About
Posted by Soku
Fusion! is an innovative Atlanta-wide phenomenon designed to stimulate communication and collaboration between ethnic groups and break racial, socio-economic, and cultural barriers through the universal languages of music, dance, art, film, and fashion. By integrating different art forms, styles, and cultural influences, we can give birth to new forms of expression and celebrate our unique heritage.
The current project is an outgrowth of the extremely successful programs, Fusion! 2007 and Fusion! 2008, at Emory University. Fusion! 2007 and Fusion! 2008 were spectacular competition shows featuring “Fusion! Pairs”, each made up of two dance groups with different artistic styles and cultural backgrounds. The Fusion! pairs were asked to collaborate and create original pieces of choreography, thus eliciting new forms of expression. Performance teams representing cultures from across the globe came together, were inspired, and showed Atlanta something it had never seen before.
Fusion! 2009 is an all inclusive program that will create an unprecedented template to foster interactions between students of different cultures from Emory University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Mission
The goal of Fusion! is to create new avenues for communication, collaboration, and enhanced understanding between groups of different ethnic backgrounds. We believe that by incorporating music, dance, art, film, and fashion as catalysts, we can create a channel that encourages bidirectional communication, raises cultural awareness, and educates not only the Atlanta community, but also communities all over the world about the importance - and value - of diversity.
Structure
The Fusion! 2009 program is composed of four main components:
1. The Fusion! Exhibition Show
2. The Fusion! Competition Show
3. The Fusion! Film Documentary
4. The Fusion! Fashion and Graphic Design
The Fusion! Exhibition Show
On the night of November 21, 2008, Fusion! will bring together dance teams from Emory University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, GA Institute of Technology, GA State University, and Clark Atlanta University, to display their cultural composition and artistic styles on the same stage. This unprecedented event will allow students from different institutions to appreciate and experience the diversity which exists on their own campus and at other institutions. The groups performing in this exhibition will ultimately join forces to form “Fusion! Pairs” that will participate in the Fusion! Competition Show in April, 2009.
The Fusion! Competition Show
In April, 2009, the Fusion! Competition Show will premier in Atlanta. This show will feature “Fusion! Pairs”, each made up of two dance groups with different artistic genres and cultural backgrounds. The Fusion! Pairs will be asked to integrate their unique styles and cultures to create collaborative and original pieces of dance, while working with Soku DeNova Records to create original music. The competition will feature 6 Fusion! Pairs, each made up of two performance groups from the six different institutions, competing against each other for a grand prize. For example, one of the paris that performed in Fusion! 2007 was called ‘BAMTARA’, which consisted of BAM (Brotherhood of Afrocentric Men, a male step team) and Sitara (meaning celestial body in the sky, a female traditional/modern Indian dance team). When BAMTARA was created, choreographers from BAM and Sitara integrated the art forms of Stepping and Stumping with traditional styles of Indian dances.
At the end of the evening, each team will be judged by professionals from the performing arts community on originality, artistic integration of different styles, execution, creativity, and energy. The performances will also contain elements of fashion, photography, and film.
Components of the Fusion! Competition:
- Dance: Original choreography will be created by student choreographers. Each Fusion! Pair will have two choreographers from each individual group. The choreographers will create original pieces that integrate their individual dance styles.
- Music: Music will be produced and arranged by Soku DeNova Records. The record label will collaborate closely with each group to create music catered to the team’s specific choreography needs. In addition, Soku DeNova Records will also provide a recording studio for musical arrangement and composition.
Fusion! Documentary
A documentary of Fusion! 2008-2009 will be made by Fusion!’s collaborating media development companies. The documentary will show the creative process taking place during 5 months of rehearsals and production. It will showcase the cultural history and capture the diversity between performance groups and the processes by which they overcame differences and obstacles. Documentary segments of each competition team will be shown right before their performance to provide context to what the audience is about to see. By capturing the magic and synergy behind the scenes, the documentaries will serve to educate the audience.
Fashion and Graphic Design
The Fusion! Fashion and Graphic Design will require artists and student fashion designers to integrate different cultures and styles into their creations. The designers’ inspirations will come from the unique artistic expressions of each Fusion! Pair. For example, if a student designer works with a Fusion! Pair comprised of a Persian dance group and a Latin dance group; the design will reflect art and influences from both cultures. The show will serve as a valuable promotional tool for the designers. In addition, Fusion! will also hold a “trunk show” for the student designers at a major Atlanta boutique. Fashion industry talent recruiters will be invited to the trunk show to meet the student designers.
Value to the Community
The Fusion! 2009 Program will benefit the community by creating an unprecedented opportunity for students of different cultures, ethnic backgrounds, artistic expressions, and academic discipline to collaborate and actively learn from each other. The Fusion! 2009 Program will help transform our community from one that is diverse but segregated to one that is truly cohesive and beautifully rich in cross-cultural interaction. The Fusion! 2009 Program is an exciting and innovative way to bring students out of their own “comfort zones” and have them interact and collaborate with students of different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. In addition, the Fusion! 2009 Program provides a valuable creative outlet for talented students to expand their horizons and learn new skills by joining forces with other innovative professionals. Fusion! also gives the young leaders of tomorrow an opportunity to create new forms of artistic expression based on acceptance and integration. Finally, by positively changing the landscape of Atlanta’s communities we can contribute to an enhanced image of Atlanta as a ethnically diverse and progressive city. By displaying an exciting array of cultural colors through Fusion!, we “become not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic.”
Community: Creating New Colors
Fusion! is designed to bring different cultures together while respecting their individual heritage. Students from all parts of Atlanta will come together, learn from each other, and create unique bonds and gain a new perspective on race, diversity, and culture.
Education
By learning through action, the community will better understand the importance of cultural diversity and enhanced collaboration between ethnic groups.
Creativity and the Arts: A New Form of Expression
Fusion! will create unique templates by combining music, dance, and visual arts. Cultures and styles will come together to bring a new form of artistic expression.
A Truly International Image
For domestic and international students, Fusion! showcases the power and creativity that results when individuals with different cultures, styles, and languages work together. Fusion! will become a major attraction for Atlanta by highlighting the synergy and benefits that come with diversity.
