To update information or submit an event, email ACTA.
Taking Root: A Century of Migrant Workers in California
Through August 6, 2006
Santa Barbara Museum of Art
1130 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA
Taking Root: A Century of Migrant Workers in
California traces the history
of one of California’a most valuable resources – the laborer. On
view are approximately 25 vintage prints by photographers from the 1930s to 1970s,
spanning the time of the Works Progress and Farm Securities Administrations,
Life and Look magazines, and images of Cesar Chavez’s legendary
march to Sacramento. Serving as counterpoint at Channing Peake Gallery
is the exhibition The New Okies, a photographic essay that pays tribute to the
immigrant strawberry pickers of Santa Maria utilizing a comparative mix of historical
images on loan from the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission, and contemporary
photographs by Santa Barbara News-Press photographers made possible
by a grant from the California Council for the Humanities. Both exhibitions
are on view simultaneously in order to encourage visitors to make contrasts and
comparisons between the historical and present-day California
laborer.
Admission: $9
Museum Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information visit
the Santa Barbara Museum of Art’s website.
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Totems to Turquoise: Native North American Jewelry Arts of the Northwest
and Southwest
Through August 20, 2006
Southwest Museum of the
American Indian
Mt. Washington Campus
234 Museum Drive
Los Angeles, CA
This exhibition comes to the Autry National Center from the American
Museum of Natural History, New York. Totems to Turquoise celebrates
the beauty, power, and symbolism of modern Native American jewelry
arts, focusing on the cultural similarities and differences of the
Northwest and Southwest, the role of tribal and individual identity
in design, and how artists incorporate images from their physical
landscape into their work. More than 500 objects, including contemporary
and historic Native American jewelry and artifacts, illustrate how
techniques, materials, and styles have evolved as Native American
jewelers have adapted to technical, societal, and commercial changes.
Admission: $7.50
Museum Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
For more information visit
the Southwest Museum’s website.
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¡Carnaval!
Through September 3, 2006
Mingei International Museum
Balboa Park
El Prado and the Plaza de Panama
San Diego, CA
Organized by the Museum of International Folk Art, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, and UCLA's Fowler Museum, the exhibition includes colorful,
exuberant celebrations from Laza, Spain; Venice, Italy; Basel, Switzerland;
Tlaxcala, Mexico; Oruro, Bolivia; Recife and Olinda, Brazil; Port of
Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; and New Orleans, Louisiana. Each location
is represented by mannequins dressed in its carnival costumes presented
against a photographic backdrop showing its celebration.
Admission: $6
Museum Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information visit
the Mingei museum’s website.
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Photo: San Diego Museum of Man
The Art of Being Kuna: Layers of Meaning Among the Kuna of Panama
Through September 5, 2006
San Diego Museum of Man
Balboa Park
1350 El Prado
San Diego, CA
The Art of Being Kuna: Layers of Meaning Among the Kuna of Panama is a major traveling exhibition that presents a view of the Kuna culture as seen through its expressive arts: the Kuna's central concern for form and beauty in everyday life, narratives, rituals, healing, and visual arts such as Kuna women's molas (textiles). The Kuna people live on the San Blas islands and Atlantic coastline of Panama. The exhibit showcases Kuna culture through a wide range of objects including baskets, wooden objects, molas, and gold jewelry. Large-scale photo panels with supportive descriptive panels and visual documentation, depicted in an environment suggestive of a Kuna village and video stations add depth to the presentation.
Admission: $6
Museum Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily
For more information visit the museum’s website.
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Duk Duk Chaang: The Clamor and Glamour of Chinese Opera
Through
September 9, 2006
Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco Gallery
750 Kearny Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA
Photo
This
exhibit offers a comprehensive overview of the history of Chinese Opera
from ritualistic shamanism to developed theater. From
May 18-20, 2006, at the Chinese Culture Center, composer Gang Situ
and the Chinese Culture Foundation will premiere a new Cantonese Opera
entitled, The Grand Seducers: Giovanni
Meets Xi-men Qing.
Museum Hours: Tuesdays through Saturdays 10:00
a.m. – 4:00
p.m.
Admission to the Opera: $25 - 50
For more information visit
the museum’s website.
Photo: Chinese Culture Center
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Sovereign Threads: A History of Palestinian Embroidery
Through October 8, 2006
Craft and Folk Art Museum
5814 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
This exhibition traces the history and development of traditional Palestinian
embroidery. Artworks include late 19th century textile crafts as well
as contemporary motifs developed by women in refugee camps. All the
works reflect an enduring Palestinian heritage, art, and identity despite
a displaced population.
