Last year around this time, I complained that the Arsht Center programming was playing it too safe. Today, tickets go on sale for the performing arts center’s fifth season with a slate of shows at the Carnival Studio Theater that takes a few more chances. Most important, this season features more new work from Miami […]
Article · August 30, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
This Saturday at the American Airlines Arena, the Rhythm Foundation is promising to bring us “Brazil’s biggest star” : Ivete Sangalo. This is one of my favorite things about Miami. While the rest of the United States may not have heard of the biggest stars across Latin America and the Caribbean, here we can see […]
Article · August 27, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
The Conjunto Folklórico Nacional, Cuba’s national folkloric dance troupe, was founded in 1962. And for nearly that long, Miami has enjoyed performances by troupe members who have defected to our stages: most notably choreographer Elena Garcia, who for many years ran the Iroko Afro-Cuban Dance Theater Company and dancer Yofvani Gonzalez, who arrived in United […]
Article · August 23, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
MAM is out to dispel the myth that culture goes on hiatus during the summer in Miami. Tonight the museum will showcase experimental sound and movement with “Walking Spell” from Psychic Youth Inc. (a collaboration between dancer/choreographer Ana Mendez and sound sculptor Federico Nessi). Meanwhile dancer/choreographer Carlota Pradera will be weaving her way from a […]
Article · August 19, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
Last week I was lamenting that we need to do a better job of documenting and archiving the performing arts in South Florida. As though in answer to my prayers, I met with Dr. Lilian Manzor, associate professor of foreign languages and literature at the University of Miami and — more to my point — […]
Article · August 16, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
It took me a long time to get around to catching Ground Up and Rising‘s production of Martin McDonagh’s provocative play, The Pillowman. The raw, young company has already presented two versions of the play over the past year, one down in Homestead and the other during the Miami Beach Sleepless Night. While I can’t […]
Article · August 9, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
Ever since I saw a brief performance by the Peruvian dance troupe Afro conTempo the other week, I’ve been itching to know more about this group. I’d never heard of conTempo or Marcela Díaz before, yet here they were on stage, fully formed. I’d scoured the city for an Afro-Peruvian troupe last year — how […]
Article · August 5, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
Last week I sat for a spell with Mary Luft, founder and director of Miami’s indispensable presenting organization Tigertail. Luft founded Tigertail more than 30 years ago, so she seemed like a great person to talk to about the history of the performing arts in Miami. Sure enough, as we sat in the dining room […]
Article · August 2, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
In dance improvisation, a structure is often established to give a shape to spontaneous movement. Choreographer Heather Maloney has expanded that idea this week by establishing a structure for the continuous improvisation that is contemporary dance in Miami: the Inkub8 Summer Movement Lab. Maloney has recruited a dream team of many of the most provocative […]
Article · July 29, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
Each year the presenting organization Tigertail sends a group of local teenagers to Brave New Voices, billed as the world’s largest spoken word and poetry slam. This year team Miami made it all the way to the semi-finals powered by “Cello” a fierce team performance by Shamoyia Gardiner and Yarminiah Rosa (here’s the actual semifinal, […]
Article · July 26, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado
Teatro Buendía has been one of the most acclaimed theater groups in Cuba practically since it’s inception 25 years ago. Their vibrant explorations of the possibilities of the stage have earned accolades not only on the island, but across Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Finally, at a single performance on Saturday night, Miami audiences will […]
Article · July 22, 2010 by Celeste Fraser Delgado