CUBA: MEMORY, MIGRATION, ART was a multi-disciplinary symposium featuring a variety of events that encouraged the college and community to consider the history, politics and culture of Cuba from different perspectives. The Theatre Department's February production of Sonia Flew by Melinda Lopez served as the catalyst for collaboration amongst numerous departments and programs to offer this series of events that included lectures, panel discussions, a dance workshop, film screenings and a theatrical production. The symposium occured in January and February, 2013.
CUBA: MEMORY, MIGRATION, ART aimed to provide multiple opportunities for conversations between and amongst faculty, staff, students, visiting experts and community members. We hope the different modalities of investigation were able to shed light on one another allowing for a richer, deeper understanding of the influence and legacy of a nation that has had a fraught and complex relationship with the United States. Some of the ideas that we investigated and which informed this programming include:
- History and politics of Cuba in the 20th Century
- 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" - made manifest in food, values, ideas, love - stay with us even when we leave "home"
- How Cuban cultural forms - food, dance, music - have influenced American culture; and conversely, how American culture has imported and altered aspects of Cuban culture
- How U.S.-Cuba relations has impacted U.S. foreign policy, broadly
The series of events we organized intended to prompt conversation and reflective thinking on many of these topics. We hope you were able to join us for some or all of these events, most of which were offered free of charge. The Department of Latin American Studies, the Dean Rusk Program in International Studies and the Theatre Department were pleased to present this symposium to the Davidson campus and community.
Public Events
Documentary Film Viewing and Discussion: Habana: el arte nuevo de hacer ruinas/Havana: The New Art of Making Ruins
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Semans Lecture Hall, Visual Arts Center
Screening of the film Habana: el arte Nuevo de hacer ruinas, followed by a discussion led by José L.S. Gámez, Associate Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, Latin American Studies faculty, and Coordinator of the Design + Society Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Reception to follow.
 Cuban Rumba: the spectacle within solares
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
C. Shaw Smith 900 Room, Alvarez College Union
Due to media and popular culture representations, certain images can be evoked upon hearing "Rumba": brightly colored costumes with ruffles on the hips and arms, movements that accentuate the costuming, or slick ballroom dancers moving their feet in a box step with slight hip motions. Traditional Cuban Rumba, in its original form, actually contained none of these glamour elements added in bringing the dance to the concert stage or social arena. Born in the 19th century solar in the urban areas of Havana and Matanzas, the dance has been appropriated by many different populations. In my presentation, I suggest that the architectural frame of solares, spatial orientation of moving bodies designated by the architecture and community, and the movement metaphor of the dance itself created a uniquely different spectacle from that presented in today's version of the dance. In particular, this talk focuses on Rumba Yambu and Guagaunco as the two forms that were created within the architectural structure of solares.
Speaker: Maria Urrutia, Assistant Professor of Dance, West Chester University.
Cuban-American Memories: A Panel Discussion
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Hance Auditorium, Chambers Building
At this 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. Panelists: Rebecca Fernandez, Non-native English Writing Coordinator/Asst. Prof. of Rhetoric & Writing Studies; Gerardo Marti, L. Richardson King Associate Professor and Acting Chair of Sociology; Katherine Herold '15; Angeline Pino '16.
Sonia Flew
Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2013
Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013
Friday, Feb. 22, 2013
Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013
Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013
Barber Theatre in the Cunningham Theatre Center
Tickets required; visit www.davidson.edu/tickets or call (704) 894-2135, M-F, 10 am - 4 pm
By Melinda Lopez, Directed by Sharon Green
Sonia Flew 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 Elliott Norton Award for Best New Play. Recommended for ages 12 and up.
Click here to check out the Sonia Flew dramaturgy notes written by Christine Noah.
Post-Performance Talkback: Castro, Kennedy, and a Revolution in Cuba
Thursday, February 21, 2013 (immediately following the performance of Sonia Flew)
Barber Theatre, Cunningham Theatre Center
Immediately following this evening's performance, Associate Professor of Political Science Russell Crandall will lead a talkback discussion and engage audience members in a Q&A session.
Cuban Dance Party
Friday, February 22, 2013 (immediately following the performance of Sonia Flew)
Black Student Coalition (BSC) House
Come party with the cast and crew of Sonia Flew and the Organization of Latin American Students.
|
