| Friday,
January 23, 2004
Chinese
New Year Celebration
Celebrate the Year
of the Monkey with crafts, music and dance and traditional foods
from local restaurants.
Followed by
Happy Times
dir.
Zhang Yimou, China, 2002, 35mm, 106 mins, color, Mandarin w/
English subtitles
 Master-director
Zhang Yimou presents a bittersweet comedy about contemporary
life in urban China. The protagonists of Happy Times are befuddled
would-be capitalists left behind by the tide of prosperity sweeping
the People's Republic. Eager to be married, Zhao wins the affections
of a divorcee by posing as a wealthy businessman. In order to
pay for the lavish wedding she requires, Zhao and his friends
hatch a plan to convert an abandoned bus into a "hotel" for
privacy-starved couples.
Thursday,
January 29 - Saturday, January 31, 2004
University of
Pennsylvania Law School Light Opera Company presents
Once
Upon A Mattress
 Think
you know the real story of the "Princess and the Pea"? We bet
you don't. Come see the Penn Law School Light Opera Company's
production of "Once Upon a Mattress" to hear the true tale of
unplanned pregnancy, forbidden love and deceptive royals. These
future lawyers, doctors and nurses sing, dance and pantomime
their way across the moat, behind castle doors, through the
test, and into your hearts. . . with a modern twist.
Wednesday,
February 11, 2004
World
Economic Lecture Series - Jim
Rogers: Adventure Capitalist
Sponsored by Wilmington
Trust 
Jim Rogers – the man
Time calls “The Indiana Jones of Finance,”
who co-founded the Quantum
Fund, a global investing partnership, “retired” at the age of
37 and wrote the 1994 run-away bestseller
Investment Biker
– will inaugurate International House’s World Economic Lecture
Series by discussing his latest book Adventure Capitalist:
The Ultimate Investor’s Road Trip. Rogers will recount
his 3 year Guinness world-record-setting
trip around the globe in
a sunburst-yellow, custom
built, 4x4 Mercedes convertible, during which he traveled 152,000
miles through 116 countries, including many where tourists rarely
visit like Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Congo and East Timor. Providing
an assessment of the financial, social and geo-political landscape
he encountered
first-hand, Rogers
will point out new opportunities to grab and outdated assumptions
to steer away from.
Question and answer
session will follow lecture. Audience will have the opportunity
to purchase books and have them signed by the author. Rogers
currently contributes to Fox News as he manages his own portfolio.
He previously served
as a professor of finance
at Columbia University ’s Graduate School of Business,
a moderator of The
Dreyfus Roundtable on WCBS-TV and The Profit Motive on FNN and
as a media commentator at Worth, CNBC.
Thursday,
February 12, 2004
Czech
Pianist Radoslav Kvapil
 Born
in Brno, Moravia, Radoslav Kvapil is considered by many international
critics to be the most important Czech pianist and the finest
exponent of Czech piano music. He has a distinguished lineage
having studied at the Janacek Academy with Dr. Ludvik Kundera,
Janacek's closest disciple. He achieved early recognition as
a pianist when he won the 1958 Leos Janacek competition in Czechoslovakia.
Throughout his distinguished career, Radoslav Kvapil has specialized
in the performance of Czech music world-wide. His knowledge
and understanding of this repertoire remains unrivalled. He
is included in The Groves Dictionary, International Who's Who
in Music and Musicians' Directory, the Annual Music Diary (England),
The American Biographical Institute
and The European Biographical
Directory (Belgium).
The program will include:
Antonín Dvorák: Variations
op.36
Antonín Dvorák: Poetic
Tone Pictures op.85
Viktor Ullmann: Piano
Sonata No.6
Leoš Janácek: In the
Mist
Bedrich Smetana: Czech
Dances
We are pleased to
present Mr. Kvapil in his only area appearance.
Mr. Kvapil's US tour
is organized with the cooperation of the Czech Center in NYC
and in cooperation with Consulate General of the Czech Republic
- Philadelphia.
Saturday,
March 6, 2004
Visiting
Authors Series with Critic and author J. Hoberman
 As
part of International House’s ongoing Visiting Authors Series,
J.Hoberman reads from and will sign copies of his new book The
Dream Life: Movies, Media and the Mythology of the Sixties.
