"We prepare students to engage in the world that is and to help bring about a world that ought to be."

passTRESSpass Dance Assembly

 
The US ChoreoLab class joined forces with Despina Stamos of the Modern Dance Awareness Society to take part in the dance project, passTRESpass 2018 proximity. passTRESspass, which started in 2007, is a roving, interactive movement installation addressing questions of migration, home and borders. Despina travels from NYC to Athens, Greece to work with refugees in a governed refugee-squat in Athens, giving them the opportunity to process and share their experiences through dance. 
 
 
The dances were performed in Greece and the Meetinghouse simultaneously and broadcast via Skype in the Meetinghouse for approximately 200 students ranging from K-8. It was a moving experience for both the audience and dancers in both countries. 

About the cast: Abdoul/Jaki is 29 years old. He began dancing with passTRESspass in 2009. Jamila, 51, and Mina, 16, from Iran began dancing with them in 2016. Assad 17, and Fatimeh 30, from Kabul and Magda 37, from Iraq, all joined the group this year. 
 
 
Fatimeh lives in a refugee camp with her two young boys and travels 3 hours by bus to rehearse with the group. The 11 children in the group range in age from 4-13, from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Pakistan. They live with their families at City Plaza which will close at the end of July. Presently, they are looking homes to relocate to in Athens.
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Friends Seminary — the oldest continuously operated, coeducational school in NYC — serves college-bound day students in Kindergarten-Grade 12.