Admission: $5
Museum Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.;
Thursday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday 12:00 p.m. – 6:00
p.m.
For more information visit
the Craft and Folk Art Museum’s website.
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Contemporary and Historic Expressions of Native Peoples Exhibit
Through October 27, 2006
Marin Community Foundation
5 Hamilton Landing
Novato, CA
Meaning, beauty, feeling, and spirit can be expressed
with a look, a dance, a painting, or an artifact. Defined as anything made
by human skill or work, new artifacts can honor old ones and keep a
culture alive. Both are expressions of that culture. Selected
artifacts by artists from the past, Scott Ridgway’s photographic
images of American Indians within the context of their culture today,
and works by contemporary California Indian artists reflect a living
culture, provide insight into the past, and give inspiration for the
future.
For more information visit
the Marin Indian Museum’s website.
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Symbols of Identity
Through October 29, 2006
Mingei International Museum
Balboa Park
El Prado and the Plaza de Panama
San Diego, CA
The exhibition is composed of
examples of adornment from cultures in North and South America, Africa,
Asia, and Europe fashioned from silver, gold, enamel, gems, beads, wood,
shells, ivory, and bone. Always
intended to be beautiful and valuable, jewelry can have other meanings
as well. It often identifies its wearer's culture, beliefs, religion
or station in life. Magnificent silver crowns and torques from
Guizhou, China, Yemeni necklaces, bracelets and earrings, Norwegian agnus
dei pendants, and a multi-strand necklace from the Samburu culture
of Kenya all indicate a woman's marital status. Yemeni amulet
cases and a Mexican milagro necklace are protective charms. An
Omani pendant with a verse from the Koran and Fatima's hands and a
necklace with three crosses from Brazil reflect the wearer's religion,
while also providing protection. A Yemeni landlord's necklace
contains an abacus, and another necklace has grooming utensils suspended
on it, attesting to their owner's station and profession.
Traditional work and contemporary design are both on view. Examples
of turquoise from the American Southwest, Ladakh and Tibet – belts,
necklaces, rings, bracelets, hats and breastplates; an Ainu necklace
from Japan and a group of Inuit objects, including a delicate bracelet
portraying indigenous creatures, are in the exhibition. A William
Spratling-designed necklace fashioned from pre-Columbian beads, looking
as if it could have been made yesterday, is displayed next to contemporary
jewelry designed by San Diego designer craftsmen Arline Fisch and Helen
Shirk. Shell jewelry from Oceania and intricately worked silver
jewelry from Ethiopia are also on display.
Admission: $6
Museum Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
For more information visit
the Mingei Museum’s website.
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Passage to Panama: Past to Present
A Chocó house, Darién, Panama,
in the 1950s.
Photograph from the William and Evelyn Phillips Collection.
Through January 2007
San Diego Museum of Man
Balboa Park
1350 El Prado
San Diego, CA
Curated by Grace Johnson, Passage to Panama: Past to Present is
based on the research, collections, and photographs of William and
Evelyn Phillips taken in the 1950s. This exhibit describes the lives
and culture of the Guaymí peoples of the mountains of Chiriquí and
Veraguas and the Chocó peoples of the Darién in the 1950s.
The
Chocó, currently known as the Wounaan/Embera people, live
along the rivers in the Darién region of Panama. This exhibit
centers on their environment and their daily life, including rituals
and healing. The Museum's collection of baskets highlights Chocó culture,
which is further detailed through displays of wooden bowls, hunting
and fishing implements, traditional dress and jewelry, and carved wooden
staffs.
The lives of the Guaymí, presently known as the Ngöbe,
are recounted through their daily lives by looking closely at objects
they use in their households, such as gourds and woven hats, as well
as musical instruments associated with the balsaría ceremony.
The exhibit also looks at how these indigenous groups are affected
by other cultures by considering their art and economy, and examining
the wide range of contemporary baskets, jewelry, and woodcarvings made
for sale.
Photographs taken by Dr. Julie Velasquez-Runk and Dr. Philip Young
between 1997 and 2004 give a sense of the current life of indigenous
peoples of the Darién. Contemporary photographs of Panama and
historic and contemporary images of the Panama Canal illustrate life
in Panama as it is today.
Admission: $6
Museum Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily
For more information visit
the museum’s website.
