A message from the chancellor: Artists are Athletes and Athletes are Artists
By working across disciplines and departments, combining knowledge and culture in creative ways, we see the world from different angles that open up new insights.
Dear Carolina Community,
When you watch a Carolina basketball game, you are not just witnessing world-class athletes in competition. You’re also seeing artists at work.
If you don’t believe me, watch this fantastic video featuring Tar Heels’ junior guard Caleb Love and the renowned dancer Michael Jackson, Jr. at the Dean Smith Center and Memorial Hall. It’s part of a new collaboration between Tar Heel basketball, Carolina Performing Arts, and the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.
I have watched many basketball games at Carolina. Yet as I watched this video, I saw our student athletes in a new way. It opened my eyes to the artistry and precision that they demonstrate each game, highlighting all the ways that a brilliant play is also a moment of creative genius. I have also seen many performances at Memorial Hall and of our PlayMakers Repertory Company over the years. This video demonstrated the athleticism, training, and physical exertion that goes into those performances in ways that I had never thought of before.
At Carolina, we celebrate these unlikely connections through our culture of collaboration. By working across disciplines and departments, combining knowledge and culture in creative ways, we see the world from different angles that open up new insights. Discovery and exploration happen at a deeper level because we are challenged with a new perspective. Diverse voices can be heard because collaboration breaks down our assumptions.
I am grateful to CPA Director Alison Friedman and her entire team for making Carolina a richer and more interesting place. Students, you are eligible for $10 tickets to world-class performances in Memorial Hall, and I hope you will continue to take advantage of that incredible opportunity. Last Saturday, I was at Carolina basketball; next weekend I’ll get to see the Hong Kong Ballet. This University does so much to bring people together and bring the world closer.
Sincerely,
Kevin M. GuskiewiczChancellor
