World Music and Dance Festival brings global diversity and the arts to campus on Moms Weekend

Graphic courtesy of: College of Fine ArtsThe 2018 World Music and Dance Festival will take place March 26–April 6, culminating in the Diversity Concert at 7:30 p.m. April 6 in the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

The Ohio University School of Music and the Dance Division present the 2018 World Music and Dance Festival and Diversity Concert, March 26–April 6 across the Athens campus, featuring workshops and performances in African dance, Taiko drumming and Native American song and dance, among many others. Events culminate in a large-scale Diversity Concert at 7:30 p.m. April 6 in Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

The eighth Ohio University World Music and Dance Festival/Concert, interdisciplinary in nature, engages students, faculty, staff and the Athens community to conceptualize music and dance in different ways, and potentially opens new avenues for creativity, expression and aesthetic appreciation of the arts.

This year, the festival will host workshops and lecture demonstrations for two weeks, expanding on the theme Diversity and the Arts. Our guest artists will be visiting selected classes to interact with our faculty and students, and an open forum/discussion will be organized focusing on the importance of global arts in education, featuring the Piscataway Indian Nation Singers and Dancers.

We hope the festival/concert also introduces a variety of musical sounds and dance movements from all over the world. In previous years, students from almost all the university colleges participated; more than 2,000 students, staff and faculty from 60 departments, programs, courses and majors at the university and community have participated in the annual week-long activities and concert.

This annual event features two weeks of workshops and presentations, free and open to the students, faculty and staff of the Ohio University. For the full festival schedule please visit:
8th Annual World Music and Dance Festival Schedule.

The Diversity Concert on April 6 features guest artists, including: Piscataway Indian Nation Singers and Dancers; Keith Moone; Eric Paton; Samba Diallo, former choreographer and performer with the National Ballet of Cote D’Ivoire; Sogbety Diomande, formerly of the Ballet National de Cote d’ Ivoire; and Tom Berich. Ensembles include the OHIO African Ensemble, the OHIO Steel Band, the OHIO Taiko Ensemble, Azaguno, New Chords on the Block, The Alexander High School Percussion Ensemble and Largemouth Brass Band.

Students (both majors and non-majors) in music, dance, theater and visual arts who are involved in the workshops will also be able to perform in the concert on April 6.

Eighth Annual OHIO World Music and Dance Festival:
DIVERSITY CONCERT (Open to the public, tickets required)
Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium
Friday, April 6, 7:30–9:30 p.m.

Tickets are available by phone at 740-593-1780. OHIO Student admission is free with valid ID (made possible by Arts for Ohio). General admission tickets are $12; all other students are $9.

Sponsors
Arts for Ohio, College of Fine Arts, Division of Student Affairs, Office of Diversity and Inclusion and Multicultural Programs and Initiatives, Performing Arts Series, Center for International Studies, Campus Involvement Center, Black Student Cultural Programming Board, Division of Dance, School of Music, Azaguno and the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium.

Workshop participants and concert attendees are invited to share their photos and experiences online using #OHIOworldmusicdance.