bank throughout New England. Trilogy features evocative, original scores by composers Glen Velez, Robert Een and Ken Field. The video projections by artists Peter Bobrow and Jim Monroe create and intriguing ambiguity between the live and virtual imagery. In addition to performance the tour sites will provide rehearsals, receptions, trainings, panels and Q&A sessions with the artists.
This year Double Edge Theatre celebrates its 25th anniversary with a New England tour of its newest work, "Republic of Dreams," a play conceived and directed by Stacy Klein and inspired by the writing, artwork and life of Bruno Schulz. This highly collaborative piece includes the work of Polish composer Jacek Ostaszewski, designer Mira Zelechower-Aleksiun and dramaturgical consultation by Ilan Stavans. This artist-run theatre ensemble will be included in every aspect of the production at all venues. Residency activities, receptions, training workshops have all been planned at the various tour sites as well as a symposium on the relationship between art and the Holocaust.
Jason Moran
Expeditions touring grant total: $23,190
Jason Moran has been called, “the most provocative thinker in modern jazz”. His new work, “Milestone” will tour New England this year. The “Milestone” project is a cross-sector theatrical jazz suite with video projections and text. The work is influenced by the African-American conceptual artist and philosopher, Adrian Piper, and transferred her combination of personal, political, and theatrical into a personal piece about his own life as a jazz musician. In addition to performances the tour partners will present master classes, lectures, and Q&A sessions all focused around the artist’s work and the civil rights issues.
The Orchid Ensemble blends ancient musical instruments and traditions from China and beyond, creating a beautiful new sound that is creative and distinct. The Ensemble exemplifies the idea of cross cultural arts, facilitating an awareness and appreciation of contemporary and traditional Chinese music, and contemporary classical music. In addition to the tour of performances, the Orchid Ensemble will participate in community outreach and education, lecture sessions, Q&A, and receptions along with a few workshop/rehearsals with choir groups.
The Acting Company (TAC) has garnered critical acclaim on a national scale through its 34 seasons of great classics. During the 07-08 season TAC will tour “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare and “Moby Dick Rehearsed”, the Orson Welles’ adaptation of the classic novel by Herman Melville. The performances offer opportunities for community collaborations with non-presenting organizations including museums, historical societies and school systems. In addition to performances TAC will participate in lectures, receptions, training sessions, a radio interview and Q&A.
The taiko drumming group Yamato was founded in Nara, “the land of Yamato,” which is said to be the birthplace of Japanese culture. This extraordinary ensemble will tour New England for six days of performances, workshops and educational presentations. There are many community taiko groups in Northern New England who will have the opportunity to interact and learn from this next generation of performers.
The choreographer and dancer Yu Wei will present a multimedia performance of dance and short films inspired by nature, Chinese classical literature and history, and folk legend. Her performances and educational work will reach some of the most rural corners of New England where there is limited knowledge of Chinese culture and dance.