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Apache Life, Spirit, and Art
Through February 11, 2007
Riverside Metropolitan Museum
3580 Mission Inn Avenue
Riverside, CA
Apache people from the Riverside area share their culture
in this exhibit. Beautiful clothing, basketry, paintings, and other
items made by Apache people today are presented alongside hundred-year-old
items from the Museum's collection. Artworks by Earl Dean Sisto
and Billy Soza Warsoldier are featured, and the history of Apache life
at Sherman Indian High School is explored.
Museum Hours: Tuesday through
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.;
Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 5:00
p.m.
For more information visit
the Riverside Metropolitan Museum’s
website.
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Body Ornamentation: Artistic Representations of Self
Photo: San Diego Museum of Man
Through March 27, 2007
San Diego Museum of Man
Balboa Park
1350 El Prado
San Diego, CA
There is no known culture in which people do not paint, pierce, tattoo,
reshape, or simply adorn the unique canvas which is the human body. Diverse
cultures throughout the world decorate their bodies in countless ways
and for various reasons. This exhibit presents the beautiful
designs and artwork depicted in body painting, tattooing, scarification,
and piercing. While seemingly a modern phenomenon, the practice
of permanently adorning the body has been prevalent in societies around
the globe for thousands of years, and has been traced back to ancient
nomadic gypsies in India and the Middle East. While tribal customs
of permanent body decoration have almost disappeared, there are some
regions on earth (northeastern India, the Amazon, and southern China,
for example) where body ornamentation is still practiced in the same
way it has been for generations.
In other areas there has been a resurgence of interest in the old
ways: throughout the American west, women wore chin tattoos celebrating
rebirth and maturity and marking them, in the words of Julian Lang
in News from Native California, as "people who had a
deep connection to and understanding of our most important cultural
knowledge." Today, Indian women in northern California are
again bearing tattoos as expressions of cultural pride. Elsewhere,
new customs and practices have enabled people to continue the tradition
of decorating their bodies using different types of implements and
different stylistic devices. (Excerpted from an article
by Tori Heflin, Curator of Physical Anthropology)
Admission: $6
Museum Hours: 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. daily
For more information visit
the Museum of Man’s website.
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July
Tower After Hours – Celebrate Lebanon!
July 27, 2006, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.
San Diego Museum of Man
Balboa Park
1350 El Prado
San Diego, CA
Over three million Lebanese-Americans call the United States home. Climate
similar to that of Lebanon attracted many to San Diego. With
an estimated 5,000 Lebanese families in the San Diego area, Lebanese-Americans
can be found as lawyers, doctors, government officials, educators,
and business owners. Celebrate Lebanon! presents a unique
opportunity to make new friends and catch up with old ones. Guests
can taste traditional food and drink, enjoy music and dance, and meet
members of the Lebanese-American community.
Admission: $20
For more information visit
the San Diego Museum of Man’s website.
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38th Annual Pow Wow
July 28 – 30, 2006
Museum of the American West
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles, CA
The Southern California Indian Center presents a large Pow Wow and
arts and crafts show. The event features drumming and dance contests,
colorful regalia, crafts displays, and traditional foods.
Admission: $5
For more information visit
the Southern California Indian Center website.
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Naser Musa Ensemble & MC Rai
July 28, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
Café-Club Fais Do-Do
5257 West Adams Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
The Levantine Cultural Center presents Naser Musa an oud (Arabic
lute) player and Arab vocalist who performs Palestinian-Jordanian songs. Tunisian-born
MC Rai and his band perform contemporary Arab groove and electronica.
Admission: $18
For more information visit
the Levantine Cultural Center’s website.
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Film Premier of “Fandango, Searching for the White Monkey”
July 28, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
Arte Americas
1630 Van Ness Avenue
Fresno, CA
The screening includes a concert featuring Mono Blanco and Los Cenzontles.
July 29, 2006 – 11:30 a.m.
Oakland Museum
1000 Oak Street
Oakland, CA
The screening includes live music by Los Cenzonltes and Mono Blanco
and a jam session.
Fandango, Searching for the White Monkey, a 65-minute documentary,
chronicles one of the most fascinating cultural movements of the past
two decades. Fandango weaves together the stories of
musicians as they struggle to revive a dying tradition of Southern
Veracruz, Mexico – the son Jarocho, a dynamic music
and dance forged by African, European and Indigenous influences. This
musical documentary takes the audience from California’s inner
city to the heart of the Veracruz savannah, the cradle of the son
Jarocho. Fandango, featuring rare footage spanning
25 years, is the story of transformation and the power of culture.