Please click
here for The Dream Life: Movies, Media and the Mythology
of the Sixties film series.
J. Hoberman is senior
film critic at the Village Voice, and writes for the
New York Times, Artforum, and other publications.
His previous books include Red Atlantis, Bridge
of Light, and Vulgar Modernism, which was nominated
for the National Book Critics Circle Award. He is an adjunct
professor of cinema at the Cooper Union in New York City.
MOSAIC OF
THE COMMONWEALTH
Friday, March
19, 2004
Commonwealth
Cultural Celebration - Music, Dance & Cuisine
 First,
sample the flavors of India, Pakistan, Ghana and Trinidad with
food from local restaurants. The music and dance of India
will kick off our performances with NavRang, featuring two pieces
- one will demonstrate two classical dance styles of India:
Bharatnatyam (South Indian style) and Kathak (North Indian style).
The second will be Indian Ballet, blendng the essence of Indian
classical dances Bharatnatyam, Kathak, Kathakali with Indian
semi-classical movements and Western Ballet. Next, enjoy scenes
from The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival production of The
Taming of the Shrew, followed by African dance and drumming
performed by Moorish, a local troupe known for their talent
of combining traditional pieces with improvisational components.
Finally, we end the evening with the Bharatnatyam style of Indian
dance from Sruti.
Friday,
March 26, 2004
In the presence
of His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester
Architecture
and Community Reception at
The
Philadelphia Cathedral
The community is invited
to join HRH The Duke of Gloucester at a reception at the Philadelphia
Cathedral . The reception will give HRH, a licensed architect,
the opportunity to see one of University City District's most
important buildings. The Cathedral is located at 3723 Chestnut
Street, Philadelphia.
Saturday,
March 27, 2004
45th
Annual Global Gala
On Saturday, March
27 International House will welcome HRH
The Duke of Gloucester as the guest of honor at the 45th
Annual Global Gala - Mosaic of the Commonwealth . This black
tie evening of dinner, dancing and silent and live auctions
will celebrate the cultural contributions that all 53 nations
of the Commonwealth have made to world civilization. The event
is co-chaired by Lord and Lady Wedgwood, Anthony and Elizabeth
Vale and Rajiv and Kamla Gupta. A number of Ambassadors will
be in attendance. Following dinner, residents of International
House will join the gala guests for dancing and dessert.
This year, young professionals
and students ages 21-35 are invited to attend the Young Friends
Gala , which begins at 8:00 pm with a private cocktail party
featuring open bar, hors d'oeuvres and the opportunity to meet
HRH The Duke of Gloucester and other dignitaries. Then join
the main event for auctions, dessert and dancing.
Gordon Wong and Matt
Greenberger are co-chairing the Young Friends event.
Who
is HRH The Duke of Gloucester?
Thank
you to our generous sponsors!
Lead
Sponsor:
Commonwealth
Sponsor:
Dessert Reception Sponsor:
Official
Automotive Sponsor:
Tuesday,
April 6, 2004
Tamagawa
University Taiko Drummers & Dancers
 Presented
by International House and Japan America Society of Greater
Philadelphia
Experience the sights
and sounds of Japan with thundering taiko drumming and traditional
Japanese dance. This group of forty drummers and dancers from
Tamagawa University, one
of Japan’s top performing
arts universities, was recently ranked among the top 15 professional
taiko groups in Japan. The diverse pieces the group will perform
incorporate masks, costumes, elements of folk dance, and original
compositions by members of the group.
Wednesday, April 7
- Please click here for
information on the Japanese Film Showcase.
Please visit www.jasgp.org
for more information about the Cherry Blossom Festival
and the Japan America
Society of Greater Philadelphia.
Saturday,
April 24, 2004
Feria
de Sevilla en Philadelphia
Presented by International
House and Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas
 Feria
de Sevilla, or Seville Fair, is the seasonal event that takes
place during the days following Holy Week. Festivities include
public dancing of the popular flamenco social dance Sevillanas
, food and drink sold in casetas or tents, live music and professional
flamenco presentations. We will recreate the public square where
all are invited to join Philadelphia's flamenco dance students
and flamenco guitarists and singers in celebration of this cultural
tradition.
