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Ballet Works To Bridge Historic Divisions

Richmond Ballet

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has plagued the Middle East for generations. But when the Richmond Ballet traveled 6,000 miles to expand its Minds in Motion program, it realized that no matter the culture, religion, political beliefs, or language, dance has the power to unite.

Before rows of packed bleachers, the Richmond Ballet is creating a space for two communities in Israel, at times worlds apart, to move together and to intersect.

“Through moving together we can really build communities and build connections,” says  Cat Studdard, outreach director of the Richmond Ballet.

She oversees the Minds in Motion residency in Israel. For two weeks, students from an Arab-Israeli school and their peers from a nearby Jewish-Israeli school separately prepare ballet performances. They then come together before parents and friends for a grand performance.

Studdard recalled one audience member’s reaction in particular: “He was like, ‘I can’t believe it. They’re touching.’ Just the fact that they were having this human contact was something that he hasn’t seen on a regular basis over there,” says Studdard.

The program is entering its ninth year, and in the face of surrounding conflict, it’s given the Arab and Jewish students a common language, a bond. It’s even moved into online group messages...

“If it’s social media, there’s a lot of emojis!,” says Studdard.

A simple emoticon, like a dance move, holds the potential for students to transform relationships.

This month, the Richmond Ballet builds on its broader dialogue of cultivating compassion, as it launches Art for Understanding, a cultural exchange that showcases a series of more than 100 Israeli paintings across Virginia. In preparation for their trip to Richmond this month, the artists exchanged letters with some of ballet’s stateside students. Ultimately, Studdard hopes this dialogue will bring life to one central message.

“I feel like in building communities that’s really the seed that we plant to really make strong communities - is those feelings of empathy and understanding: human to human,” says Studdard.

Human to human, hand in hand, a group of Arab and Jewish students are showing how just one interaction can help change the world.

On Friday, Radio IQ’s Charlottesville studio will host paintings from a collaboration between the Ballet and Israeli artists.  Click here for more information.