Nadar Rosano will return to Arizona in the spring of 2016 as a special artist-in-residence at the University of Arizona’s dance department. The placement was made possible through the Israel Institute in Washington, D.C. The Israel Institute works in partnership with leading academic, research and cultural institutions to enhance knowledge and study of modern Israel in the United States and around the world. Founded in 2012 as an independent, nonpartisan organization, the institute supports scholarship, research and exchanges to build a multifaceted field of Israel Studies and expand opportunities to explore the diversity and complexity of contemporary Israel.
Marge Goldwater, director of arts and cultural programs for the institute, administers the Schusterman Visiting Israeli Artist Program, which began in 2012 to bring Israeli artists in a variety of disciplines to the United States for teaching opportunities. “I have a wonderful job,” Marge shared in a recent interview. “I get to go to Israel twice a year to seek out and interview the very best of the Israeli artists. Then I come back home and work on making ‘shidduchs,’ ” she says with a laugh. That is, she works as a “matchmaker” to put together a perfect fit for the artist and the university or organization wanting to expand its programs and cultural vistas.
Nadar’s placement marks the first time an Israeli artist has been paired up with a university in Arizona. The program began seven years ago and has placed 10 artists per year, mostly at major universities on either coast. “I started asking around as to who had an outstanding dance department, and the University of Arizona was named as very high ranking.” Marge then contacted Ed Wright at the Arizona Center for Judaic Studies at the U of A, and he was happy to become a partner. John Winchester, outreach coordinator for the center, says, “We are very pleased to be working with the Israel Institute in D.C. to bring Nadar to campus as a visiting professor of dance in the spring 2016 semester. He will teach a course on Israeli dance (and) a master class, and give a performance. He plans to get out into the community as well. His work here will add to our campus and (to our) community’s appreciation of the deep cultural vitality of Israel today.”
The Israel Institute focuses on academia and the study of modern Israel. Initially funded by the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation as part of the Schusterman Foundation’s long-standing efforts to advance a genuine understanding of Israel, the institute also provides opportunities in the areas of academic programs, offering support grants for academic conferences, travel seminars, research and faculty development. The institute also offers doctoral fellowships to Ph.D. students working on dissertations on a topic related to Israel.
In addition, college students may apply for eight-week paid summer internships, and recent college graduates may be eligible for yearlong internships at elite Israeli think tanks. The institute further has programming in the public policy arena and grants available to assist new scholars and researchers.
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