Every year, the National Endowment for the Arts awards a one-time-only National Heritage Fellowships for master folk and traditional artists. The fellowships recognize the recipients’ artistic excellence in an effort to support their continuing contributions to our nation’s traditional arts heritage. One of the recipients this year was Sophiline Cheam Shapiro, a Cambodian Classical Dancer and Choreographer from Long Beach, California. You can visit Sophiline’s profile here at the National Endowment for the Arts website for more information about the Fellowships and her contributions towards preserving Cambodian Classical Dance for the future generations.
Now, Sophiline also happens to be Julie’s dance instructor and when she found out that they were asked to perform at the Fellowship Concert, I instantly knew that I wanted to be there to cover it. Fortunately I was given the okay to do so by John Shapiro, Sophiline’s husband, and before I knew it September 24th rolled around and I was winging my way east to Washington, DC for this special occasion. I can honestly say that it was an honor to see Sophiline Cheam Shapiro perform in person at such a special event and I will be forever grateful to have seen it.
Anyways, on to the photos. As you’ll see, I’m only posting the photos from Sophiline and Khmer Arts’ performance of “Shadow” during the concert here on my blog. The rest of the photos from the entire concert will be available at my online at my client print gallery here at the NEA Heritage Fellowships Concert Gallery. And as always, enjoy!
Event: National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowships Concert
Date: September 24, 2009
Venue: The Music Center at Strathmore
Location: North Bethesda, Maryland
