Performing Asia: Legacy of Performing Arts at the Asia Society

Asia Society has presented more than a thousand artists, including Ravi Shankar and other world-renowned Asian performing artists. In celebration of 60 years of performing arts at Asia Society, Rachel Cooper, Director of Global Performing Arts and Special Cultural Initiatives, provides an overview of Asia Society’s rich history of performing arts and its impact on audiences over the years. Special guests Yin Mei, Koma Otake and Parul Shah will provide short performances.

Rachel Cooper is the Director of Global Performing Arts and Cultural Initiatives at the Asia Society where she has presented hundreds of artists and commissioned/produced twenty new works for the stage. She is widely recognized as a leader in the performing arts field, presenting and touring traditional and contemporary works by Asian and Asian American artists. She is a frequent participant at major conferences and commentator in the media, addressing Asian performing arts, international arts exchange and cultural diplomacy and is an advocate for the power of the arts to have a major impact on society. Cooper serves on the board of Cambodian Living Arts, and is an advisor for the Building Bridgesproject of APAP and the National Dance Project of NEFA. She directed the Festival of Indonesia In Performance, touring over 200 Indonesian artists across the U.S. Cooper is the co-founder of Balinese music and dance company, Gamelan Sekar Jaya.

Part of Asia Society Celebrates 60 Years.