2006 Press Releases

U.S. Embassy Marks American Culture Days 2006

July 3, 2006

Today the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, in cooperation with Turkmenistan's Ministry of Culture and TV/Radio Broadcasting, opened its annual American Culture Days with a performance by the HaviKoro Hip Hop-Break Dance Group and Ashgabat-based group "Dance Power" at Ashgabat's Magtymguly State Music and Drama Theater.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkmenistan Tracey Ann Jacobson opened the performance, noting that "HaviKoro has come to Turkmenistan to work with local artists and to expand the ties between our peoples."

The HaviKoro group is comprised of five performers from Texas who have experience in several forms of dance such as break dancing, popping and funk. The group brings a positive message to young people around the world through break dance, rap and other forms of hip hop style dancing. The Turkmen break dance group "Dance Power" is a group of seven Ashgabat dancers that have been working with HaviKoro since their arrival in Turkmenistan on July 1. HaviKoro's schedule in Turkmenistan includes similar joint public performances in Turkmenbashy on July 4 and in Turkmenabat on July 6. They will conduct pre-performance dance sessions in both cities to give local dancers the chance to share materials, learn new techniques and present their own dance and culture.

Every year, U.S. missions organize activities around U.S. Independence Day – July 4 – to acquaint citizens of other countries with U.S. culture and heritage. In the past, the U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Culture and TV/Radio Broadcasting, the National Library of Turkmenistan, and other bodies organized lectures by guest speakers on U.S. history, literature, culture, and other topics, as well as concerts, film showings, poster shows and book exhibitions.