Stephanie Baer

New York City, New York, USA

Stephanie Baer is a creative soul, with academic vigor, and a hunger for exploring the possibilities of sharing the arts around the world. Stephanie recently graduated from the University of Iowa, with honors in her degrees of a BFA in Dance, a BA in English.  As a student of the Department of Dance Stephanie embraced the opportunity to perform and work with many guest artists in the University of Iowa’s annual Dance Gala’s, along with dedicating several years as a member of Dancers in Company, the touring repertory dance company of the University of Iowa. Driven by the need to create, share and expand Stephanie spent a large part of her student career feeding her passions through participating in programs such as the University of Iowa’s Honor’s program, the Undergraduate Writers Workshop and the Iowa Center for Undergraduate Research. Stephanie also actively embraced the opportunity to travel abroad in several prestigious programs to expand her abilities as a dancer, artist, and writer.  She spent time in Dublin, Ireland as a participant of the Irish writing program, and also spent time creating and producing work in Milisey, France through a program facilitated by Washington University in St. Louis. Stephanie has received Honors Commendations from the University of Iowa for her research, writing, and creative work she embraced abroad.

Stephanie was introduced to CARTHA and Usha Balakrishnan through CARTHA Ambassador Raj Rajagopal in January 2011. CARTHA helped to sponsor Stephanie, as she embarked on a trip to study Indian classical music and dance forms in the southeast city of Chennai, India, through the University of Iowa India Winterim program.  While in India, Stephanie studied the classical dance form of Kuchipudi, under the instructor Madhavapeddi Murthy and the SIVA Foundation. The creative collaborations amounted to a final performance for the US Ambassador.  Upon her return Stephanie was so electrified by the potential to transcend cultural boundaries through the performing arts that she worked with University of Iowa’s Dance professor Alan Sener, to facilitate a 2-week residency for Murthy in the Department of Dance. When Murthy arrived in Iowa, he taught Kuchipudi dance to the students of the University of Iowa’s Department of Dance, as well as offered lectures on Kuchipudi, and Carnatic music, to students in dance, music and theatre.  Murthy also conducted workshops for children in the Iowa City Community, and with Usha’s coordinating assistance, Murthy performed, for a variety of ages, in a series of public and private performances within the Iowa City area. Stephanie was electrified that the cross-cultural collaboration in Iowa City generated such an immense amount of excitement and passion in such a small amount of time. She is a firm believer that this is a testament to how powerful the arts can be through seamlessly transcending cultural lines and effectively connecting any community on a human level.

As a CARTHA Fellow, and arts advocate, Stephanie looks forward to the possibility of future partnerships that integrate the arts across cultures.  Stephanie believes the arts can serve as a light in the dark, and feels that utilizing the creative gifts of artists from all over the world is the key to connecting cross-culturally on a human level, hence facilitating positive trusting relationships to share and find imaginative solutions to advance global good.

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