Margo Abdo O'Dell and Intermedia Arts present

Evolutions
September 9-12, 2004
Thursday - Saturday at 8:00 PM, Sunday, at 7:00 PM
Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave.S., Mpls., MN 55408
General: $18.00 Students and Seniors: $12.00
Reservations: 612-871-4444
More information: www.margo1.com

Evolutions presents a kaleidoscopic blend of Arabic, Persian, and Turkish music
and a variety of dance pieces inspired by the musical selections. Colorful and
creative, soulful and surprising, this mesmerizing mosaic of music and movement
delights the senses as it explores cross cultural influences and globalization.
Choreographer and Artistic Director Margo Abdo O'Dell named the piece
Evolutions,
as it is an exploration of worldwide changes and of her own artistic journey.

Dancer/choreographer, Margo Abdo O'Dell leads the ensemble of seven local
dancers. Rounding out the ensemble is guest artist Artemis Mourat, who brings
her 30 years of research and performance of Turkish dance to the production.
The
musicians in Evolutions are among the best ethnic musicians in the Twin Cities
including David Burke, Salah Fattah, Pat O'Keefe, Tim O'Keefe, Steve Spaise,
David Stenshoel, MaryAm Yustefedah, and Moez Zakroui. The music in Evolutions
has
been carefully and accurately instrumented to reflect the various regional
styles
within the Middle East as well as allowing for east/west musical fusion.

"Border Crosser" is a multi-media collaboration between filmmaker Michelle
Mehri
Mousavi, musician MaryAm Yusefsadeh and dancer Margo Abdo O'Dell. The theme
was borne out of a desire to define the concept of home as the grounding force
in the shaping of one's identity. For immigrant families crossing borders and
oceans
to build new lives, one reality is the process of reinventing a sense of
identity
and home on an almost daily basis. Drawing on their collective Iranian and
Lebanese
cultures, against the backdrop of the American experience, this piece explores
the
artists' journey toward a more permanent sense of home.

In "Exotic", musicians and dancers address the evolution of a Hollywood
stereotype. Under consideration is the stereotypic film depiction of Middle
Eastern
dance and Middle Eastern women. It forces a look at exploitation as one result
of
cross-cultural influences and globalization.

The creation of Evolutions has been made possible by funding from
the Jerome Foundation in celebration of the Jerome Hill Centennial and in
recognition of the valuable cultural contributions of artists to society, the
St. Paul
Travelers Foundation and the Arts and Diversity Committee of St. Paul Travelers
through a grant to COMPAS, the Women's Foundation of Minnesota, the Metropolitan
Regional Arts Council from an appropriation by the Minnesota Legislature, and
the
COMPAS/McKnight Community Art Program