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Dance students recently had the unique opportunity to travel to Thailand as part of the East Meets West study abroad program. This artistic collaboration engages diverse educational experiences and turns students into global citizens for the 21^st century. While in Thailand, students learn and perform with dancers across the world.

This year marked the tenth and final collaboration with Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University (SSRU). The partnership began when Kru Suwatana Rockland became one of the first graduates of the SSRU Undergraduate Program in Dramatic Arts in 1992. During these past ten years, Dr. Tawalwongsri and Professors Suwatana and Jeffrey Rockland have overseen ten international collaborations taking place in Thailand and the United States of America. Thousands of students, faculty and staff have seen or taken part in various workshops, lectures and performances produced through this international partnership.

“We have had a successful 10-year relationship that has included as many collaborations,” said Jeffrey Rockland, associate professor of dance. This partnership included master classes given by ����Թ� State faculty in Thailand, SSRU faculty at ����Թ� State and performances in both countries with the participation of six ����Թ� State faculty, including both the School Director and Dean for the 80th Anniversary of SSRU. Now Rockland and the School of Theatre and Dance will be focusing on DanceJerusalem: the Rothberg International School, Isreal, created with Hebrew University and the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance.

This year's ����Թ� State dancers were privileged to take part in two UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage master classes. National Master Artist and Professor, Arjan Thammanit taught the ����Թ� dancers , a Thai classical form of dance from southern Thailand that follows the legend of a magical bird. Students also took a master class with the director of the Thai professional contemporary Dance Company, Pichet Klunchun.

Student Experience

The East Meets West study abroad program has left an indelible mark on the students, faculty and the institutions it brought together over the past decade. As the partnership with Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University concludes, it stands as a testament to the power of cultural exchange and the universal language of dance. The program not only shaped the artistic and professional trajectories of students like Im, Skowron, Gibbs and Conner but also illuminated the importance of preserving heritage, embracing intentionality and broadening creative horizons. Their stories reflect the impact of this unique experience—an impact that will resonate in their personal and professional lives for years to come.

The students on the trip described it as an incredible opportunity. Sidney Im, psychology major and hip-hop dancer, had a close connection with the East Meets West program. “This program played a significant role in affirming my intersected identities. I am a Southeast Asian American woman, hip-hop dancer and student majoring in psychology at ����Թ� State. I fulfilled the aspects of my prospective role when I identified who I was and where I came from. With being able to pre-professionally dance amongst my collegiate peers from America and Southeast Asia, I got to connect with both groups more swiftly than I had anticipated. I became inspired to garner my personal growth with how I can utilize dance through my academic career, as I observed the manners of each individual dancer.” After her experience in Thailand, Im plans to apply for her M.A. in Southeast Asian Studies. “I feel obligated to fulfill a testament for my Southeast Asian diasporic community so we can righteously preserve our heritage and identity.”

Amelia Skowron, dance major and East Meets West vice president, got to look at dance through a new lens while studying abroad. "My favorite experience from East Meets West was getting to perform a self-choreographed solo in Thailand. Not only was it my choreographic debut, but it was also my international choreographic debut. Performing your own work can be an extremely vulnerable but rewarding experience. It's incredible to know that a work I choreographed for a class for only a couple of people to see got a chance to be viewed internationally."

Erin Conner, dance major and president of East Meets West, learned to incorporate Thai culture and dance into her work. “I often say my choreography is a reflection of collective influences—people, skills, art forms and musical compositions that have shaped me,” said Conner. “My experiences in Thailand expanded my artistic perspective, inspiring me to choreograph with greater depth and confidence. The exposure to Thai culture broadened my creative range, giving me a richer understanding of storytelling through movement. I often reflect on how much more I have to explore and look forward to the continued growth that comes from future cultural exchanges.”

Bella Gibbs, dance major and social media director for Thailand Dance Experience, expressed that East Meets West has made her want to pursue a career that combines my passion for the arts with global outreach. “The East Meets West program offered me an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture, ultimately, giving me a sense of global citizenship while expanding my cultural knowledge beyond the dance studios.” While in Thailand, the dancers took master classes in Thai classical dance and modern fusion of Thai classical. “These experiences have influenced my approach to dance and movement by encouraging me to further embrace intentionality and mindfulness,” said Gibbs. “Traditional Thai dance is rooted in precision and symbolism - every gesture carries cultural significance and spiritual storytelling. Observing and learning this taught me to approach movement with a more heightened awareness of purpose and meaning through movement.”

As the School of Theatre and Dance looks to new horizons, including the DanceJerusalem program, the legacy of East Meets West will continue to inspire the next generation of artists to move beyond borders, both physical and creative. This decade-long journey in Thailand demonstrates the transformative power of art to bring together people, cultures, and ideas from all corners of the world.