Families may come in
Spanish dancers' style costumes, combs and mantillas on their
heads, vests, Cordobés hats and high-heeled boots to participate
in Sevillanas workshops (costume is not mandatory). Afterwards
all may join in the dancing and playing of music. Participants
will enjoy watching informative videos, shopping for flamenco
paraphernalia, Spanish crafts and eating authentic Iberian Peninsula
food.
Professional flamenco
performances by Fiesta Flamenco Dancers, Pasión y Arte, Flamenco
del Encuentro and Flamenco Olé. Simultaneous events will entertain
all ages for the entire evening!
| Performance by Fiesta Flamenco |
6:30 Auditorium |
| Flamenco Fashion Show |
7:00 Gallery Stage |
| Workshop Ruma Flamenca by Julia Lopez |
7:10 Caseta El Rocio |
| Performance by Flamenco del Encuentro |
7:30 Auditorium |
| Juerga Flamenca by Fiesta Flamenco Flamenco Dancers |
8:10 Caseta El Rocio |
| Performance by Flamenco Ol e |
8:30 Auditorium |
| Salve son performance |
9:10 Caseta El Rocio |
| Performance by Pasion y Arte |
9:30 Auditorium |
| Villa Drawing |
10:30 Gallery Stage |
Please also visit
www.raicesculturales.org
for more information about Raíces Culturales Latinoamericanas.
Thursday,
April 29 and Friday, April 30, 2004
Over
the Rainbow... Seeking Queer Asylum in America
A stage
reading of a new play by Jeffrey Solomon
 Presented
by International House and Equality Forum
Since 1994, refugees
persecuted because of sexual orientation have been designated
as a group of persons eligible for asylum in the US. Over
the Rainbow... Seeking Queer Asylum in America puts a human
face on the many hundreds of sexual minority refugees who apply
for asylum in the U.S. each year. Award-winning Playwright Jeffrey
Solomon’s play is inspired by the real stories of people from
around the globe who, despite poverty, the risk of torture,
imprisonment and death, detainment, deportation, and permanent
exile ask the government of the United States for the freedom
to love freely. In this time of heightened fear of the outside
world and increased immigration restrictions, the stories of
LGBT refugees in search of life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness have something to teach about what it means to be
American.
Sunday,
May 9, 2004
Workshop
& Mini-Concert on Carnatic Flute with Dr. N. Ramani
Presented
by SRUTI, The India Music and Dance Society & International
House
 Dr.
N. Ramani is undoubtedly the topmost Flute maestro in Carnatic
music today. He is a fitting heir to the legendary Mali, Sri
T.R. Mahalingam, who was his prime guru. Ramani gave his first
public concert at the age of seven and has since performed in
almost every corner of the world for over 50 years. Dr. Ramani’s
numerous titles and honors include the prestigious Sangeetha
Kalanidhi by the Music Academy and Padmasri by the President
of India. He has been appointed as Asthana Vidwan of Kanchi
and Sringeri Peethams and Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam.
SRUTI is the only
organization in the five county area dedicated to consistently
presenting Indian classical music and dance programs. Please
visit their website at www.sruti.org.
Monday,
June 28, 2004
Salsa
Workshop
Put on
your dancing shoes and join the Philadelphia Salsa Congress
for a free demonstration and workshop. As part of Sunoco
Welcome America.
Sunday,
July 11, 2004
Concert
by Shafaatullah Khan
Presented
by SRUTI, The India Music and Dance Society & International
House
 Join
us for a classical sitar and table concert, with accompanying
vocals and sarangi by Pandit Ramesh Mishra and Amit Das.
In the rich
history of Indian classical music, Shafaatullah Khan is a shining
star. Debuting at the Kings Lynn festival in England at the
age of 11 before the Queen Mother, he is the first known artist
of India to have performed in a single recital on the Sitar,
Surbahar, as well as the Tabla, at the most prestigious concert
halls, music festivals, and universities all around the world.
His creativity has challenged the paradigm in this field where
an artist excels in either strings or percussion. This perspective
enables him to approach music rhythmically and rhythm musically.
