Ballet Beyond Borders Cultural Crossroads - Diplomacy Conference
Saturday, January 10. University Center Ballroom. 9AM
Highlights: Performances from Noorani Dance, BBB dancers, and topics discussed on international dance, dance education, and the international world of dance video, film and theater.
Shawn Lent
Shawn Lent is a social practice dance artist, educator, and nonprofit leader whose work spans from a children’s cancer hospital in revolutionary Egypt to community programs in Chicago. A U.S. Fulbright Scholar and United Nations Alliance of Civilizations International Fellow, she explores embodied peace and the role of the arts in diplomacy and social change. Shawn founded and leads Dance Peace, a program for refugee youth, and actively serves with World Refugee Day Chicago. She spent nearly a decade as Programs and Communications Director at Chicago Dancemakers Forum and previously served as advisor and national coordinator for EducationUSA Egypt. With 30+ years of teaching experience and deep cross-sector practice in accessibility, education, health, and community engagement, she is recognized for building trust across lines of difference and advancing innovative initiatives.
In an era marked by political turmoil, social volatility, and deep divisions, how can dance education serve as a practice of wellness and peace building? Drawing on stories from a pediatric cancer hospital in revolutionary Egypt, community work in East London after 9/11, a camp in post-genocide Northwest Bosnia, and current programs with refugee and migrant youth in Chicago, Shawn Lent shares how movement can cultivate trust, resilience, and human connection across socioreligious lines of difference. A U.S. Fulbright Scholar and United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Fellow, and founder of Dance Peace, Shawn explores how dance can foster empathy, counteract misinformation, and build spaces of belonging in tense conditions. This interactive talk will invite participants to reflect on their own practice and consider: in these times, what can your dance do?
Ana Lúcia Silva
Ana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Dance Education from Universidade Candido Mendes and a postgraduate degree in Classical Dance Teaching from Theatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro. She has an extensive career as a dance educator and choreographer, with multiple awards at prestigious national and international festivals, and is a leading reference in dance education within underserved communities and in the promotion of Afro-Brazilian culture.
Ana founded Cia Livre de Dança da Rocinha an artistic and social dance company with 25 years of dedication to dance education within the Rocinha community, promoting access to culture, social inclusion, and human development through the arts. Widely recognized for its excellence in Afro-Brazilian culture, the company has built a strong artistic identity grounded in ancestry, belonging, and creative empowerment.
The company’s work is structured across multiple fronts, including its competition team, which proudly represents Rocinha at major national and international festivals such as the Festival de Dança de Joinville, FIDPOA, and DANZAMÉRICA, earning awards and critical recognition. Another cornerstone of its mission is the children’s project “Bailarinhas do Amanhã” (Ballerinas of Tomorrow), designed for early childhood, introducing young children to dance through a playful, pedagogical, and nurturing approach that fosters self-esteem, discipline, and artistic sensitivity from an early age. Cia Livre de Dança da Rocinha is widely recognized as a high-impact social transformation project, where dance serves as a powerful tool for education, inclusion, and future-building—shaping both artists and conscious citizens who are deeply connected to their cultural heritage.
Alexandre Pires
Alexandre Pires is a percussionist with extensive experience in Afro-Brazilian rhythms. Over the course of his 45-year artistic career, he has built a solid trajectory marked by significant cultural experiences and collaborations with major figures in Brazilian music. At a landmark moment in his career, he took part in the reception of Pierre Verger during one of his visits to Brazil, an experience that deeply influenced his artistic formation and strengthened his connection to Afro-Brazilian culture. Alexandre has also performed alongside renowned Brazilian artists such as Tim Maia, Sandra de Sá, and Chico César, expanding his presence across diverse musical settings and stages.
Currently, he is a member of the largest Big Band in Brazil, maintaining an active and relevant role in the contemporary music scene. In parallel, he works closely with dance professionals across Brazil, accompanying different dance styles including jazz, Afro-Brazilian dance, and tap dance, and is widely recognized for his sensitive musicality and strong rhythmic foundation in relation to movement. He is widely regarded as a specialist percussionist in dance accompaniment, seamlessly integrating music, rhythm, and the body, making his work a reference for both musicians and dancers.
Vincent Paterson
Vince will speak on his book “Icons and Instincts” about his life in dance, video, theater and film. Vince began his professional dancing career late in life. It would take an exceptional turn when he became one of the lead dancers in Michael Jackson's Beat It music video. Through hard work, he rises to the rank of choreographer and director for the world's greatest singers, but also for cinema and musical comedy.
He tells with humility the fascinating universe of film sets, the rehearsal sessions where he had to orchestrate and synchronize dozens of dancers, life backstage where it is sometimes necessary to manage a few whims of the stars, his successes and his disappointments. It is a dive into the heart of the world of dance.
Previous Diplomacy Conferences
THE HIDDEN TEARS PROJECT , with Choreographer & Filmmaker Jordan Marinov
Moderator - Julie Sirrs
Live Performance from Jordan Marinov
Short Film Presentation and stories from the Hidden Tears project
Panel Discussion - Jordan Marinov with Clarissa Charlie and Kya Rae Dede Rose
Exhibit - The Red Dress Display : Commemorating and honoring the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls
Performance - The Sound of Healing : Jingle Dress Dance - Kya & Clara
10:00 - 10:10AM Peace-building Performance from the Unison Dance School, Israel.
Introduction by Dana Blecher, Director of Cultural Affairs, the Consulate General of Israel. Director Moran Barak, Dancers Leann Reizer and Elinor Ostrovsky
10:10 - 11:00AM THERE IS ROOM FOR EVERYONE - Sophie Rebecca from the United Kingdom. Presentation and discussion about the new generation of dancers that are challenging Ballets rigid gender norms. Moderated by Dr. Karin Opacich,
11:00 - 11:15AM - Contemporary Performances from BBB Competitors from Dance City - Marika Derton , Director (VENICE ITALY), Radu Domsa & Alina Ciceo (CLUJ, ROMANIA), Dancers & Director, Dani Orlo, Escuela de Cubana (VERACRUZ , MEXICO), Damon Berry, Kasper the Saint and Phoenix Bunuellos, (LOS ANGELES, USA).
11:15- 11:30AM - CHINA & MONTANA - OUR CULTURAL BRIDGE TO THE FUTURE
Confucius Institute Director Suhan Chen with Charlene Campbell Carey
Chinese Folk Dance Performance by Angela Wan student of Ming Yan Cui, Chinese Song by Tony Woodward, student at Rocky Mountain Ballet Theatre and Peking Opera performance by Nathaniel Puttonen student from the Chan Hon Goh Academy in Vancouver, Canada.