Art Hounds: Funny feminists, and African drumming and dance

Duniya Drum and Dance presents 'Wali' at the Rarig Center.
Duniya Drum and Dance presents "Wali" at the University of Minnesota's Rarig Center on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Courtesy of Duniya Drum and Dance

This week on Art Hounds: Raw Sugar presents "The Funny," Ken McCullough reads poetry in Plainview, and "Wali" celebrates traditional African drumming and dance.

Artist Dominique Winders says there's nothing like a drum call at the start of a traditional African dance — it gives her chills. This Saturday, Winders is headed to the 10th annual Fakoly Drum and Dance Project, organized by Duniya Drum and Dance. The annual celebration brings together internationally recognized drummers and dancers from the African diaspora. Highlights of this year's show — called "Wali" — include traditional stilt dancing from Ivory Coast, acrobatics from Guinea and folkloric dance from Haiti. The performance starts at 8 p.m. at the University of Minnesota's Rarig Center.

Sarah Larsson, outreach and development director of the Somali Museum of Minnesota, says a lot of people don't associate feminism with comedy. Those folks have obviously not been to "The Funny," Raw Sugar's annual feminist comedy showcase. This cabaret-style event includes stand-up, burlesque, music, dance and short sketches. This year's show will emphasize the comic work and views of women of color. Performances run this week and next at Open Eye Figure Theatre in Minneapolis.

Publisher Tom Driscoll is looking forward to hearing Ken McCullough's new poetry this coming Wednesday night at the Rural America Writers' Center in Plainview, Minn. Driscoll describes McCullough's work as being in the same vein as Gary Snyder and Galway Kinnell. Driscoll says McCullough's poems have recently taken a more political and environmental turn.

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