Join renowned modern dance choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess as he shares how his multi-faceted background as a 4th generation Korean American inspires his creative process. Burgess will be interviewed about his dedication to telling AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) stories through dance and about his new memoir Chino and the Dance of the Butterfly. This insightful journey delves into an artist’s process that is inspired by the intersection of varying cultural perspectives, stories, and experiences. Dancers from his acclaimed company will perform excerpts from their repertoire, including Landscapes: A Tribute to Toshiko Takaezu which debuted at The Noguchi Museum in the summer 2024 as part of the exhibition Toshiko Takaezu: World’s Within, on view at Cranbrook Art Museum through January 12, 2025.
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Dana Tai Soon Burgess is a Korean American choreographer and cultural figure. He has been referred to as “not only a Washington Prize, but a national dance treasure” (Washington Post Pulitzer Prize-winning dance critic Sarah Kaufman). His artistic focus explores intersectional identities, as well as issues of belonging and societal acceptance. He specializes in works that bring the visual and performing arts together. He has been a cultural ambassador for the U.S. State Department for over two decades, an appointment he uses to promote international cultural dialogue through “the global language of dance”. Throughout his career, Burgess has performed, taught, and choreographed around the world. He founded Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company (DTSBDC.org) in 1992. It is the preeminent modern dance company in the Washington, D.C. region, now in its 31st season.
In 1994 he received the Mayor’s award for Outstanding Emerging Artist. His dance company was awarded the Mayor’s Arts Award for Excellence in 2005. He has completed two Fulbright Specialist Awards in dance and 2021 Selma Jeanne Cohen Fulbright Lecture Award. He was a prominent feature in the Smithsonian exhibition “A Korean American Century” as part of the Korean American Centennial Celebration in 2003 as well as “Dancing the Dream”, the Smithsonian’s first exhibition on American dance. Three of his portraits are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian and his family archives reside in the American History Museum. Burgess was named the Smithsonian’s first ever choreographer in residence in 2016. He is the author of Chino and the Dance of the Butterfly: A Memoir and editor of and contributor to Milestones: in Dance History. Burgess is the host of Slantpodcast.com which focuses on Asian American artist journeys.
Tagged: 2024, events
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