Fandango, Searching for the White Monkey is directed by Ricardo
Braojos and produced by Eugene Rodriguez, with funding from the James
Irvine Foundation, FONCA and the Veracruz Institute of Culture.
For more information visit
Los Cenzontles Mexican Arts Center’s
website.
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Corazón de Mexico
July 29, 2006 – 7:30 p.m.
Community Center Theater
1301 L Street
Sacramento CA 95814
Instituto Mazatlán Bellas Artes de Sacramento (IMBA) and Grandeza
Mexicana Folklorico Ballet Company (GMFBC) will illustrate the rich
cultural heritage of their native Mexico in a performance "Corazon
de Mexico" at the Sacramento Community Center Theater. The
companies hail from Sacramento and Los Angeles. IMBA's host musicians
(Vinic Kay) utilize folk instruments to interweave regional music within
the dance pieces.
Admission: $10 – 20
For more information or to purchase tickets call (916) 264-5181.
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Katia Moraes & Pure Samba
July 29, 2006 – 4:30 p.m.
Los Angeles County Museum of
Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Brazilian singer and composer Katia Moraes performs a mix of samba, marchinhas (traditional
carnaval sambas), pagode, and frevo. Katia`s
vocal music is complimented percussion, guitar and bass.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s website.
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Nativa 2006: Festival of Traditional Arts of Baja California
July 29 – 30, 2006, 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Ventana al Mar
Ensenada
Baja California
This is a unique cultural gathering and market featuring the
traditional arts of the state of Baja California with native artists
from the Paipai, Kumiai, Cucapá and Kiliwa communities. Gourd
singers and dancers from both sides of the border will perform
and over 40 traditional artists from the indigenous communities of
Baja California offer a rich array of traditional pottery, basketry
(willow, juncus, pine and palm), beaded jewelry, bows and arrows,
sage incense, leather articles, sculptures and many other unique
handmade items. The market also features traditional and regional
foods, demonstrations of traditional food preparation (including
samples), interactive classes in which the public can sit with an
artisan and learn to make a craft, indigenous information booths
and an arts contest.
The event is organized by the Alliance
for Sustainable Development,
a project that unites indigenous communities, organizations of Mexico
and the U.S., and individuals to work for cultural and natural heritage
conservation through sustainable development in Baja California’s
native lands. Current participants include Baja California
Native Artisans, Terra Peninsular, dedicated
to land conservation in Baja California,
The Native Cultures Institute of Baja California (CUNA), Interamerican
Foundation, Global Greengrants and volunteers from Mexico and the
US in collaboration with the indigenous communities of Baja California.
For more information e-mail info@adesu.org or
call (818) 264-4519.
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August
Shasta Yama
August 5, 2006 – 7:30 p.m.
Shastice Park
Mt.Shasta, CA
Shasta Taiko troop will perform with special guest Seiichi Tanaka,
the father of American Taiko, and his group Taiko Dojo.
For more information visit
Shasta Taiko’s website.
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Dragonfly Gala
August 5, 2006
4:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Morango Indian Reservation
Morongo Community Center
13000 Fields Road
Banning, CA
This event celebrates Southern California Indian Cultures and helps
support the work of Dorothy Ramon Learning Center and Ushkana Press. This
non-profit organization was formed to save and to share the wonderful
first cultures of southern California.
This year’s Gala will feature music from several Indian traditions
including flute playing, rattles, singing, and dancing. Several
Bird Song groups will share their music. There will be a silent
auction featuring Indian arts and presentation of the Dragonfly Award
for high-soaring achievement. Dinner includes some Native American
dishes.
Admission: $40
For more information visit
the Kumeyaay tribe’s website.
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Francisco Aguabella
August 5, 2006 – 4:30 p.m.
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
5905 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA
Dizzy Gillespie said, "Aguabella is the John Coltrane of the Conga Drums." Cuban
born Conguero legend, Francisco Aguabella has performed the world over with such
artists as Tito Puente, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie, Carlos Santana, Paul
Simon, recent Grammy winner Bebo Valdes, and many others.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s
website.
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H. Omoumi
August 5, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
The Neurosciences Institute
John Jay Hopkins Dr.
San Diego, CA
Dr. Omoumi performs on the ney (bamboo flute) with accompaniment by
Mehrdad Araabi. He studied and later taught at the National Conservatory
of Music in Tehran. His research on the making of the ney and
opened new possibilities and introduced significant innovations to
the ney, tombak and daf.
Admission: $30
For more information visit
The Neurosciences Institute’s website.
