Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble (IIE)

About Us

The CSU East Bay Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble (IIE) is directed by Professor Eric Kupers and is part of the CSU East Bay Theatre and Dance Department.

The CSUEB Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble (IIE) is the umbrella ensemble for a number of overlapping, creative laboratories. The ensemble is made up of CSUEB students, alumni, professional guest artists, and volunteer community members. Together we explore the possibilities that dance, music, theater, and other art forms offer for learning to thrive in a diverse community, embracing differences at every stage of the process. There are four primary groups within the ensemble.

UltraSonic Current is the "house band" of IIE. 

Founded in 2016 through the Creativity Lab, by Dance and Inclusive Performance professor Eric Kupers and student musician Jacob Goldstein.

Ultrasonic Current explores the intersections of music genres such as folk, blues, rock & roll, world, experimental rock, and spoken word poetry.

Our first studio album, Collabyrinth of Souls was released on Dec. 20th, 2020.

For info and to listen to the music: http://www.dandeliondancetheater.org/ultrasonic-current/

IIE Afternoon meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays afternoons in CSUEB's Dance Studio, PE 140, in conjunction with the Inclusive Ensemble class. It is steeped in various forms of dance, music and theatre training and exploration. We create original performance works collaboratively and perform them around campus and beyond.

The Creativity Lab meets on Thursdays. This is an environment designed to support students in their individual or collaborative explorations of visual art, music, storytelling, acting, movement, photography, writing, computer programming and more. Everyone is invited to participate in the Creativity Lab and at the same time, it is specifically geared to support students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other disabilities, and their allies. Creativity Lab is a collaboration with the College Link Program and is the creative home of the band Ultrasonic Current.

The DanceSing Drum Company (DSDC) is an ensemble of dance, music, theater, and visual artists who have made a significant commitment to their development as creators, performers, and/or designers. Sessions are focused on cross-disciplinary training and developing performance material, often moving at a faster pace than the IIE Afternoon. Participation in DSDC is by audition and/or invitation.

For 2020 & 2021 DSDC has joined forces with Dandelion Dancetheater to share resources, inspiration, and artistic power during the pandemic times. We're calling this collaborative force the Wandering Ensemble, and we meet Tuesday nights in person and Thursday nights on Zoom. If you are interested in being part of this ensemble, contact eric.kupers@csueastbay.edu 

In each of these groups, all members have needs for support and special skills that can support others. Part of the creative process is discovering together how we can all support each other to grow and do work that feels truthful, vital, and enlivening.

The CSU East Bay Inclusive Interdisciplinary Ensemble (IIE) is dedicated to the creation of radically inclusive performance. You can also follow along with IIE on Facebook.