Ramzi Salti Interviewed on CHOU Radio 1450 AM

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/1450am

Arabology radio host and Stanford Lecturer Dr. Ramzi Salti was recently interviewed by Maya Waked for her Lebanese radio show which airs on CHOU 1450 AM in Canada. Listen to an excerpt below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/1450am

Pierre Dulaine at Stanford on May 29, 2015 (Noon + 7pm)

Legendary ballroom dancing champion Pierre Dulaine, who stars in the critically acclaimed documentary Dancing in Jaffa documentary (where he brought Arab and Jewish children together through his dancing method) will be at Stanford on May 29, 2015 for two events:  A talk at noon in 30-102 and a 7 pm screening of his film + Q&A with Mr. Dulaine himself in 260-113. See details below.

Co-Sponsored by the Center for Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, The Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, Taube Center for Jewish Studies, The Arab Film Festival, Stanford Language Center, Division of Literatures Cultures and Languages, Department of Comparative Literature, The Department of Theater & Performance Studies (TAPS), ITALIC, Arab Students Association at Stanford, Hillel, Jewish Student Association and a generous artsCatalyst grant by the Stanford Arts Institute.

Lunch event with Pierre Dulaine at the Language Center Building 30-102 at 1-2 pm:
Talk by ballroom dancing legend Pierre Dulaine about his 'Dancing Classrooms' method which he applied in his award winning documentary 'Dancing in Jaffa' to bring Arab and Jewish children together through dance. Mr. Dulaine will speak about the film, his journey into the world of dance and his experience as a Judge on the Arabic version of the TV show 'So You Think You Can Dance.' Talk features audio-visual presentation and free lunch.
See http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/arabreform/events/talk-ballroom-dancing-legend-pierre-dulaine


7 pm screening + Q&A in Building 260-113:
Screening of the award winning documentary 'Dancing in Jaffa' starring Pierre Dulaine who will be in attendance and will participate in a Q&A session following the film. Free and open to the public. Dinner provided. Preceded by short performance by the Stanford Middle East Ensemble.

See http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/arabreform/events/dancing-jaffa-film-screening-and-qa-pierre-dulaine

Pierre Dulaine Bio:

Pierre Dulaine was born in Jaffa, Palestine in 1944 to an Irish father and a Palestinian mother--both of whom fled the area in 1948. After eight months of moving several times, Dulaine's family settled in Amman, Jordan. In 1956, the Suez Crisis forced Dulaine's parents to flee the country, eventually resettling in Birmingham, England. In 1994 Dulaine founded the Dancing Classrooms program in New York City's public schools in which he encouraged children from various backgrounds to dance together. He later traveled to the city of his birth, Jaffa, to visit his childhood home and to make a film,Dancing in Jaffa, where he brought Israeli Arabs and Jews together through dance and music. His life was also fictionalized in the film Take the Lead starring Antonio Banderas. More recently, Pierre Duaine has gained much acclaim in the Arab world for his role as Judge on the Arabic version of the TV show 'So You Think You Can Dance' where he encouraged young Arab men and women to pursue dance as way of dealing with difficult circumstances and certain outdated social taboos.

Trailer: Dancing in Jaffa at https://youtu.be/Y_ctPdWh_PA

TedTalk by Pierre Dulaine at https://youtu.be/MqnbE5WRPEU?t=6m19s

Pierre Dulaine encourages Contestant/Dancer Ahmad Joudeh during 'So You Think You Can Dance' TV Show (Arabia) at https://youtu.be/5acMbA0Mqx0

STANFORD EVENTS:

Info for Noon Event on May 29th in 30-102 at:
http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/arabreform/events/talk-ballroom-dancing-legend-pierre-dulaine

RSVP for 7pm Screening on May 29th in 260-113, see:
http://cddrl.fsi.stanford.edu/arabreform/events/dancing-jaffa-film-screening-and-qa-pierre-dulaine

Review of 'Sin Visa' Film

Sin Visa is an independent, poignant film that broaches the topic of immigration in a powerful, thoughtful and unique way.  At a time when immigrants seem to be systematically portrayed en masse by so many media outlets, this film succeeds in humanizing the immigrant experience by reminding us all of the individuality and uniqueness of every immigrant that has ever crossed the border.

