Back to Top

Wednesday November 14, 2012

Turaath: A Celebration of Arab Heritage, Folklore, and Tradition in America

Posted by Guest at 9:13 am

By Vieshnavi Rattehalli

Fall 2012 Intern

Saturday, December 1st at the historic Lincoln Theatre on U St. NW in Washington DC, the American-Arab Anti- Discrimination Committee (ADC) and the ADC Women’s Initiative present the second annual Turaath: Celebrating Arab Culture in America, a cultural showcase of traditional and modern Arab music, dance, and art.  Doors open at 6:30pm and the program starts at 7:30pm.

The program features virtuoso/composer Amir ElSaffar, an Iraqi-American trumpeter, santur player, and vocalist, as well as two ensembles of traditional and modern dance pieces. The Alwan Arab Music Ensemble of six artists accompanied by vocalists George Ziadeh and Lubana Al Quntar draws from regional folk songs, Egyptian cinema masterpieces, and Arab concert hall pieces to present a performance infused with elements from  Cairo, Baghdad, Al Quds, Aleppo, and the Arab American community in New York.  The Two Rivers Middle Eastern Jazz Ensemble features six musicians who blend the maqam modal system with modern jazz, drawing from the music of Iraq and neighboring regions and relying on improvisation and group interaction in this contemporary cross-cultural fusion. In-depth bios of the artists performing the showcase are available on the program.

Tickets are still available at four levels: $30, $50, $100, and $250. Options for advertising and sponsorship for the event are also available alongside ticket sales. This year’s Turaath is sponsored by Busboys & Poets, the Embassy of the UAE, Aramco, and Al-Monitor. For those wishing to be further involved in another capacity, information on opportunities to volunteer with the ADC Women’s Initiative can be found here.

Further information on and directions to the Lincoln Theater can be found here. For more information, visit turaath.adc.org or call (202) 244-2990.

Tagged as Arab Americans, Cultural Events, Cultural Arts, Opportunities, Volunteer Opportunities

blog comments powered by Disqus