March 7, 2003
Contact: Adrianne
Tucker
802-443-5629
satucker@middlebury.edu
Posted: March 7, 2003
MIDDLEBURY,
VT - Middlebury College’s Alianza Latinoamericana y Caribeña
(ALC) symposium, titled “Resurgence of Leftist Governments in Latin
America,” will be held on Friday, March 14-Sunday, March 16. The
symposium, which is free and open to the public, will include lectures,
a cultural dinner, a cultural cafe, a Latin dance party and a Brazilian
capoeira performance and workshop.
“The resurgence of leftist
regimes in Latin America and the increasing popular support for these
revolutionary movements is a modern day phenomenon with global political
and economic ramifications. This symposium will offer a broader understanding
of this ideological shift by assessing the historical and political climate
of the Latin American region,” said Middlebury College senior Elizabeth
Del Rosario, who is the 2003 ALC symposium chair. “It will address
the implications of revolutionary change on Latin American and North American
society, both abroad and in the United States, and will offer insight
into how pertinent global events in general-and United States events in
particular-are to the political, economic and social dynamics of Latin
America,” she said.
On Friday, March 14, at 5:30
p.m., the symposium will begin with a cultural dinner and welcoming remarks
by Middlebury College students Sully Diaz and Michael Cooper, both of
the class of 2006. The cultural dinner will feature dishes selected by
Latin American students that are typical of their individual cultural
cuisines. Catered by Dolci, an organization for students interested in
the culinary arts who work under the supervision of a chef to prepare
various dinner events, the dinner will be held in the dining room of Le
Château, on Château Road, off College Street (Route 125).
At 9 p.m., a cultural cafe-a
carnival of song and dance-will take place in the Social Space of the
McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel Road, off Route 30. The cafe highlight
will be Banda Musa, a Massachusetts-based Brazilian band. The cafe will
also include a poetry reading by Middlebury College Minority Research
Fellow Hilda Llorens of the sociology/anthropology department and a medley
of student performances from slam poetry and belly dancing to a salsa
drama piece.
“We have seen how Latin
American political structures have been plagued by an incessant history
of political instability, civil unrest, colonialism, exploitation and
revolution. We have seen how Latin American migrants have created ethnic
enclaves all over the United States, have transgressed and continue to
transgress all kinds of barriers,” said Middlebury College senior
and the cultural cafe organizer, Lollinez Guadalupe-Perez. “Now let’s
explore, discover and engage in the many forms of Latin American/Latino
art indicative of these trends through carnival! The cultural cafe will
be an explosion of inspirational, thought-provoking, intellectually and
aesthetically stimulating poetry, song, dance and storytelling.”
Although both events are free
and open to the public, reservations for the dinner and the cultural cafe
must be made in advance by contacting symposium coordinator Elizabeth
Del Rosario at (802) 443-6272.
On Saturday, March 15, two
lectures will take place in the conference room of the Robert A. Jones
House on Hillcrest Road, off College Street (Route 125). Refreshments
will be provided for both events.
The first talk, starting at
10:30 a.m., will be “The Left’s Electoral Success in Latin America:
What Does It Mean for Democracy and Neoliberalism?” by University
of Vermont Assistant Professor of Political Science Caroline C. Beer.
Beer specializes in Latin American politics and her current research focuses
on elections, human rights, and judicial reform in Mexico. Her book, “Electoral
Competition and Institutional Change in the Mexican States,” will
be published by the University of Notre Dame Press in the fall of 2003.
The second talk will be at
1:30 p.m., given by writer/photographer Margaret Randall and titled “The
Resurgence of a Political Left in Latin America.” Randall, an internationally
acclaimed feminist, writer, photographer and activist, has centered her
life work on bridging distinct worlds and exploring women’s and cultural
issues. Author of more than 60 books, her titles include “Walking
to the Edge” (1991), “Sandino’s Daughters” (1995), “Coming
Up for Air” (2001) and “When I Look Into the Mirror and See
You” (2002). Randall gives animated readings from her works, which
reveal a profound understanding of the social, political and emotional
ways our society affects women’s lives. She also has written extensively
about women in Cuba and Nicaragua, drawing on her quarter-century of experience
while living and working in those countries.
From 4:30-6 p.m., a program
of Brazilian martial arts, called capoeira, will be performed by Contra
Mestre Jo and her group of capoeiristas, Brazil Capoeira. Capoeira is
a martial art form that combines movement, music and elements of practical
philosophy into a physical game called jogo de capoeira. During this ritualized
combat, two capoeiristas-players of capoeira-exchange movements of attack
and defense in constant flow while observing rituals and etiquette of
the art. Dating back 450 years, capoeira’s acrobatic defensive movements
were disguised as dance and practiced to music, and have since influenced
such modern dance forms as Breakdancing. The term “contra mestre”
refers to the highest rank obtainable in capoeira, and Contra Mestre Jo
is the only female contra mestre in Brazil. The performance will take
place in Room 110 of the Middlebury College Center for the Arts, on Route
30.
