Sujie Zhu
Colby College
Project
Expanding Possibility: Exploring Cross-Cultural Improvisational Performance
Senegal, Japan, India, Poland
Improvisational performance expresses self-identity. It occurs in a social context while it informs social change; it is, at once, a means to honor tradition and a platform for revolution. But is this concept of performance shared universally? I will explore variations in improvisational performance by immersing myself in four culturally distinct sites. Viewing practices from other cultures is like looking into a mirror. One’s own boundaries come into focus, catalyzing new discoveries and innovation. This principle has guided my commitment to exploring cultural variation in performance, and to actualize my learning through collaboration with artists across the globe.