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Bellydance Superstars Save the World
Bellydance Superstars Bellydance Superstars to the Rescue! Indeed, the Bellydance Superstars’ "Live in Paris" TV show will be aired on PBS stations all across the USA, while the Documentary Channel is airing "American Bellydancer" throughout the year and Direct TV is airing "Live in Paris" and the documentary "American Bellydancer" across Latin America. The popularity of bellydance has expanded dramatically over the past two years, exploding in China and Japan, among other places. Japan will be the 20th country the Bellydance Superstars will perform in (in May). Meantime, the London-based bellydance Festival Tribal London, which took place in late January, sold out all the workshops as well as the show. And Madison? Our lovely city will have the opportunity to watch this uplifting colorful show with its great music on Thursday, March 26, at 8 pm. Urges Miles Copeland (who previously managed The Police and recorded bands such as R.E.M and the Go-Go’s), “Invite anyone depressed with the economic climate to escape from their worries and celebrate the beauty of dance and the art of moving well to enchanting music with the Bellydance Superstars.” — Esty Dinur
Mariza Born in Mozambique to a Portuguese father and African mother, Mariza moved to Portugal at the age of three and was directly immersed in the country’s rich musical culture. Before settling on Fado, the singer experimented with a variety of styles including jazz, soul, and gospel. Comparable to musical genres such as Blues, Tango, or Flamenco, “Fado is Portugal’s passionate and bittersweet musical gift to the world.” “I am looking for Fado from a different perspective, because I now travel a lot,” she says. “One month I am at the Sidney Opera House, another month I am in China or Thailand. I am starting to find that this music that belongs to Lisbon, to Portuguese people, is starting to feel more and more universal. It speaks about universal feelings. Each country interprets it in its own way. We are crossing cultural lines now. And I feel so proud about it.” Madisonites, don’t miss the wonderful opportunity to immerse yourself in Mariza’s stunning and heart-rendering performance.
See Them When They’re Young! Wisconsin’s Best New Classical Musicians Perform in Free Concert
Travel Adventure Film Series Click here for tickets for Monday April 27 Click here for tickets for Tuesday April 28Vines Down Under: Wine Regions of Australia and New Zealand with Mary Lee and Sid Nolan Wine is closely related to Australian culture, and is enjoyed by those in the bustling urban settings as well as the more relaxed countryside. Local food and wine can be sampled at the many festivals throughout the country, an important part of Australian culture. The largest festival is “Tasting Australia” which occurs in South Australia. New Zealand produces a diverse range of wines as well. Grapes are grown in a variety of climates and soil types. The long and slow ripening period helps to retain the vibrant flavors that make New Zealand wine so unique. New Zealand is seen as a pure, green country. Winemakers are determined to uphold this reputation through their production of fine wines. A themed dinner (and wine, of course!) is available for purchase prior to the film. — Emily Semmelman
Like a Comet, the Star of Acoustic Africa Returns! I recently was catching up on PRI’s The World: Global Hit podcast (check it out at theworld.org), and ran across an episode from October 2007 featuring Dobet. In it, she explained that she grew up in an artist village in the Ivory Coast, a hub of African artistic life until the civil war. She remembers and misses the good things of Africa, such as the ability of African peoples to live a good life despite being poor, and the way children play outdoors. African artists like Dobet help to show the artistic and human resources in Africa that we don’t normally think of. We often hear about Africa in connection with poverty, famine, war, and genocide, and can lose sight of the good underneath the pile of negative media. Dobet and others highlight other facets of Africa which are worth digging deeper for; they also highlight the hope that persists despite the geopolitical and social issues. —Jenn Dunigan
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