The Somerville Arts Council and the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University present:
EXCHANGING NOTES
Dance and Drums from Somerville and Tbilisi, Georgia
Attend a culminating presentation of this exciting cultural exchange project!
Exchanging Notes Reception at Harvard: Lecture by Dr. Nana Sharikadze, Q & A with artists
Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024 5:30-6:45pm; reception: 6:30-8:30pm
Tsai Auditorium, CGIS South, 1730 Cambridge Street, Cambridge
RSVP HERE
Exchanging Notes Performance: An Evening of Dance and Drums
Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, first show: 6:30; second show: 8pm
SomArts Space at the Hive, 561 Windsor Street, 4th floor, Somerville
RSVP HERE - Sold Out
**Both events are free, yet you do need to register.**
About the Exchanging Notes Project
Once again, the Somerville Arts Council and the Georgian Studies at Harvard University’s Davis Center join forces to catalyze a vibrant cross-cultural collaboration among four talented artists—two from Somerville and two from the country of Georgia. The genres this year are dance/choreography and percussion/drumming. After a rigorous selection process, the Exchanging Notes jury selected four artists to participate in the program: dancers/choreographers Claire Lane, Lasha Mdzinarashvili, and percussionists/drummers Georgi Oniani, and Marcus Santos.
Back in June, Claire and Marcus traveled to Tbilisi, Georgia to launch the project with their counterparts. After collaborating on artistic projects over the summer, Lasha and Georgi will come to Cambridge and Somerville this September – and this international quartet of artists will perform for us. Expect dance, drumming, and percussion that fuses Georgian and American themes, connects cultures, and enriches our common humanity. The performance will also incorporate elements of Brazilian culture (Marcus hails from Brazil) and include Somerville youth as guest drumming performers.
About the Harvard lecture, Q&A, and reception
Dr. Nana Sharikadze, Associate Professor and the Rector (2019-2023) of the V. Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire will kick off the Exchanging Notes event with her lecture on Georgian music and culture, which will be followed by the discussion with the Exchanging Notes artists sharing their experience and collaboration process. The Q&A session will focus on the creative process and how it works in collaborations across widely different cultures, and it will be led by Dr. Sharikadze, Professor Stephen Jones of Harvard, and Somerville Arts Council Cultural Director Rachel Strutt. Following that, there will be a reception with Georgian food and wine and a chance to meet the artists.
About the Exchanging Notes final performance: an Evening of Dance and Drums
Our cross-cultural quartet of artists will present the work they have been collaborating on over the summer – working both in person and remotely. The dance segment of the evening will showcase not only traditional Georgian dance but also the fusion of Claire’s contemporary style with Lasha’s style, which is deeply steeped in historical Georgian tradition. Marcus and Giorgi will also present their musical fusion by showcasing how drumming as a language melts cultural divide, with Marcus also infusing the work with the rhythms of his native Brazil. Also expect to see an explosive performance with all four artists, fusing genres and cultures. Marcus, who teaches at Somerville High School, will also invite Somerville youth drummers to be part of this one-of-a-kind cultural performance.
Presenting Artists
Claire Lane, a dynamic dance artist, choreographer, and educator: Claire graduated summa cum laude from Smith College and has trained at P.A.R.T.S. in Belgium and Trinity Laban Conservatoire in London. She is the co-artistic director of detritus dance, a collective that reframes storytelling through a feminist lens. Claire has performed and taught at various highly regarded venues and institutions, emphasizing somatic imagery to inspire curiosity and technical rigor.
Lasha Mdzinarashvili, a distinguished dancer, choreographer, and actor/stuntman from the Georgian capital, Tbilisi: Lasha has performed in 36 countries and in 2022 earned the prestigious Taurus World Stunt Award for his work in the film "The King’s Man." He has served as a top performer with the Georgian National Ballet Sukhishvili and the Rustavi Ensemble. Currently, he is a choreographer at the Glass Theater and teaches dance at Georgia’s State University of Theater and Cinema.
George Oniani, a renowned percussionist and artistic director of Kutaisi's Junior Folklore School: George co-founded the acclaimed Ensemble GENI, also in Kutaisi, Georgia's third most populous city, and has collaborated with many dance studios and ensembles, including the famous Sukhishvili troupe and Kutaisi's State Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance, a key artistic hub for traditional Georgian culture. George's impressive career began at age five, and he continues to perform with prestigious groups like the Tbilisi Symphony Orchestra.
Marcus Santos, an internationally renowned contemporary percussionist and educator from Salvador, Bahia, Brazil: Marcus specializes in Afro-Brazilian music and has performed globally, including for the president of Brazil and at TEDx conferences. He has received numerous awards, including the 2024 Outstanding Artist Award from Arts at the Armory in Somerville. Marcus directs the Grooversity network project and has contributed to significant works, including Ken Burns's PBS documentary "American Revolution."
Presenting Organizations
About the Program on Georgian Studies at the Davis Center, Harvard University
The Program encourages research on Georgia and the South Caucasus at Harvard, fosters collaboration between Georgian and American academics and students, and promotes knowledge of the region to the broader Boston community.
About the Somerville Arts Council
The mission of the Somerville Arts Council (SAC) is to cultivate and celebrate the creative expressions of the Somerville community. Through innovative collaborations and quality programming, we work to make the arts an integral part of life reflective of our diverse city. SAC runs numerous festivals, creates public art, runs cultural initiatives—from the Nibble culinary program to the Mystic River Mural Project for youth—and is keenly focused on ensuring artists will always have a space to create, display, and perform within Somerville.