Sensitively written, in Spanish, by Bassam Kassab, this 81-minute drama takes us upon the often horrifying journey of Marco, a 17-year old Mexican who crosses the border in search of work, security, and a better life.  What he finds instead is that the road ahead is filled with treachery, exploitation, and a total lack of humanity.

This is not to say that this film does not offer hope, for the script does introduce us to characters that actually help Marco in overcoming various obstacles while adjusting to his new life.  These multi-ethnic characters serve to underline the need for various immigrant communities to support each other and, as such, offer a fresh and realistic alternative to traditional immigrant narratives.

This film was brilliantly directed by Ana Simoes, nicely edited by Egyptian Director Maher Sabry, and features a moving performance by Edgar-Arturo Camacho-Gonzales in the part of Marco.  That strong lead serves to keep the film on track and enables us to truly understand the real and constant danger that defines the lives of so many immigrants to the US.  The rest of the cast is also quite impressive and, at times,  so believable that one starts feeling that one is watching a real-life documentary instead of a fictional drama.

The film's soundtrack is also quite worthy of praise and includes new songs, in Arabic and Spanish, by Lebanese singing sensation Mike Massy.  Massy's voice is perfectly suited for the kind of  ballads, lamentations and odes that set the somber mood of the film.  One of the songs 'Ya Ummi' (written in Arabic by Bassam Kassab and recorded by Mike Massy) is so heart wrenching that several members of the audience could be heard literally sobbing their hearts out.

This film is highly recommended for anyone who is seeking a different way of broaching the topic of immigration all over the world today.  It contains some scenes that can be disturbing for some but none of these are gratuitous or sensational in nature.  They are, however, quite haunting as one feels the after-effects of this film long after having watched it.

--Reviewed by Ramzi Salti, Ph.D. (Stanford University)

For more info, see http://www.zarcofilms.com/sin-visa.html
For my interview with Bassam Kassab: https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology99#t=15:33

SIN VISA TRAILER: https://youtu.be/3ckqLQlG7Mw


'Ya Immi' by Mike Massy (Sin Visa Soundtrack): https://youtu.be/Z_iNVTo9y9o


PICTURES FROM SIN VISA PREMIERE AT THE ROXIE (SAN FRANCISCO):

Sin Visa Cast at the Roxie

Actor Edgar-Arturo Camacho-Gonzales (left) with singer Mike Massy

Egyptian Director/Editor  Maher Sabry with Sin Visa Director Ana Simoes

Bassam Kassab and Mike Massy at Sin Visa After-Party

3/31 Arabology Podcast Available

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology99

Arabology 9.9 aired on March 31, 2015 and included and interview with Bassam Kassab (who spoke about his film Sin Visa) as well as with 2 Arab women photographers whose work is currently exhibited at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford: Rania Matar and Tanya Habjouka.

The show also premiered a new song by Mike Massy titled 'Ya Immi' as well as Mashrou' Leila's new track called '3 Minutes.'  Other featured singers included Oum (Morocco), Macadi Nahhas (Jordan), Haifa Kamal (Jordan), Maya Waked (Lebanon/Canada), +Aziz (Kuwait), Rim Banna (Palestine), Zein Aljundi (Syria) and Aswat: the Bay Area Arabic Music Ensemble.

Listen to the podcast below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology99

Arabology Interviews Arab Idol Winners

With Hazem Sharif (left) and Haitham Khalaily (right)

A special episode of Arabology 9.8 aired on March 26, 2015 and included an interview with Arab Idol 2014 winners Hazem Sharif (Syria) and Haitham Khalaily (Palestine). Both singers came to Stanford for the interview in which they spoke about their upcoming concert at the Fox Theatre in Redwood City and which takes place on Friday March 27 at 8pm (tickets at  www.foxrwc.com).  They also sang live on the show.

Listen to the segment below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology98

Arabology Podcast Available (March 17, 2015)

Go to https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology97

Arabology 9.7 aired on March 17, 2015 and highlighted gorgeous Sufi music + Oud instrumentals and songs + a live performance by the Stanford Middle East Ensemble. Listen or download below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology97

Arabology Podcast Available (March 3, 2015)

Arabology 9.6 aired on March 3. 2015. Podcast includes Arabic music from North Africa and the Levant; Arabic and English translations by Stanford students of Arabic; Interview with Photographer Najib Joe Hakim; Interview with Jordanian Talk Show Host Jude Jweihan.

