Hanan Arts is proud to partner with Valerick Molinary and the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab at Florida International University to present Baladi Talks: Women, Power and Movement Across Cultures.
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Dr. Rebecca Friedman is the Founding Director of the Wolfsonian Public Humanities Lab (WPHL) and a Professor of History at Florida International University. Friedman has been a leader at FIU in a number of capacities. She served as the Director of the European Union Center of Excellence/European and Eurasian Studies for over eight years and served as the Faculty Fellow in the Office of the Provost from 2012-2022. In 2019, she was named Director of the WPHL. Rebecca has collaboratively secured over 10 million dollars in research and institution-building grants for the university. She is a leading point of contact for the university in Miami's arts and cultural communities. Her scholarly focus is on the history and culture of modern Russia. Her monographs include Modernity, Domesticity and Temporality in Modern Russia: Time at Home (Bloomsbury, 2020) and her 2006 book on the history of masculinity in Russia — Masculinity, Autocracy and the Russian University, 1804-1863. As a leader in her field, she edited (with Barbara Clements and Dan Healy) Russian Masculinities in History and Culture, which is the first volume in English to focus on the growing field of Russian masculinity studies. She edited (with Markus Thiel), European Identity and Culture: Narratives of Transnational Belonging (Routledge, 2012). She is currently co-editing a Cambridge University Press series on Elements in Soviet and Post-Soviet History.
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Phaedra Darwish has been performing as well as teaching workshops and classes in Chicago and throughout the US for the past 15 years. As an Arab-American of Lebanese descent, she also produces and takes part in cultural events, citywide festivals, and community fundraisers as a musician and dancer, and feels that this is a beautiful way to share her heritage with others. Through active engagement, maintaining a high standard of execution, and participation in quality programming, Phaedra hopes to spread enthusiasm and respect for Middle Eastern dance as more and more people get acquainted with its roots and enchanted by its beauty.
She was proud to win the Raqs Sharqi Queen competition judged by Saida of Argentina in 2019 and was most recently nominated by the Chicago Dance community for the 3Arts award in Dance. She is looking forwarding to touring India with Chicago's Surabhi Ensemble later this year as a musician and dancer.
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Khadijah is a highly respected teacher, dancer, and ethnologist with 22 years of experience in African-origin dances and choreography. Based in Denver, Colorado, and of Kenyan descent. Renowned for her unique teaching methods in Afro-Arabian folklore, music, and cultural studies, Khadijah is considered one of the most influential figures in this field.
In Denver, she is a sought-after performer, gracing the stages of the city's top establishments. Her expertise has also led to invitations to teach and perform across the United States and internationally. Khadijah is dedicated to continuous learning, studying with renowned masters and composers of Afro-Arabian dances worldwide. She travels extensively to enhance her approach, technique, and cultural understanding of the dances that are deeply rooted in the African diaspora.
As the owner and creator of several online platforms, Khadijah has built a global community of students, dancers, and musicians who benefit from her knowledge and passion for dance.
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Esmeralda Colabone is a distinguished Brazilian dancer, choreographer, and educator who has become a prominent figure in the global belly dance community. Beginning her dance journey at the age of four, Esmeralda has dedicated her life to mastering and sharing the art of belly dance. Her career took a significant leap when she became the youngest Brazilian dancer to be accepted into La Maison de L’Artiste in Lebanon, a leading entertainment agency in the Middle East.
Over the course of her career, she has performed in top venues across the Middle East and North Africa for more than a decade, earning recognition for her exceptional musicality, stage presence, and deep connection to Arab culture. Esmeralda has taught and performed in 38 countries, solidifying her reputation as a soloist, choreographer, and competition judge.
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Valerick Molinary is an award-winning belly dancer and choreographer based in Miami, Florida, with over 20 years of experience. She has trained with top Middle Eastern dance artists and has performed and taught across four continents. Valerick is the co-producer of Belly Dance Stories and the Love Affair Intensive, where she combines her expertise with her passion for storytelling and dance. She also holds a BA in Hispanic Studies and Comparative Literature, which adds a creative and poetic touch to her choreography. Valerick continues to inspire dancers globally through her performances, teaching, and online platforms.
To learn more...: www.valerickmolinary.com
RSVP BELOW FOR THE PANEL DISCUSSION WITH TIFFANY MADERA