| Media Note Office of the Spokesman Washington, DC April 27, 2006 U.S. Cultural Ambassador Debbie Allen To Join Inaugural Cultural Exchange Participants at the Kennedy CenterThe U.S. Department of State is pleased to welcome representatives of four Indian dance companies to the United States this week for a two-week artistic and cultural exchange. Hailing from Chennai and Mumbai, India, these eight dancers are the first participants in the Department’s new Cultural Visitors Program, which brings young aspiring performing and visual artists to the United States for artistic study and exchange. The program is managed by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, under a cooperative agreement with the Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. The dancers are meeting with representatives of American dance, cultural and academic institutions, interacting with ethnic dance troupes, engaging in dialogues with choreographers, and attending classes and performances of various dance genres in Washington, DC (April 22-28) and Los Angeles (April 29-May 6). To culminate their tour of Washington, the eight Indian dancers will present highlights of their cultural exchange experience in an event hosted by the Kennedy Center and the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. U.S. Cultural Ambassador Debbie Allen will join the dancers to highlight her work in India and the importance of artistic and cultural exchange. U.S. Department of State Cultural Ambassadors are accomplished professionals in their fields, who engage with youth overseas through clinics, coaching sessions and master classes, motivational speeches and leadership training. Cultural Ambassadors also assist in selecting Cultural Visitors to come to the United States. 2006/420
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