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12th Annual San Francisco Aloha Festival
August 5 – 6, 2006
San Francisco Main Parade Ground
Lincoln Blvd. at Anza Ave.
San Francisco, CA
The Pacific Islanders of the San Francisco Bay Area offer their talents
in music and dance during this two-day festival of arts. Entertainment
highlights include Pacific Islander music as well as Polynesian dance. The
festival will also feature arts & crafts vendors, island cuisine,
educational exhibits and workshops, and an `Ohana Korner with simple
games for kids.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Pacific Islanders’ Cultural Association.
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9th Annual California Turkish Arts & Culture Festival
August 5 - 6, 2006
Custom House Plaza
Monterey, CA
The Turkish American Association of California is producing a celebration
of Turkish culture and arts including live music, folk dances, folk
dance workshops, belly dancing, crafts, food, and activities for children.
For more information visit
the Festival’s website.
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Bacchanal: The Spirit of the Caribbean Diaspora
August 6, 2006
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
California African American Museum
600 State Drive
Exposition Park
Los Angeles, CA
This event highlights the contributions of Caribbean/West Indian nationals
along with the Islands of the Lesser and Greater Antilles and Caribbean
neighbors with the eclectic reggae sounds of Buppy and the Uplifters
and other performers.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the California African American Museum’s
website.
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American Music Festival
August 6, 2006, 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Skirball Cultural Center
Skirball Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA
Some of the featured performers at this day-long event include Susie
Glaze, who performs county, bluegrass, and Appalachian songs; I See
Hawks in L.A., who perform country, rock, and bluegrass; Catherine
Russell, who performs a spectrum of genres from blues to gospel; Flaco
Jimenez, who performs South Texas Conjunto; and many more.
Admission: $20
For more information visit
the Skirball Cultural Center’s website.
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Asia Pacific Performance Exchange Fellowship Collaborative Performances
August 9 & 11, 2006 – 7:00 p.m.
Glorya Kaufman Dance Theater
UCLA Campus
120 Westwood Plaza
Los Angeles, CA
Eighteen artists, from Asia and America, were selected through a highly
competitive review process to participate in the 2006 Asia Pacific
Performance Exchange Fellowship (APPEX) program from July 3-August
11, on the UCLA Campus. APPEX is the groundbreaking laboratory where
artists teach their craft to each other and create work together. Since
its inception in 1995, APPEX has brought together more than 200 traditional
and contemporary artists from Asia and the USA. In this postmodern
world where it is so easy to co-opt imagery and create cultural pastiche,
it is essential that we seek collaborative models that are equitable,
self-reflexive and culturally informed. Some of the traditions
represented include Balinese and Javanese gamelan, indigenous and contemporary
music from the Philippines, Japanese taiko, American jazz, classical
guitar & piano, Sudanese dance, modern/post modern dance, German
tanztheater, South Indian percussion, Indian classical dances, and
Northern Thai dance and theater.
Admission: $12
For more information visit
the APPEX website.
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A Night with Classical Persian and Kurdish Folk Music
August 11, 2006 – 7:00 p.m.
West Valley Community College – Big Theater
14000 Fruitvale
Saratoga, CA
This Saman Mahmoudi on santour, Shahriar Behzadpour on tonbak and
percussion, Hojad Ahmad Pourian on vocals and percussion, Asghar Yousefi
on vocals and guest musician Mohammad Nejad, a
current master artist in ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program.
For more information visit
the 7rooz website.
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Philippine Cultural Arts Festival in San Diego
August 12 – 13, 2006
11:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Balboa Park
San Diego, CA
SAMAHAN Filipino American Performing Arts & Education presents
colorful Philippine folk dances, rondalla and kulintang music,
a talent show & singing contest, guest performers, hip-hop & contemporary
dancing, martial arts exhibition, and Filipino food.
For more information
visit
SAMAHAN’s website.
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Pistahan – Filipino American Arts Exposition in San Francisco
August 12 -13, 2006
11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Yerba Buena Gardens Esplanade
Mission St. @ 3rd St.
San Francisco, CA
Yerba Buena Gardens hosts this 12th annual Filipino festival of arts,
culture, and cuisine, including displays, crafts, entertainment, and
food.
For more information visit
the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival website.
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Na Mele Welo…A King & Queen’s Legacy
©2006 Hula On! Productions. All Rights Reserved.
August 12 – 13, 2006
"NA MELE WELO...A KING & QUEEN'S LEGACY"
Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium at Marin Center
10 Avenue of the Flags
Marin, CA
King Kalakaua and Queen Lili'uokalani were Hawaii's last monarchs.