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology96

Playlist for Arabology Tuesday, 3 March 2015 1pm - 3pm
1. Generation Bass/ Super Strength/ Cairo Liberation Font Vol 1/GB
2. Gnawa Diffusion/ Ya Laymi/ World Reggae/ Putumayo World Music
3. Labess/ El Kass Yadour/ Identite/ Needlepoint Records
4. Rachid Taha, Now Or Never/ Zoom/ Naive
5. Khaled/ Bab Jenna (Gate Of Heaven)/C'est La Vie/ Universal Music France
6. Souad Massi/ Raoui / Women of Africa/ Putumayo World Music
7. Stanford Students of Arabic (Y1)speak Arabic
8. Badrawies & Hesham Watany/ Sa3at Sa3at/ Single/ NA
9. Luka/ Bashrab Hashish/ El Khayt wal 7ayt Soundtrack/ Directed by Mohamed Khaled
10. Report about 'She Who Tells A Sorry: Women Photographers from Iran and the Arab World' Exhibit at Stanford.
11. Interview with Najib Joe Hakim about his 'Home away from home' Photo Exhibit
12. Ahmet Baglama/ Baglama/ Single/ Ahmet Baglama
13. Hiba Tawaji/ Les moulins de mon coeur (Arabic)/ Watary
14. Maya Hobeika/ Law tiktibli byout / Ward/ Maya Hobeika
15. Interview with Jude Jweihan, Host of 'The Jude Show' (Jordan)
16. Ashraf Sweilem/ Toul Omry/ Toul Omry Soundtrack/ Ilyas Iliyya
17. Khan El Rouh/ Ya Welah/ Ya Welah/ Obay Al-Sha'arani
18. Emel Mathlouthi/ Dhalem (Tyrant)/ Kelmti Horra/ World Village
19. Tania Kassis/ Islamo- Christian Ave/ Single/ Tania Kassis

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology96

Professor Sherene Seikaly at Stanford University

On Feb 17, 2015, Sherene Seikaly (University of California, Santa Barbara) spoke at Stanford University about "Egypt's Bread Intifada: On the Subject of the People." The talk was sponsored by the Abbasi Program in Islamic Studies, the Arab Institute, and CDDRL's Program on Arab Reform and Democracy.

Abstract:
Over the last four years of upheaval in the Arab world, the notion of “the people,” Egyptian and otherwise, has proven profoundly resilient. It is these “people”—as individuals and a collective—that are problematically celebrated as subjects finally fulfilling their long-awaited destiny; dismissed as passive objects duped by external forces and incapable of politics; or incited against as dangerous masses capable of destroying the nation. A return to the historical moment of the “Bread Intifada,” of 1977 interrupts the narrative resilience of the alternating sleep and wakefulness of the Egyptian, and more broadly the Arab people. By engaging 18-19 January 1977 as a moment of politics and popular sovereignty, this project challenges who and what count as political, rational, and legitimate. The role food played in protestors’ and government strategies and demands reveals how basic needs function as a trigger of social upheaval as well as a vehicle of political containment. This project attends to the roles that poverty and hunger play in politics in order to detail critiques of the open door policy. It explores how government officials, journalists, and protestors defined and ultimately contained the “poor” and the “hungry.” More importantly, by studying how protestors narrated and represented themselves and the tools they used to make their claims, this project troubles the construction of the “people.” In so doing, it explores continuity and rupture between 1977 and 2011.

Speaker Bio:




Sherene Seikaly is Assistant Professor of history at the University of California, Santa Barbara. She is the co-editor of the Arab Studies Journal, and co-founder and editor of Jadaliyya e-zine. Seikaly's Men of Capital in Times of Scarcity: Economy in Palestine (Stanford University Press, forthcoming) explores how Palestinian capitalists and British colonial officials used economy to shape territory, nationalism, the home, and the body.

New Music from Tania Saleh & Dina El Wedidi

On the heels of their appearance on last year's Songs From A Stolen Spring, Valley Entertainment is excited to announce the release of new solo albums from Tania Saleh and Dina El Wedidi.

Beirut's Tania Saleh gives us an album about love. On A Few Images (Algumas Imagens), this Lebanese artist looks towards love of the lost and failed variety. This is love seen from a woman's point of view in a region of the world where men rule, where a woman's needs are silenced or suppressed.

