Dr. Matt Moore and Dr. Leticia Robles of Muhlenberg College’s Theater and Dance Department recently concluded a year long class-to-performance experience for a group of 31 students, funded in part by an LVEHC Curricular Transformation grant. Dr. Moore and Dr. Robles taught methods of devising alongside the ethics of cross-cultural engagement. This approach required students to form partnerships with local community-based institutions, research the history and diversity of the Lehigh Valley, and create approximately 10 minor performances on campus. Additionally, the class facilitated a staged reading of “for colored girls…” at the Baum School in Allentown, held a workshop in cross-cultural dance with children from the Puerto Rican Cultural Preservation Society, participated in countless community events (ranging from board and coalition meetings to public fairs). Finally, students built an interactive installation that addressed the challenges and implicit assumptions of the work done to bridge the gap between Muhlenberg and the Allentown community. This installation ran for 2 weeks in the Muhlenberg Center for the Arts Galleria. The installation received well over 200 visitors and showcased the artwork, personal narratives, and histories of both students and community artists.
