From Cuba, to Puerto Rico, to Panama, to New York, Salsa borrows a little from all, and gives back to all. Touching on historical and cultural contexts, as well as rhythmic improvisations and set movement patterns, we will explore what Clave
is, move to it, understand it, and incorporate it in our worlds. Karlies Kelley Vedula, a Panamanian native, BFA and MFA African Diaspora Dance Alumna, and director of Panadanza Dance Company will have you moving and grooving from
Mike Schneider helps celebrate Oktoberfest traditions! Learn a little bit of the German language, how to do the "Chicken Dance" - the official dance of Oktoberfest, and even how to yodel! Plus, get a quick tutorial on the accordion and the history of polka music. One lucky adult volunteer will even have the opportunity to make water magically disappear from a German stein! Age-appropriate trivia questions, numerous volunteer opportunities and sing-alongs, and a special Pint Size Polkas edition of "Name That Tune" round out this exciting musical program that's fun for all ages!
Chris Fascione delights family audiences with his comedic, interactive performance that combines comedy, mime, juggling, and storytelling to instill a love of books and reading.
This Madison community group is dedicated to playing and teaching Brazilian drumming. Josh and Tom will introduce various styles of music and audience members can play their hand at the drums, too!
Featured dance: Salsa
As part of the 2024 Winter Reading Program: Ignite Your Imagination, members from Zhong Yi Kung Fu Association will discuss and perform a dragon dance. They will begin with a discussion about the history of the dragon dance and end by performing the dance through the library stacks. This is also a great way to learn about the Year of the Dragon and get ready for the Lunar New Year on February 10.
This event has been postponed
This program will introduce attendees to Hmong music and what makes it unique. Hmong music is the last surviving musical language in the world. It is able to mimic Hmong speech by using musical intervals, ornamentation, and chords to mimic linguistic tones, consonants, and vowels. This enables Hmong musicians to speak with music. As such, Hmong music not only gives us a window into where music and language meet, but also into the ability of human brains to assign and attribute meaning and significance.