Preview: Dance for Mother Earth Powwow

From the Native American Student Association:

The Native American Student Association is hosting the 40th Annual Dance for Mother Earth Powwow next weekend, March 17 and 18, at Pioneer High School. Powwows are gatherings that Native American people use as a place to meet, dance, sing and otherwise renew and strengthen our rich culture.
These gatherings are held year-round and many Native people travel great distances to attend them.

Today, the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow is one of the largest university powwows in the nation; according to USA Today Travel, it is one of “10 great places to be wowed by American Indian culture.” The 2012 Powwow will continue the tradition of providing a gathering place for Native Americans to celebrate and share their culture with one another, and for others who are interested in learning about our country’s strong indigenous heritage. This year’s Powwow will host over 150 dancers, 12 drums, and over 33 vendors/artists from across the nation and throughout Indian Country. In addition, there will be special celebrations to pay tribute to 40 strong years of powwowing for Mother Earth.

Blue Michigan buses will be running from the Michigan Union every half hour all Saturday and Sunday.

40th Annual Ann Arbor Dance for Mother Earth Powwow
40th Annual Ann Arbor Dance for Mother Earth Powwow

Preview: Robert Redford+Co. Stomp The Yard

Robert Redford (Now-ish)

Actually, there will probably be no stomping.  Probably some clapping.  Maybe some hoots and hollers.  Our favorite Hollywood stud won’t be there either.  He’s also not the dude you remember from ‘Out of Africa’.  At 73, Robert Redford, the actor turned environmentalist and Sundance Film Festival creator, has decided to take his baby to the people.  On Thursday night, from a prerecorded video, Redford will address the 1700 seat, sold-out crowd at the Michigan Theater. For the first time in its history, Redford will introduce Sundance to the rest of the country.  As part of the new Sundance USA program, Sundance will leave its lush quarters in Park City, Utah and present films across the country.  On Thursday, Ann Arbor will join the ranks of Boston, New York, Chicago, L.A., San Francisco, Madison, and Nasheville in welcoming a film from this year’s Sundance Film Festival- along with the film’s directors.

Thursday’s film is “Cyrus”, a new comedy from brothers Jay and Mark Duplass.  Sundance tells us to expect to feel “a tingling, irresistible experience of utter discomfort”.  This discomfort with the discomfort of trying to decide who gets the armrests in a sold-out theater only sounds comforting to me.

Thursday, January 28.  7:30 pm. More info here: http://www.michtheater.org/sffusa.  Tickets are sold out but, like anything in this fair town, you can find a way to get in.  Check the box office day of, talk to craigslist, do what you gotta do. Sold out movie theaters are too fun.  Until then,  Bennett