Borderless Arts to Perform in Cairo

By Lori Kissinger, Executive Director, Borderless Arts –

Borderless Arts TN will be representing the United States at the Awladna International Forum for Arts for the Gifted April 27 through May 4 in Cairo, Egypt. The group is one of 23 invited groups from 31 different countries.

There will be a dance performance with members from Borderless Arts’ Movement Connection Dance program — a dance program for individuals with Down Syndrome. The dancers will be wearing costumes made by the Borderless Arts’ Teapot Diplomats, a visual arts program under the artistic direction of Dee Kimbrell of Hendersonville. Teapot Diplomats are young adults with any form of disability but many are on the Autism spectrum. Borderless Arts participants include Caitlin Bernstein (dancer), Danielle Clement (Movement Connection Dance Program Artistic Director), Grace Dodd (dancer), Lori Kissinger (Borderless Arts Executive Director), and Hope McKee (Teapot Diplomat costume creator and dancer).

Borderless Arts was invited after photos and video from our partnership with the Frist Art Museum, the Nashville Symphony and Nashville Ballet for the Nick Cave public performance caught the Awladna International Forum’s attention. The Nick Cave: Feat exhibit is on view at the Frist Art Museum through June, 2018. In conjunction with the exhibition, there was a month-long community engagement project that culminated in two free public performances, one of which Borderless Arts was a part of. Borderless Arts created the Nick Cave performance piece with the Nashville Ballet who choreographed the dance and the Nashville Symphony who worked with Borderless Arts Young Soloist musicians to create the music.

Although Borderless Arts TN is a small organization, we are proud to offer quality dance, music and visual arts programs for people with disabilities. We believe that the arts are a bridge to communication that allows others to see abilities rather than disabilities. This is the second time in three years that one of our programs has been recognized internationally. In 2015, Borderless Arts coordinated the creation of a quilt made by pieces from individuals with disabilities from all over the country and the world. The quilt was put together by our artists under the artistic direction of Lauren Rudd from MTSU.

For more information about Borderless Arts, visit our website.