INTRODUCTION
Since
the revolution and the proclamation of an Islamic republic, Iran's cultural development and expression has been deprived of
the freedom that characterized its
culture. Dance and normal performances with men and women have been prohibited. The institutions that fostered performing
arts have all been closed.
In many
cases the institutes themselves, their archives, sets and costumes were publicly burned.
The National Folklore Organization, repository of all the material gathered
during 11 years of research and clasification, was dismantled.
The Archives, housing all these ethnic treasures has been lost.
Robert
de Warren, as the founding artistic director and choreographer, travelled with his team, to most areas of the nation, recording,
and filming elements of ethnic and tribal culture.
Many
special ceremonies particular to specific regions, legends, and mystic rituals were all notated and used to create theatrical
events of great beauty and historic value.
Unfortunately
those original files are no longer available.
Iran-Das has accepted the challenge to reconstitute all those files, with the
help of Robert de Warren, and place them on the Internet to be accessible to scholars and artists worldwide.
Iran-Das
will also organize lectures, workshops and master-classes for the dissemination of this extraordinary culture.
Iran-Das
will sponsor performances of these dances and ceremonies by professional dancers, thus reviving the Repertoire of the Mahalli
Dancers of Iran for present and future generations and assuring a cultural bridge between the several million Iranian/Amercans
and the rest of the Nation.