This multidimensional musical repertoire, therefore, distinguishes
him in his illustrious ancestry. As a descendent of one of the
greatly respected and renowned families
of musicians
of India , Shafaatullah Khan represents the eighth generation
in a lineage that can be traced back to the golden age of the
arts under the reign of
the great
Mughal Emperor Akbar of 16th century India.
“Virtuoso…Classical
Purity…Astonishing individuality…Shafaatullah Khan explored
the rhythmic intricacies of percussive sound in a way that was
both intellectual and poetic…Creator as well as performer…”
-- Washington Post
This concert is presented
with Cinema India! Showcase 2004
Wednesday,
July 28 + Thursday, July 29, 2004
The
Bike in Film
'The Bike in Film' presents a mini film festival to celebrate
the cycle in the cinema. Spanning two days, it’s an attempt
to showcase an incredible repertoire of thematic film within
a short time. And the roster is impressive, in content and genre.
It includes short films, animation and documentaries. There
will also be two classic full-length features: RAD
and The Bicycle Thief. While there are a few old time
favorites, 'The Bike in Film' is about previewing independent
work as an imperative. It’s about embracing and supporting artists
who’ve put so much work into a widely commercialized yet under
appreciated art. It’s about opting for alternatives, in transportation
and entertainment. It’s about reclaiming a city that renders
us invisible on the streets by offering a forum on the screen.
Please click here
for more information about The Bike in Film.
Monday, August
16, 2004
Lib’S
LadyS in Concert
Lib Briscoe returns
to Philadelphia from Germany as director Lib’S LadyS Women’s
Choir.
 The
Lib’S LadyS repertoire is eclectic in nature, drawing on the
different western music directions at will. Spirituals and gospels
are a mainstay and central jumping off point of their music,
but the popular songs that “groove”, musical pieces that tell
their story and folk songs that give us history broaden the
artistic perspective of the group. When one listens closely,
one might also here a classical harmony or two sprinkled in.
Most of the literature is arranged by Lib and the accompaniment
is built freely around those arrangements by the musicians themselves.
Lib’S LadyS has over the years focused on public service performances
for groups and institutions in their area. They have performed
in the prison system (for men and women), in nursing homes,
and institutions for the physically challenged, as well as for
environmental awareness events, ecumenical events and cultural
and religious exchange programs.
Tuesday, September
21, 2004
Career
Philly International Internship Fair
Career Philly, created
by Innovation Philadelphia in conjunction with the Knowledge
Industry Partnership, is the Greater Philadelphia Region's student
retention initiative. In addition to a full service website
linking employers to students, Career Philly offers free internship
fairs with the hope of retaining area college students after
graduation through promoting undergraduate summer internships
in the region. This fair is unique from others as it aims to
make the connection between international students and area
employers while also giving domestic students the exposure to
international companies that have branches in the Philadelphia
area or have an international focus. In addition to simply having
a space for students and employers to interact, Career Philly
will present an instructional seminar for employers providing
guidance on visa and work permit issues that face international
students seeking summer employment and internships.
Free admission. Please
click here for more
information about Career Philly.
Tuesday, September
21, 2004
Young
Friends and Young Alumni of International House present
Fall
Fest 2004: A Mexican Fiesta
The Young Friends
of International House have partnered with Young Alumni to kick
off the fall season with this first annual event, this year
celebrating the culture of Mexico. Join young professionals,
students and International House residents for an evening of
mingling and networking over Mexican food and a live Mexican
music.
Friday,
October 8 and Saturday, October 9, 2004
8th
Annual Greater Philadelphia Blues Fest
Presented by the Partnership
CDC, Commerce Bank and International House
 
This year’s
Blues Fest will feature Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee
and Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Bobby “Blue”
Bland and internationally acclaimed Blues artist Mighty Sam
McClain in concert.
Friday, October 8
at 8:00 PM ~ Bobby “Blue” Bland
Saturday, October 9
at 9:00 PM ~ Mighty Sam McClain
The Greater Philadelphia
Blues Fest is the annual fundraiser for The Partnership CDC
(community development corporation). Drawing more than 1,000
attendees each year, the Blues Fest is the largest blues festival
in the City of Philadelphia and continues to be a major event
on the region’s social calendar. For more information about
The Partnership CDC, please visit their website at www.thepartnershipcdc.org
or call 215-662-1612.