Both were loved by the Hawaiian people for their dedication to their
kingdom, the revival of hula, and their musical compositions, some
of which are known the world over. Through the traditional art of hula
and mo'olelo (storytelling), the music and life experiences will be
woven together with their most treasured works.
The production will feature the dancers of Halau
Hula Na Pua O Ka La’akea, the dance entity of Hula On!
Productions and Marin's only resident hula school. They will perform
under the direction of the school’s founder, Kumu Hula (hula
teacher), Shawna
Kealameleku’uleialoha Alapa'i. Special guest will
be Nalani
Olds, a Hawaiian historian and featured vocalist with the Royal
Hawaiian Band. Ms. Olds has spoken and performed around the world,
presenting programs that explore Hawaiian culture and highlight music
composed and sung by the last Hawaiian queen, Lili'uokalani.
Shawna Alapa'i, artistic director and project coordinator, is a resident
of San Rafael. She teaches classes through
her halau (hula school) in San Anselmo and San Rafael.
Admission: $25
For more information visit
the Hula On! Productions website.
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A Festival of Textiles
August 13, 2006
12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
1000 Oak Street
Oakland, CA
Participants can bring a quilt for a “Quilt Sharing” with
quilt expert author Julie Silber and Oakland Museum Curator Inez Brooks-Myers
from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. They will identify and date quilts and discuss
fabrics, quilting and piecing patterns. Quilt artist Judy Mathieson
will discuss her work at 3:00 p.m. The day includes a Make-A-Quilt
project for families and demonstrations of embroidery, spinning, knitting,
needlepoint, lace, crocheting, smocking, doll making, and Shibori.
Raffle tickets for a 1930s Eight-Pointed Star quilt will be sold at
the festival.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Oakland Museum’s website.
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Bluegrass at the Ford
August 19, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywood, CA
The Bluegrass Association of Southern California presents the 2006
edition of Bluegrass at the Ford, pairing the traditional styles of
Lost Highway, defined by the vocals of Ken Orrick, with the exuberance
of Bluegrass Etc., led by banjo player Dennis Caplinger, bassist Bill
Bryson, and guitar master John Moore.
Admission: $22
For more information visit
the Ford Amphitheatre’s website or the Southern
California Bluegrass News website.
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Danza Floricanto/USA
August 18, 2006 – 8:30 p.m.
John Anson Ford Amphitheatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East
Hollywood, CA
Danza Floricanto marks its 30th anniversary with regional suites,
dance-theatre mirroring the Chicano experience and premieres inspired
by the African-based culture of Veracruz. Invited friends include Mariachi
Mexicapan and Quetzal.
Admission: $20
For more information visit
the Ford Amphitheatre’s website.
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Riffat Sultana & Party
August 24, 2006 – 6:30 p.m.
Japanese American National Museum
369 East First Street
Los Angeles, CA
Daughter of legendary Pakistani singer, Salamat Ali Khan, vocalist
Riffat Sultana follows the tradition of eleven generations of master
musicians. The first woman in her family to sing in public, she
will perform Sufi (mystical Islamic) music.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Japanese American National Museum’s
website.
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Mamadou Diabate
August 24, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
Skirball Cultural Center
Los Angeles, CA
Malian Grammy Award nominee Mamadou Diabate is a kora player descended
from a long line of Manding musician-storytellers. (The kora
is a centuries-old, 21-string harp/lute from West Africa.) Diabate's
performance is based in the keita tradition which stretches back to
the 13th century when the Manding king Sunjata Keita consolidated the
vast Empire of Mali, covering much of West Africa. He has performed
with some of the finest musicians in West Africa, such as Angelique
Kidjo, Kandia Kouyate and Ami Koita, and in the United States with
Taj Mahal, Randy Weston, Donald Byrd, and Eric Bibb. Diabate
performs at the Skirball with balafon player Balla Kouyate, bass player
Noah Jarrett and Baye Kouyate on talking drum and calabash.
For more information visit
the Skirball Cultural Center’s website.
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Chinese Classical Music Ensemble
August 25, 2006
Grand Performances
California Plaza
350 S. Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA
The Chinese Classical Music Ensemble performs traditional and contemporary
Chinese music. Founder and artistic director Zhiming Han incorporates
both Chinese and Western instruments into his compositions.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Grand Performances website.
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Parangal: A Tribute
August 26, 2006 – 2:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.
