Join renowned Korean American modern-dance choreographer Dana Tai Soon Burgess as he shares how his worldview and multifaceted background drives his creation. The memoir traces how his choreography is informed by his early years in Santa Fe, New Mexico. This insightful journey delves into an artist’s process that is inspired by varying cultural perspectives, stories, and experiences. Candid and intelligent, Burgess gives readers the opportunity to experience up close the passion for art and dance that has informed his life.
Burgess will be interviewed about his memoir and answer audience questions. Dancers from his acclaimed company will also perform excerpts from their repertoire.
Dana Tai Soon Burgess is a leading American choreographer, arts administrator, and cultural figure known worldwide as the “Diplomat of Dance.” In 1992 he founded the Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, the preeminent modern dance company in Washington, DC. Burgess has been the Smithsonian Institution’s first-ever Choreographer-in-Residence based at the National Portrait Gallery. He has served as a Cultural Ambassador for the US State Department for over two decades, has received two Senior Fulbright scholarships for dance, and was awarded the Selma Jeanne Cohen Award in 2021. He and his husband, Jameson, live in the nation’s capital with their dogs, Bana and Dali.
Tickets are free for National Press Club members (up to 2 tickets) and $15 for the general public
One drink and light snacks are included with each ticket. Cash bar to follow.
Doors open at 6 p.m. Performances and readings 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Limited space. RSVP required.