Tuesday,
October 12, 2004
World Economic
Lecture Series presents
Stephanie
Odegard: Weaving Together Art, Business and Social
Activism
 Recognized
by The New York Times and magazines like House & Garden
, House Beautiful and Food & Wine for her artistic and humanitarian
work, Stephanie Odegard, founder of Odegard, Inc.®
will be
the second presenter in International House’s World Economic
Lecture Series. The presentation will demonstrate the economic
power of connecting indigenous artisans to the world market
in the effort to raise and sustain the standard of living in
developing countries. Drawing
on her 25 years of experience working for the United Nations,
World Bank and Peace Corps, Ms. Odegard is renowned for creating
an economic development model based on high production standards,
a sustainable, child-free workplace, and respect for cultural
diversity. Her company, Odegard,
Inc., works to transform traditional artisan crafts of developing
nations into commercially viable industries and, today, her
carpets grace the floors of the J. Paul Getty Museum and The
Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Showcasing the transformation
of traditional Tibetan designs and techniques into contemporary
textile art forms, Ms. Odegard will examine how the twin foundations
of her company, good deeds and good business, prove that socially
responsible business is commercially profitable and economically
significant on a global scale. By providing a dignified and
sustainable way of life for indigenous people, her model is
capable of strengthening the economies of entire nations which,
ultimately, will impact an ever-growing global economy. Through
her visual presentation, Ms. Odegard will also illustrate the
importance of Rugmark®,
a foundation that maintains the only recognized certificate
program to insure that carpets are made free of child labor.
VIEW FULL PRESS
RELEASE in PDF format.
Thank you to the White
Dog Cafe and the Philadelphia
Oriental Rug Society, our partners in this program.
The World Economic
Lecture Series brings experts from around the globe to Philadelphia
to discuss topics of worldwide economic importance.
Friday,
October 15, 2004
Latif
Bolat Ensemble: Healing Sounds Of Ancient Turkey: A
Night Of Turkish Sufi Mystic Music, Poetry And Images
 Turkish
Mystic Sufi musician and scholar Latif Bolat presents music,
poetry, Sufi mystic stories and images from the ancient land
of Turkey. Latif Bolat plays Turkish Folk Music and devotional
Sufi lahi and Nefes songs from the Anatolian peninsula. The
lyrics are taken largely from the great 13th century mystical
poets Rumi and Yunus Emre. The program will include traditional
Turkish folk songs as well as ballads composed by Latif Bolat
as well as devotional poetry by 13th Century Sufi poets Yunus
Emre and Rumi.
One of the most well-known
Turkish musicians in the U.S., Bolat possesses a vast repertoire,
ranging from Sufi devotional songs and Turkish Folk music to
classical pieces. His mesmerizing performances draw on ancient
texts and employ traditional instruments such as the baglama
(long necked lute), oud and ney flute.
Co-sponsored by the
Middle East Center at
the University of Pennsylvania.
Thursday,
November 4, 2004
Poetry
for Peace
Join
us for a highly entertaining, lively evening with 30 poets who
will utilize their gift of the spoken word to raise and sustain
awareness of issues that prevent peace in our homes, our communities,
and our world. At Poetry for Peace you may laugh, you may even
cry, but you will leave feeling empowered and energized to seek
peace and make a difference.
Monday,
October 11 ~ Friday, November 12
Shaman
and Fox – Japanese Art Exhibit
 Women's
Development Institute International is proud to present Japanese
artist, Tomiyama Taeko's startling artwork collection to the
Philadelphia community for the first time on U.S. soil. Her
works in oil paintings and lithographs hit at the core of the
issue of Japan's war crimes. This exhibition, "Remembrance and
Reconciliation: Tomiyama Taeko's Art", was created specific
to the current tragic issues facing the world. The viewer will
explore the issues of war, violence against women, and historical
retribution through the eyes of the artist.
From Rebecca Jennison,
Professor of Humanities at Kyoto Seika University -
"For more than four
decades, Tomiyama Taeko has devoted herself to creating powerful
works of art that ask us to remember the harsh realities of
imperial expansion and war, so that we might learn never to
repeat those histories and begin to seek reconciliation. Through
her art, she has created spaces for public memory and mourning;
through these imaginative works, Tomiyama calls on the viewer
to "re-imagine the other," and to reflect on our own "war responsibility."
