VOA标准英语2013--Iraqi Dancers in US on First Hip Hop Diplomacy Tour

Iraqi Dancers in US on First Hip 1 Hop 2 Diplomacy 3 Tour 

WASHINGTON — A group of Iraqi urban dancers is visiting major U.S.  cities this month as part of a first-ever Iraqi hip hop diplomacy tour  of the United States.

The U.S. government-sponsored tour is the culmination 4 of years of  training inside Iraq, where the Kurdish and Arab dancers face tougher  conditions to develop their skills than their American counterparts.

Husain Simko is one of the six Iraqi breakdancers bringing their  interpretation of the American-originated art of hip hop to U.S.  audiences. The tour already has taken them to the cities of Dearborn,  Detroit, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, and ends in Boston on  October 23-24.

Twenty-year-old Husain, who is from the Iraqi Kurdish city of Irbil,  showed off some impressive moves when the group performed at Washington  D.C.'s Dance Place theater on Saturday.

Hip hop beginnings

Husain said he first discovered breakdance from U.S. soldiers stationed  in Irbil in 2004.

"One of the soldiers, he was standing 5 on the car - between all of the  kids, he calls me, and says, 'come here, and do the wave move,'" he  said. "And I was like, how did this [arm] bone go up?  It was something  I didn't know about.  So I just went home and practiced and practiced  until 2005," said Husain.

Husain joined fellow Kurdish hip hop enthusiast 6 Shalaw in signing up  for an Iraqi dance academy launched by U.S. non-profit group American  Voices in 2007.

Led by executive director John Ferguson, it is the only group coaching  Iraq's aspiring 7 hip hop artists.

"We put them through a long series of auditions 8 and chose six of the  best and most dedicated 9 and most talented dancers to participate in  this tour to the United States," said Ferguson.  "It's the very first  time any of them have been to America, and the very first time they've  participated in a full-length hip hop dance show."

Halwest, who also is from Irbil, is another breakdancer who benefited  from the program, jointly 10 funded by the U.S. and Iraqi Kurdistan  governments.

"I got into the American Voices academy in 2010, and I got to know  [U.S. trainer] Michael (Parks Masterson), my teacher, and John  [Ferguson], all of them - they really helped me so much," he said.

Urban dance obstacles

The First Step Iraq crew, which includes three Iraqi Arabs, also had to  overcome challenges such as a lack of training facilities at home.

"In general, the Kurdish guys have an easier time, there's more social  - I wouldn't say acceptance, but tolerance 11 for hip hop, and parents  allow their children to explore their passions and develop themselves,"  said Ferguson.

"[Elsewhere] in Iraq, there's a huge social disapproval 12 of dance in  general, whether it's hip hop or ballet or salsa.  Any kind of moving  of the body in public, especially if men or women are dancing together  - it's completely forbidden. The guys from the south have to be very  careful and dance only in certain situations where they know they're  secure. They really do risk their lives doing hip hop," added Ferguson.

The U.S. State Department says encouraging the development of Iraqi  artists is a key part of a U.S. and Iraqi agreement to promote cultural  cooperation.

Cultural exchange opportunity

One goal of the U.S. tour is to give the Iraqis a chance to learn from  American dancers, like those of Washington-based non-profit group Urban  Artistry, dedicated to serving as ambassadors for urban art forms.

Dancers from the group also performed at the Dance Place event and  embraced the Iraqis, who said they were "amazed" by what they saw.

Husain said Urban Artistry's diversity shows that people from around  the world can come together on one stage.

"In America, I've learned really a lot," he said.  "The tour made me  know people, know more dancing, know more about house music, b-boying  and popping and locking and hip hop.  We learned a lot, and we have so  much to bring back home," said Husain.

When he returns to Irbil, Husain plans to share his experience by  opening a gym, to help other young people follow in his footsteps.