Once again, the Somerville Arts Council and the Georgian Studies at Harvard University’s Davis Center join forces to catalyze a vibrant cross-cultural collaboration among four talented artists—two from Somerville and two from the country of Georgia. The genres this year are dance/choreography and percussion/drumming. After a rigorous selection process, the Exchanging Notes jury selected four artists to participate in the program: dancers/choreographers Claire Lane, Lasha Mdzinarashvili, and percussionists/drummers Georgi Oniani, and Marcus Santos.

About the Exchanging Notes final performance: an Evening of Dance and Drums
Our cross-cultural quartet of artists will present the work they have been collaborating on over the summer – working both in person and remotely. The dance segment of the evening will showcase not only traditional Georgian dance but also the fusion of Claire’s contemporary style with Lasha’s style, which is deeply steeped in historical Georgian tradition. Marcus and Giorgi will also present their musical fusion by showcasing how drumming as a language melts cultural divide, with Marcus also infusing the work with the rhythms of his native Brazil. Also expect to see an explosive performance with all four artists, fusing genres and cultures. Marcus, who teaches at Somerville High School, will also invite Somerville youth drummers to be part of this one-of-a-kind cultural performance.

For more information and to RSVP, visit here:
https://somervilleartscouncil.org/exchangingnotes/2024