Saturday night at 10 p.m.,
a Latino dance party, “Una Noche Más,” will rock to Middlebury
College DJ Diego Bivero Volpe in the Coltrane Lounge of Adirondack House
on College Street (Route 125).
On Sunday, March 16, from
10 a.m.-1 a.m., an all-day art exhibit titled “El Arte y la Política,”
will present artwork of a political nature-student pieces as well as works
purchased throughout Latin America by students and faculty. The exhibit
will be on display on the Juice Bar stage of The Grille at the McCullough
Student Center on Old Chapel Road, off Route 30. From 2-4 p.m. on Sunday,
a workshop for anyone seeking an introduction to capoeira will be held
by Contra Mestre Jo and Capoeira Brazil in Room 110 of the Middlebury
College Center for the Arts, on Route 30.
For more information about
symposium events and to obtain reserve tickets for the cultural dinner
and/or cultural cafe, contact symposium organizer Elizabeth Del Rosario
at (802) 443- 6272.
An events listing follows.
Middlebury College ALC Symposium
“Resurgence of Leftist Governments in Latin America”
Friday, March 14-Sunday, March 16
All events are free and open to the public. Reserve tickets required for
Friday evening’s cultural dinner and cultural cafe can be obtained by
contacting symposium organizer Elizabeth Del Rosario at (802) 443- 6272.
Friday, March 14
5:30 p.m. Cultural Dinner - reserve tickets required
A dinner of dishes typical of various Latin American cuisines, catered
by Dolci, a student culinary arts organization; welcoming remarks by Middlebury
College students Sully Diaz and Michael Cooper, both of the class of 2006
Dining room of Le Château, Château Road, off College Street
(Rte. 125)
For reservations, call symposium organizer Elizabeth Del Rosario at 802-443-6272
9 p.m. Cultural Cafe -
reserve tickets required
Featuring Massachusetts-based Brazilian band Banda Musa, the cafe will
also include a poetry reading by Middlebury College Minority Research
Fellow Hilda Llorens of the sociology/anthropology department and a medley
of student performances from slam poetry and belly dancing to a salsa
drama piece.
McCullough Student Center Social Space, Old Chapel Road, off Rte. 30
For reservations, call symposium organizer Elizabeth Del Rosario at 802-443-6272
Saturday, March 15
10:30 a.m. Lecture
“The Left’s Electoral Success in Latin America: What Does It Mean
for Democracy and Neoliberalism?” by University of Vermont Assistant
Professor of Political Science Caroline C. Beer, who specializes in Latin
American politics with a focus on elections, human rights and judicial
reform in Mexico.
Conference room of Robert A. Jones House, Hillcrest Road, off College
Street (Rte. 125)
Refreshments will be provided.
1:30 p.m. Lecture
“The Resurgence of a Political Left in Latin America”
by Margaret Randall, an internationally acclaimed feminist, writer, photographer
and activist. Author of more than 60 books, Randall has written extensively
about women in Cuba and Nicaragua, drawing on her 25 years of experience
living there.
Conference room of Robert A. Jones House, Hillcrest Road, off College
Street (Rte. 125)
Refreshments will be provided
4:30-6 p.m. Capoeira Performance
- Brazilian Martial Arts
The performing group Capoeira Brazil, led by Contra Mestre Jo, will
give a presentation of capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts form. Dating
back 450 years, capoeira’s acrobatic defensive movements were disguised
as dance and practiced to music. Capoeira has since influenced such modern
dance forms as Breakdancing.
Room 110 of the Middlebury College Center for the Arts, on Rte. 30
10 p.m. Dance Party
“Una Noche Más,” a Latino dance party with
Middlebury DJ Diego Bivero Volpe
Coltrane Lounge in Adirondack House, on College Street (Rte. 125)
Sunday, March 16
10 a.m.-1 a.m. All-day Art Exhibit
“El Arte y la Política” will include artwork
of a political nature-student pieces as well as works purchased throughout
Latin America by students and faculty.
Juice Bar stage of The Grille, McCullough Student Center on Old Chapel
Road, off Rte. 30
2-4 p.m. Capoeira Workshop
- Brazilian Martial Arts
Contra Mestre Jo and her group of professional capoeiristas will
offer a workshop on capoeira, a Brazilian martial arts form. Dating back
450 years, capoeira’s acrobatic defensive movements were disguised as
dance and practiced to music. Capoeira has since influenced such modern
dance forms as Breakdancing.
Room 110 of the Middlebury College Center for the Arts on Rte. 30
For more information about
symposium events and to obtain reserve tickets for the cultural dinner
and/or cultural cafe, contact symposium organizer Elizabeth Del Rosario
at (802) 443- 6272.