War Memorial Herbst Theater
401 Van Ness Avenue
San Francisco, CA
LIKHA Pilipino Folk Ensemble presents their annual show. They
will honor the achievements of Philippine National Artists for Dance
and celebrate their commitment to preserving and promoting Philippine
folk dance around the world.
Admission: $12 - $20
For more information visit
LIKHA’s website.
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Oakland Chinatown StreetFest
August 26 – 27, 2006
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Oakland Chinatown
Oakland, CA
On August 26th & 27th, the Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce
(OCCC) will be presenting its 19th Annual Chinatown StreetFest. In
celebrating the Year of the Dog, the Chinatown StreetFest will attract
over 100,000 people from all over the Bay Area to come savor the taste
of Asia, and to experience the traditions that Oakland's Chinatown
has so diligently preserved.
The two-day event will span nine to ten blocks of Chinatown, consisting
of more than 280 booths. Small businesses and community organizations
from all over California will come to showcase a myriad of delicious
foods, unique Asian products, and special services. There will be entertainment
taking up four stages and a Cultural Village coordinated by the Oakland
Museum of California. Arts & crafts, as well as a Children's Carnival
make it a family event.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Oakland Chinatown StreetFest’s website.
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Persian Miniature Painting
August 26 – 27, 2006
12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Asian Art Museum
North Court
200 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA
Master artist Hossein Fallahi demonstrates traditional Persian painting.
Admission: Free with museum admission of $10
For more information visit
the Asian Art Museum’s website.
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Rangoli Dance Company
August 27, 2006 – 5:00 p.m.
California Lutheran College
60 West Olsen Road
Thousand Oaks, CA
Malathi Iyengar & Rangoli Dance Company, along with Bragha
Bessell and Nadam Dance Company, present
Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and folk dances. Malathi Iyengar is
a former
master artist in ACTA’s Apprenticeship Program.
For more information visit
the Rangoli Dance Company’s website.
September
Anupama Bhagwat and Shruti Sadolikar in Concert
Photo: The Music Circle
September 2, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
Herrick Chapel
Occidental College
Los Angeles, CA
This concert features soloists Anupama Bhagwat on sitar and vocalist
Shruti Sadolikar accompanied by Anandogopal Bandopadhyay on tabla and
Jyoti Guho on harmonium. Anupama Bhagwat is a disciple of Pt.
Shri Bimalendu Mukherjee and Shruti Sadolikar is current holder of
the Homi Bhabha Fellowship of the National Council of Performing Arts
in India.
Admission: $25
For more information visit
the Music Circle’s website.
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Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture: Diwang Sumisikat (Spirit
Rising)
September 9-10, 2006
Point Fermin Park
307 W. Paseo Del Mar
San Pedro, CA
For the past 14 years, FilAm Arts has showcased representatives of
Filipino arts and culture at the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture
(FPAC).
FPAC features a wide array of cultural and artistic showcases and events.
There are contests held in disc jockeying, cooking, eating, and dancing.
Several Filipino artists will be performing modern and traditional
dance, music, song, martial arts, and poetry. Fun activities for children
include seed planting, kite making, and participating in the traditional
Ati-Atihon Parade.
This event is partially funded by ACTA’s
Living Cultures Grants Program.
Admission: $3
For more information visit
the FilAm Arts website.
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Klezmer Music and Yiddish Dance
The KlezCalifornia All-Stars
Photo: Yerba Buena Gardens Festival
September 10, 2006 - 1:00 p.m.
Yerba Buena Gardens Esplanade
Mission at 3rd St.
San Francisco, CA
This event features local musicians performing the Yiddish dance music
known as “klezmer.” Featured performers include Stu
Brotman of Brave Old World, Julie Egger of Red Hot Chachkas, Josh Horowitz
of Veretski Pass, Kevin Mummey and Steve Saxon of KlezX, and Gerry
Tenney of California Klezmer. Dancing will be led by Bruce Bierman. The
event is co-sponsored by KlezCalifornia, which promotes Yiddish culture
and klezmer music in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival website.
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Wichiitam Chaatu: Bird Singing Festival of Southern California
September 15 – 16, 2006
Lake Perris State Recreation Area
17801 Lake Perris Drive
Perris, CA
This event features Bird Singers from the Southern California region,
cultural displays, hands-on crafts demonstrations, food and drink.
For more information visit
the Living Museum of California Indian Cultures’ website.
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The Peony Pavilion
September 15 – 17, 2006
Zellerbach Hall
UC Berkeley Campus
Bancroft at Telegraph Ave.
