Aziza Returns to Cyprus
October 11-26, 2004

Aziza (center) shares her knowledge and experience with teachers form both communities

American Cultural Specialist Aziza visited Cyprus for a second time in October 2004 for ten days . This year she conducted music and movement workshops for young Cypriots with special needs at nine different schools throughout the island, and, additionally, she organized training workshops for their teachers. Of particular note was a bicommunal workshop for Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot teachers of students with special needs that was held at the JW Fulbright Center.

Aziza once again taught American methods of dance and movement therapy for individuals with disabilities. She worked with children (many of whom remembered her from her visit in 2003) and teachers from schools for the hearing and visually impaired; schools for the mentally and physically challenged; and children from disadvantaged families. She approached the children with a unique touch, and brought them close to music and dance.

The class has started, and so has the dancing

The children responded enthusiastically to Aziza's guidance and infectious energy, demonstrating that music and dance, when appropriately presented, can be enjoyed by anyone, and are superb vehicles for showing that our differences, whether in ability or ethnic group, can be overcome with the right approach.

Aziza is the founder of the Def Dance Jam Workshop (DDJW), a group of deaf, hearing and physically or developmentally challenged artists in New York, who find creative ways to express their talent. They are committed to improving communication and contact between people with disabilities and people without disabilities, through innovative ways of communication. DDJW combines poetry, song, storytelling, dance and American sign language to reach out to its participants and audiences.

Read about Aziza's previous visit to Cyprus