Thursday,
November 11, 2004
Return
to the Source: An Afternoon Talk with Award-Winning Photographer
Kerry Coppin
Presented by International
House and the Kelly Writer's House at the University of Pennsylvania
 Currently
an assistant professor of photography and digital imaging at
the University of Miami, Kerry Coppin has traveled extensively
through Senegal, Cuba, Barbados, and Brazil. A documentary-style
photographer, Coppin's work explores African, Afro-Caribbean,
and Afro-Latin American life and experience. In his words, Coppin
documents "Black community experience, cultural life and customs.
Through photography, I attempt to not only interpret and record
my experience, but also to participate in an ongoing debate
about the fate and shape of the Black cultural experience."
Coppin's photography is in permanent collections around the
world, including the African-American Museum (Philadelphia),
Art Institute of Chicago (Chicago), Asociation Cultural Yoruba
de Cuba (Havana), Bibliotheque Nationale de France (Paris),
Brooklyn Museum of Art (New York), National Museum of American
Art, Smithsonian Institution (Washington, DC), and the West
African Research Center (Dakar, Senegal). Later in the fall,
Coppin will travel to Egypt to photograph urban Cairo while
his 2005 exhibition schedule includes a one-person exhibition
at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and two exhibitions
in Cuba. In spring of 2005, MIT Press will reproduce two of
Coppin's photographs in Writing the World: On Globalization,
edited by David Rothenberg.
Please click
here for more information about Kelly Writer's House.
Monday,
November 15 at 7:00pm
The Ambassador
Program presents
The
Current Healthcare Situation in Afghanistan
with
Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawad and Mrs. Shamim Jawad
 As
part of International House's Ambassador Program and Afghanistan's
efforts to rebuild and reintegrate, International House of Philadelphia
and the Embassy of Afghanistan, in partnership with Carelift
International, with additional support from Womens Way, invite
healthcare industry insiders and the public to learn about the
issues still affecting healthcare in Afghanistan and how individuals
and organizations in the Philadelphia region can help.
H.E. Said
Tayeb Jawad, Ambassador of Afghanistan to the United States
will begin by giving a brief overview of the history, culture
and current political climate of his country and then introduce
his wife, Mrs. Shamim
Jawad, who will speak about her first hand experiences relevant
to the dire need that still exists for adequate healthcare in
Afghanistan, particularly for women and children. The symposium
will make an extraordinary contribution to our community's understanding
and appreciation of the current situation in Afghanistan, and
Mrs. Jawad's personal experiences from her work with various
organizations and issues will be especially enlightening.
After Mrs. Jawad's
presentation, Carelift International CEO Jeff Gloss will speak
on his organization's capabilities and its proposed humanitarian
aid plans for Afghanistan, followed by an audience Q&A.
Attendance was FREE.
In place of admission fee, attendees were encouraged to make
donations to Carelift International,
which goes directly to their newly forming aid program in Afghanistan.
Read
more detailed information about the healthcare situation
in Afghanistan and this special event.
This
program was made possible by the generous support of
  
Special
thanks to Womens Way and WHYY for their additional support of
this program.
 
December
4, 2004 to January 7, 2005
Václav
Havel – Dissident, President, Citizen - A photographic
journey by Oldrich Škácha
Opened
by H.E. Dr. Martin Palouš, Czech Ambassador to U.S. and Peter
A. Rafaeli, Honorary Consul General of the Czech Republic in
Philadelphia.
 Václav
Havel, the prominent Czech playwright, dissident, and human
rights advocate who became the first post-Communist president
of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic. The Soviet invasion
of Czechoslovakia in 1968 suppressed the reform movement and
sparked the beginning of Havel's lifelong career in human rights.
Photographer Oldrich
Škácha was born in 1941 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. During the
1960s, he studied photography at the State Graphic Institute
in Prague and worked as a photojournalist for a number of Czechoslovak
and foreign publications. After the Prague Spring of 1968, his
journalistic activities were banned by the government. He joined
a group of dissidents led by Havel and other prominent Czech
intellectuals. Following the Velvet Revolution of 1989, he worked
for the Office of the President. Since 1996, he has worked for
a number of Czech publications and is engaged in photographing
Czech political and cultural personalities.
