PROMOTING MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING THROUGH MOVEMENTS: ANALYZING DANCE MOTION USA PROGRAM AS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA'S CULTURAL DIPLOMACY (2014-2016)

Abstract

Different with the World Wars, Cold war was claimed to be the war of ideas, where countries are no longer using hard power that identic with economic and military strength, but the utilization of soft power. Soft power itself according to Joseph S. Nye refers to the ability to influence others to get what one wants. The sources of soft power itself are political values, foreign policy, and culture. The United States attempt to use culture as its soft poweris through the practice of culture diplomacy. According to Milton C. Cummings, cultural diplomacy refers to the exchange of ideas information to foster mutual understanding. Dance itself is one of the remarkable culture that exist in the U.S. The government have been using it even since the Cold War to spread the ideas of democracy, as well as promote the country values such as justice, wquality of freedom. After 20 years of silence regarding dance-related initiatives by the government, DanceMotion USA was established in 2010 as the government initiatives for the country cultural diplomacy, operates under US Department of state bureau of educational and cultural affairs and administered by brooklyn Academy of Music. DanceMotion USA has travelled to more than 20 countries, dancers are becoming cultural ambassadors to promote the vales of America as a nation. The continuity of the program which is now already on its seventh season have shown that the program is believed to be able to support the country's cultural diplomacy.