2/16/2009

Co-operation with American Professor Siegenfeld Opens New Doors to Dance Students

Two TUAS Arts Academy Students as Visiting Scholars in Chicago

Two TUAS Arts Academy dance students, Mirva Väänänen and Saana Ojala, are visiting undergraduate students at Northwestern University, in Evanston, Illinois from January through March 2009. At the same time they complete also their work placement as junior company members in the Jump Rhythm Jazz Project in Chicago. The Jump Rhythm dance company is directed by Professor Billy Siegenfeld, a long term co-operation partner of TUAS department of dance. More information about the exchange on Northwestern University's Internet Site.

Memorandum of Understanding Signed in 2007

Professor Siegenfeld, who is the Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teacher Excellence at Northwestern University, has been instrumental in making this student mobility possible. These activities are a direct and concrete result of signing a Memorandum of Understanding between Turku University of Applied Sciences and Northwestern University in November 2007.

Professor Siegenfeld a Long-Term Co-operation Partner of TUAS Arts Academy

Fall 2008 marked already fourth consecutive artistic residency of Professor Siegenfeld in the Department of Dance at TUAS Arts Academy. When he visited TUAS first time in 2005, he was the first Fulbright visiting scholar in the history of Turku University of Applied Sciences.

This time Professor Siegenfeld was joined by two members of the Jump Rhythm Jazz Project: Brandi Coleman and Jordan Kahl, both acknowledged Jump Rhythm Jazz Technique teachers and dancers. Together with Arts Academy dance students they gave a succesful Performance-Lecture-Demonstration at the Finnish Opera Ballet School on November 11th. The event was sponsored by the Embassy of the United States in Helsinki.

David and Tarja Yoken have been the producers of the Siegenfeld artistic residencies at the Arts Academy, Turku University of Applied Sciences, Turku, Finland.