Thursday, July 2, 2015

Belarus (Minsk) Dancers Hanna Harchakova (Anna) and Ihar Kisialiou (Igor) Visit Tampa Florida with Merry Lynn Morris

Belarus  (Minsk) Dancers Anna & Igor Visit Tampa Florida with
Merry Lynn Morris & REVolutions Dance at USF









Visiting Dancers from Belarus, (Minsk) contacted me as they toured the U.S and we collaborated in a beautiful class at USF with REVolutions Dance Company in Tampa, Florida.    (See video below.)

Belarus, (Minsk) Dancers with Merry Lynn Morris at USF
Tampa, Florida
A Belarus Project, brought to you by World Partnerships & the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program.


It was a great pleasure recently meeting visitors from Belarus who are leaders of various disability organizations. We discussed arts and disability programming and opportunities for collaboration. A particular highlight was having Hanna Harchakova, a wheelchair ballroom dance champion, teach a class to the REVolutions Dance students and also participate in the class I taught. A special thanks to the assistants who joined us in the class, Sharon, Laura, Takema and Cara as well as the individuals from Pyramid, Inc. and the parents who were there! This delegation is hosted by World Partnerships, Inc. (www.WorldPartnerships.org), since 2000 the official St. Petersburg and Tampa Bay regional partner of the US Department of State “International Visitor Leadership Program” (IVLP).

The sponsorship of the US Department of State "International Visitor Leadership Program" (IVLP)... is such an impressive act to consider worldwide disabilities and disability in general. As I mentioned at the end of the video segment, "Disability is the one minority that you (everyone) will join if you live long enough."... may we always join the leadership to create the avenues which enable us all!

Beautiful Collaborations ! And to explore the idea of an exchange degree at USF with one of your students !.... I am looking forward to so much more! *

With Love,
Merry Lynn Morris

* on October 14-17, 2015 an incredible collaborative concert at USF Tampa Florida is in the works wiith a grant from the NEA (National Endowments for the Arts) which  I applied for in collaboration with VSA Florida / The State Organization on Arts and Disability. - This concert and workshop will include INTERNATIONAL DANCE ARTISTS with worldwide recognition....(note - I will update here the poster link and bios of all participating ... which will include: Belarus Dancers Anna & Igor.).....