Berkeley, CA
From the mists of the Ming Dynasty comes a 400 year old tale of love,
beauty, and marriage. The Peony Pavilion is a Chinese kunqu opera,
an art form refined over centuries and combining literature, music,
dance, and drama. Taiwanese literary scholar and producer Kenneth Pai
(Pai Hsien-yung), Professor Emeritus at UC Santa Barbara, brings his
interpretation of Tang Xianzu's epic love story (often compared to
Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) to life in this three part
presentation of the traditional opera. A cast of performers from
Taiwan, Hong Kong, and mainland China, all trained by masters of kunqu reenact
the story of Du Liniang and Liu Mengmei, lovers caught forever in the
bloom of their eternal youth.
Admission: $30 - $86
For more information visit
the Cal Performances website.
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Querencia with La Tania
September 22, 2006 – 8:00 p.m.
Montgomery Theater
271 S. Market Street
San Jose, CA
This flamenco performance combines traditional Flamenco with contemporary
musical and choreographic elements. The all-Spanish cast includes
dancer Jaunaire, guitarist Chuscales, and singers Yiyi and Felix de
Lola.
Admission: $33
For more information visit
the Artsopolis website.
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10th Annual Cajun-Zydeco Music Festival
September 23, 2006 – 10:00 a.m.
Ardenwood Historic Farm
34600 Ardenwood Blvd.
Fremont, CA
This event features Cajun-Zydeco music performed by local artists
and groups from Louisiana. The day includes dance lessons, specialty
vendors, and Cajun food. Performers include Mark St. Mary and
His Blues & Zydeco Band, Les Amis Creole, Queen Ida & her
Zydeco Band, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas & Nathan Jr., Andre
Thierry & Zydeco Magic, and dance lessons by Olivia ("Tee")
Guillory.
Admission: $18
For more information visit
the Artsopolis website.
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Bayanihan Philippine National Dance Company
September 23, 2006 – 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m.
Zellerbach Hall
UC Berkeley Campus
Bancroft at Telegraph Ave.
Berkeley, CA
Demonstrating the charm of the nation of 7,000 islands, the Bayanihan
Philippine National Dance Company celebrates one of the rich music
and dance traditions of the Philippines. Bayanihan takes its
name from an ancient Filipino tradition that signifies working together
for the common good, and the company's programming is inspired by the
diverse indigenous, Chinese, Spanish, and Islamic influences that have
formed Philippine culture.
For more information visit
the Cal Performances website.
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Uma Dogra
September 23, 2006 – 5:00 p.m.
Rangoli Space
14748 Morrison Street
Sherman Oaks, CA
This is a solo performance by Kathak dancer Uma Dogra, disciple of
Pandit Durga Lal. She is a visiting artist from Mumbai, India.
Admission: $15
For more information visit
the Rangoli Dance Company’s website.
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14th Annual Thai Cultural Day
September 24, 2006
10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Barnsdall Art Park
4800 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA
This one-day festival is comprised of Thai classical music, folk dances,
fruit and vegetable carving, a costume contest, children’s workshops,
and Thai drama performances, which will take place throughout the day.
Admission: Free
For more information visit
the Thai Cultural Center’s website.
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Kathak at the Crossroads: International Festival & Symposium
September
28-30, 2006
Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Mission at 3rd St.
San Francisco, CA
Presented by the Chitresh Das Dance Company/Chhandam School of Kathak
Dance, in collaboration with Chhandika, Boston, and Nritya Bharati
Institute, India, Kathak at the Crossroads is a three-day
festival that includes main-stage performances, smaller showcase performances,
academic presentations, lecture demonstrations and panel discussions
relating to the history, evolution and current ecology of Kathak in
its artistic, cultural and global contexts. The festival and symposium
will include artists, scholars, teachers, presenters, critics, funders,
students, and other dance enthusiasts from around the world. Invited
artists include the foremost practitioners of Kathak today as well
as emerging dancers.
Kathak at the Crossroads is a major convening of the international
Kathak and performing arts community and is the first festival created
with an emphasis on the traditional Kathak solo, the reasons for and
implications of its decline and what can be done to increase the visibility
of the performance tradition.
This event is partially funded by ACTA’s
Living Cultures Grants Program.
For more information visit
the Chitresh Das Dance Company’s
website.
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County & Regional Calendars
A calendar of Festivals and Celebrations in San Diego is available from the San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture.
Let us know if you have special information that should be posted here.
To update information or submit an event for the calendar,
please email ACTA.
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