January 15, 2013

maria urrutia will discuss and demonstrate styles of Cuban rumba on January 29.

Davidson College invites the public to "Cuba: Memory, Migration, Art," a multi-disciplinary symposium taking place on campus in January and February. The series of events includes lectures, panel discussions, a dance workshop, film screenings, and live theatre, all concerning the history, politics, and culture of Cuba.

The Theatre Department's February production of Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez serves as the catalyst for the symposium, which provides opportunities for conversations between members of the college family and community about the influence and legacy of a nation that has had a fraught and complex relationship with the United States.

Some of the topics of investigation will be:
• The history and politics of 20th century Cuba
• Cubans' experiences of exile and migration, and how those experiences shape families
• Ways in which memory shapes personal decision-making, art and the future
• How connections to "home" - such as food, values, ideas, love - remain even when we leave that place
• How Cuban cultural forms have influenced American culture, and how American culture has altered aspects of Cuban culture
• How U.S.-Cuba relations has impacted U.S. foreign policy

The symposium is being sponsored by Davidson's Department of Latin American Studies, the Dean Rusk Program in International Studies and the Theatre Department. For more information, please visit www.davidson.edu/cubasymposium.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, January 23
7-9:30 p.m. in Semans Lecture Hall of Belk Visual Arts Center

Documentary Film Viewing and Discussion: Habana: el arte nuevo de hacer ruinas / Havana: The New Art of Making Ruins

Two German filmmakers portray not only a slowly decaying city, but also a revolutionary age in Cuba coming to an end. The film presents several personal histories of Havana residents living in formerly noteworthy buildings that have been reduced to shells from neglect. Professor José L.S. Gámez, Coordinator of the Design and Society Research Center at UNC Charlotte will lead a discussion of the film, offering ideas about its use of the "ruin" as a metaphor, and the role that people, place and identity play within its overall narrative.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, January 29
11 a.m. -12 p.m., Alvarez College Union Smith 900 Room

Cuban Rumba: The Spectacle within Solares
maria urrutia (ed. note, intentional lower case), Assistant Professor of Dance at West Chester University, will lead a discussion of traditional Cuban Rumba, which began in the 19th century in the urban areas of Havana and Matanzas. She will trace its beginning in the fringes of the solar, and explain how the architectural style of this low-income tenement housing helped shape the dance. Prof. urrutia will focus on the rumba yambú and guagúanco, the forms that evolved when it was adopted onto the concert stage and broader social arena. She will also reference her own contemporary expression of rumba, and talk about how it has been shaped by the Cuban diaspora.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, February 5
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. in Hance Auditorium of Chambers Building

Cuban-American Memories: A Panel Discussion

Different generations of Cuban-American students and professors at Davidson will comment on their first- and second-hand memories of Cuba, their sense of identity, meanings of exile, and their emotional ties to the island.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, February 20, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 21, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, February 22, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, February 23, 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, February 24, 2 p.m.

Sonia Flew Theatrical Production

Sonia Flew, by Melinda Lopez, is a poetic, thought-provoking family drama that forces us to examine the ways in which world events affect the lives of ordinary people. Starting in post 9-11 Minnesota and ending in 1961 Cuba, this lyrical play magnifies the tension between our love of family and love of country. Winner of the 2009 Elliott Norton Award for Best New Play, the production is recommended for ages 12 and up. Tickets are $5-$10. Call (704) 894-2135 to order tickets, or order online at www.davidson.edu/tickets.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, February 21
10-10:30 p.m. (immediately following the performance of Sonia Flew) in Barber Theatre of Cunningham Theatre Center

Post-Performance Talkback, "Castro, Kennedy, and a Revolution in Cuba"
Immediately following the evening's performance of Sonia Flew, Associate Professor of Political Science Russell Crandall will lead a talkback discussion of the play.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, February 22
10 p.m.-2 a.m. (immediately following the performance of Sonia Flew) in the Black Student Coalition House on Patterson Court

Cuban Dance Party
Following the evening's performance of Sonia Flew, playgoers are invited to dance with the play's cast and crew.

For more information about any of the events listed, please visit the symposium website at www.davidson.edu/cubasymposium

Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,900 students located 20 minutes north of Charlotte in Davidson, N.C. Since its establishment in 1837 by Presbyterians, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently regarded as one of the top liberal arts colleges in the country. Through The Davidson Trust, the college became the first liberal arts institution in the nation to replace loans with grants in all financial aid packages, giving all students the opportunity to graduate debt-free. Davidson competes in NCAA athletics at the Division I level, and a longstanding Honor Code is central to student life at the college.

###