Saturday,
December 11 at 12:00pm - 4:00pm
African
Family Festival
Workshops,
drumming and storytelling created a day of African culture for
children and adults alike.
 Our
community-based Festivals bring together families and other
cultural organizations to University City. Join
us
as we celebrate the people and traditions of the world through
film, song, dance, food and artistry. Come in and dance, try
new cuisine, buy some gifts and create a craft of your own!
 Sistah
Mafalda and the Kuumba Performers range in age from 5 to 18
years. This drum and dance ensemble welcomes youth and adults
to join them as they celebrate Kuumba (creativity). Youth are
encouraged to discover and express their individual gifts, talents
and abilities as they preserve the heritage of African Americans
within our multi-ethnic society. Since 1994, Mafalda Thomas-Bouzy
has studied Ethnic and Traditional dance in New York and Pennsylvania.
She has been performing and facilitating workshops in music
and dance both nationally and internationally since 1994 and
is the director, lead dancer, and choreographer of the youth
drum and dance ensemble Kuumba Performers.
 Storyteller
Joann Frasier Dasent, aka Auntie Jo Jo, learned the art
of
Storytelling while being graced with the presence of her great
uncle Tom. Auntie Jo Jo believes telling stories comfort and
unite people of all ages and helps to break the bonds of hatred,
bitterness and bias. She was awarded the Martin Luther King
award for untiring services and received recognition from Francis
D. Pastorius School in 2001 for hours of service and dedication
in an early morning reading program and is an advocate for children
literacy and dreams of starting an after school and summer reading
program so students will be inspired to “Jump up and Read.”
African
Rhythms is a student-run African Dance and Drum troupe at the
University of Pennsylvania representing the strength and beauty
of African culture. Established in 1993 by Raquiba Sealy, the
company serves to educate and entertain the University campus
and surrounding community through the richness and diversity
of
the African cultural experience. Ultimately the group aims to
perform dances from the African Diaspora, specifically West
Africa, the Caribbean and South America.
 Storyteller
Denise Valentine made her debut as a storyteller with Keepers
of the Culture, Inc. (Philadelphia’s Afrocentric Storytelling
Group) in 1997. Since then she has shared stories at schools,
libraries, museums, community events and conferences. Her programs
are designed to entertain and inspire audiences of all ages.
Her stories encourage exchange between generations and promote
a spirit of connectedness and community.
Quilter
Carla Wiley also known in the storytelling world as “Mom Read”,
is a quilter, quilt instructor, writer and oral historian. Working
with ages 4 to 100, Ms. Wiley has facilitated hundreds of community
quilt workshops over her 15-year career. Her quilt projects
can be seen in the Temple University PASCEP offices, schools
from Philadelphia to Harrisburg and the Pennsylvania Department
of Education Family Literacy office. She currently teaches a
multigenerational story quilting class at Temple University’s
PASCEP program, is an artist in residence at the Penn Sadie
Alexander School and a preschool specialist in the Free Library
of Philadelphia’s Books Aloud Program.
 Painter
Kayode Malomo, whose name simply means “Our God has brought
joy”, weaves themes that oscillate around a game play of light
and shadow, expressing strong versatility in airbrushing, collage
and other media. A Political Science graduate from the University
of Ibadan in Nigeria, Malomo has exhibited in more than 10 countries
and 3 continents. Malomo’s artistic achievements earned him
features
in
National and International dailies. He serves as an advisor
and facilitator to Educare Trust and Youth and Enterprise, which
are both community based youth service organizations that provide
after-school academic programs promoting entrepreneurship.
Drummer
and Drummaker Blamoh Doe was trained at Keneja,
the Liberian National Cultural Center, where he studied with
master drummer Dorma Nyeda, learning music and dances of Liberia’s
sixteen ethnic groups. Mr. Doe came to America as part of a
post-war reconciliation tour with a group called Liberia Cry
for Peace. He joins many former Liberian dancers who have settled
in various cities in America and is frequently called upon to
perform across the nation. He is now training a battery
of
local drummers in Liberian styles and rhythms.
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