Two Refugees Teach Dance at La Fondation Orient-Occident

Written by Cindy Miao from Holton Arms School in Maryland, USA

punctuated french 

transcends the language barrier 

through universal claps 

and body rolls, echoing 

a resonant pulse 

through the humid basement 

pocketed dirhams riffle 

through Mohammed VI’s stare 

in kaleidoscopic colors 

seeing double, 

glinting reflections dance in the wall-mounted mirror twist limbs to the

music’s demanding beat 

spill laughter 

give in to looking a little loose 

blur 

the glass fractures, shatters—

Artist Statement:

My poem is inspired by a recent trip to Morocco, where my experiences left me feeling grounded in a new culture and landscape that reshaped my perspective. Especially in a time of division and constant pressure to stay productive, making new connections with people of various backgrounds and reconnecting with my spiritual self has proven invaluable.