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Medici Mondays: Margo Bartlett By Charlie Snyder, Arizona Arts

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Saturday, September 7, 2024
College of Fine Arts, School of Dance

Margo Bartlett participated in a cultural exchange tour of Japan and China, thanks to support from the College of Fine Arts Medici Circle.

Bartlett is a third-year student pursuing a BFA in dance at the School of Dance and a BA in East Asian Studies: Japanese Language Emphasis. The tour, organized by the Oregon International Ballet Academy, her hometown dance studio, included visits with various high schools in Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai.

Students: Become a Medici Scholar. | Supporters: Join the Medici Circle.

Medici Monday Margo Bartlett performing ballet
“When I was a kid I was super interested in Japanese pop culture (anime, manga, video games), which, as I got older, slowly turned into a desire to study other aspects of the culture. My interest broadened to Japanese food, studying the language, learning about the country’s history, and generally anything associated with Japan. What I love most about my studies is how interestingly different Japanese culture is from American culture, and how learning a foreign language has given me the ability to connect with people whose culture is such a stark contrast to my own.” 

Medici Mondays: Margo Bartlett

“At many of these schools we had the chance to perform a classical and a contemporary ballet work and in return watch some Chinese dance performances from their students,” she said. “We also had the rare opportunity to observe classes and rehearsals of ballet, contemporary, Chinese classical and folk dance at the prestigious Beijing Dance Academy which was amazing to see.”

At the Shanghai Theatre Academy Dance College, the group observed the professional Shanghai Ballet take class. 

“It was truly inspiring to see dancers not much older than me fulfilling their dreams of dancing professionally in a company,” she said. “Observing their class palpably like that only solidified my own ambitions for myself.

One of her favorite parts of the trip was studying Chinese folk dance (jiaozhou yangge 胶州秧歌). 

“I really enjoyed learning and performing a completely foreign dance style while being taught in a language, I’d previously had zero exposure to: Mandarin.”

The group spent a week in Kumamoto, Japan, where they performed in the 20th anniversary performance of the Casa de Arte ballet studio. 

Students: Become a Medici Scholar. | Supporters: Join the Medici Circle.

Medici Mondays Margo Bartlett at the Shanghai Theatre Academy Dance College.
Margo Bartlett at the Shanghai Theatre Academy Dance College.

Medici Circle Appreciation

“Combining my passions for dance and studying Asian cultures on this trip has been the experience of a lifetime, and without the gracious support from my donor Ginny L. Clements my summer might not have been possible. I’d like to again thank her and her fellow Medici Circle members for their generosity in supporting students like me with dreams like mine.”

Medici Circle support allows talented artist scholars like Margo Bartlett to pursue an educational summer project beyond the classroom.

Previously on “Medici Mondays”