Dance and other art forms are not often thought of as important tools in building international and intercultural relations, but the arts can play a vital role in facilitating conversation and collaboration across borders, languages, and beliefs. Emad Salem, SIS/BA ’05, was always interested in international relations and social impact, but he never imagined his career path would take him to the crossroads of dance and international relations. As the executive director of Battery Dance Company in New York City, he has the unique ability to help foster international relationships through sharing performing arts with a wide variety of communities. We caught up with Emad to discuss his career journey, the mission of Battery Dance, and why the arts are so important for creating connections.

Forming An International Mindset

Salem knew he was interested in studying international relations from an early age. As an Egyptian-American who has family in both countries, he also keenly understood the importance of international and intercultural relations. When it came time to choose a college, SIS was at the top of Salem’s list because of the school’s caliber and diversity.

“Being around students from all different countries and all different nationalities was attractive to me, and it led me to choose Leonard Hall for my dorm, which was the international hall back then,” said Salem.

Upon graduating from SIS with a dual degree in International Studies and Economics, Salem began working with a nonprofit focused on US international public diplomacy at which he had previously interned. He credits the curriculum at SIS for the skills that landed him his initial internship and his first job.

“The global perspectives that were taught at both a macro and micro level, along with the ability to undertake your own research projects within courses, was something that prepared me to enter the workforce immediately,” Salem said.

Joining Battery Dance

After moving to New York City, Salem stumbled upon a job posting from Battery Dance.

“My background wasn't in dance, but something about being within artists' circles in New York City kind of attracted me,” Salem said. “Everything that I had studied—everything in my career—was all about creating impact for the less fortunate and the underserved and communities in need. And I told myself that if the programs aren't creating measurable impact, then it's not really for me”.

Salem began his professional journey with Battery Dance by working with the artistic director to implement an outcome-based monitoring and evaluation system for the Company’s programs. Over the course of 11 years with the company, he worked his way up to his current position as executive director.

Battery Dance’s mission is “to increase human understanding and create lasting social impact through the universal expression of dance,” and the company focuses all its domestic and international programs around this mission. Some of Battery Dance’s domestic programs include numerous school programs to bring dance to underserved children and partnerships with colleges for arts education, along with creating new dance works influenced by global and domestic issues and operating two NYC-based studios at which artists can rehearse and teach.

One of the company’s most visible programs is the Battery Dance Festival, which also is New York City’s longest-running dance festival. This year, the week-long festival features 50 performances by 45 companies from seven countries and is expected to draw an in-person audience of over 12,000 and a virtual audience of over 25,000.

Bringing Dance to the World

Battery Dance has presented programs in more than 70 countries through its international cultural diplomacy program, which uses dance as a tool that can promote gender equality and climate change awareness, empower people with disabilities, and unite people of different backgrounds. The company’s Dancing to Connect program has been called “the new face of cultural diplomacy” by The New York Times and has several focus areas covering everything from refuge integration to conflict resolution and prevention.

For example, the conflict resolution program uses dance to help unite communities that are in or near conflict with one another, and Salem is encouraged by the results: “We did a program with Israelis, Palestinians, and Germans, and results that came back from pre- and post-program questionnaires showed statistically significant changes in perceptions between participants. Those included feelings about war and conflict, feelings about the future, confidence, and feelings of being able to create change on the ground. And this was after just a one-week dance program.”

These international programs are more than just an arts venture—they can be an important part of international relations, building economic development and cross-cultural understanding with the people and countries the programs serve. By providing opportunities for local artists to perform and by bringing new forms of tourism to different areas, Battery Dance is helping foster growth at many levels.

By using dance as a uniting front, Salem believes that the arts have an important role to play in the development and continuation of international relationships: “Our international cultural engagement is a two-way street. It's us going abroad, and us bringing artists here as well. Generating that cultural appreciation on both sides is important because, through these international partnerships, you quickly realize that there's more that brings us together than divides us.”

*** The 2023 Battery Dance Festival will be held August 12-18, and more information can be found here.