Dina El Wedidi is a young singer-songwriter from Cairo who combines fiery contemporary sounds with her roots in Egyptian vocal music. After gaining notoriety in 2011 during the Egyptian Revolution, Dina was selected to join The Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative by famed Brazilian musician Gilberto Gil. Her solo debut, Turning Back, features a collaboration with Gil on the song "The Night (El Liel)". She is currently on tour in the United States with The Nile Project - a collective of East African artists who use their music to inspire, educate, and engage audiences about the region.

Both albums are now available on CD and digital download.See http://www.valley-entertainment.com/

Arabology Podcast Available (Feb 10, 2015)

Arabology 9.5 aired on Feb 10, 2015.  Show spotlighted and discussed the Lebanese indie/alternative music scene + interview with Nicolas Chalhoub whose CD is currently topping the Virgin Megastore charts in Beirut.

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology95

Mashrou' Leila and Yousra El Gendy on BBC TV

Watch report about Mashrou' Leila below or at http://youtu.be/pdGcAB2Q4wg



Watch report about Yousra El Gendy below or at http://youtu.be/9Axeh0etm-U

Arabology Podcast Available (Feb 3, 2015)

https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology94

Arabology 9.4 aired on Feb 3, 2015 and spotlighted gorgeous alternative music from Syria by Hello Psychaleppo!, Kulna Sawa, Omar Offendum, LaTalteh, Gene, Zein Al-Jundi, Joussour, Rasha Rizk, Ibrahim Souleimany, Itar Shameh, Mayada Bselis, Lena Chamamyan, Malek Jandali, Dima Orsho, Twais and Omar Souleyman.

The show also featured interviews with groundbreaking Directors whose films center on Syrian refugees at the Zaatari Camp in Jordan: Faisal Attrache ("Growing Home") and Zaid Baqaeen ("Hotel Zaatari").

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology94

Arabology Podcast Available (Jan 27, 2014)

Arabology 9.3 (Jan 27, 2015)

This Arabology podcast aired Jan 27, 2015 and featured an interview with Dina El Wedidi including song excerpts from her new CD + indie Arabic music from Lebanon (Yasmine Hamdan, Tania Saleh, Nicolas Chalhoub, Charbel Rouhana, Hiba Tawaji) and Palestine (Huda Asfour, Haifa Kamal, Frank Gelat); Libya (Poem by Rodaina El Filali); and Tunisia (Mounir Troudi + Erik Truffaz, Gultrah Sound System); and Sudan (Alsarah and the Nubatones); and Jordan (Macadi Nahhas); and Egypt (Zig Zag, Massar Egbari, Ahmed Rock).

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology93

Arabology Podcast Available (Jan 20, 2015)

The third episode of the 9th season of  Arabology episode aired on Jan 20, 2015 and includes interview with Jordanian singer Haifa Kamal featuring excerpts from her new Denya CD + Mahmoud Darwish biography and poetry set to music + Jewish singers singing in Arabic.

Listen or download below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology92

Jan 13 Arabology Podcast Available

The 9th season of Arabology premiered on KZSU 90.1 FM on January 13, 2015 and included new (indie/alternative) Arabic songs, instrumentals, film reviews and interviews with Pierre Dulaine and Ahmad Joudeh.

Listen below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology-91

Playlist for Arabology Tuesday, 13 January 2015  1pm - 3pm DJ: Ramzi S. Artist (Last name, First) Track Album/Label Maalouf, Ibrahim Beirut Diagnostic Maalouf Hegazi, Ahmed We Create Our Demons Single Fo2-El Sefr Records La Tlateh, Hiba Boov (Boov) Khat Thaleth (Third Rail) Stronghold Sound Kamal, Haifa Denya Denya Najati Al Suloh Banna, Rim & Annisette Nami Ya La Aubi (Sleep My Do Lullabies From The Axis Of Evil Valley Entertainment Inc Tarabband Mafi Dai Ya Sidi Tarabband Alsarah & The Nubatones Bilad Aldahb (Gold Country) Silt Wonderwheel Recordings Kateb, Sammy Wala Kelmet Hob Single Sammy Kateb Rouhana, Charbel Forbidden Tashweesh Charbel Rouhana Maraka, Aziz Sme3tek Single Aziz Maraka El Wedidi, Dina Tedawar W'tergaa (Turning Back) Turning Back Valley Entertainment Ramy Essam + Mighty Sam Mcclain Bread, Freedom/ If I Can Dream Songs From A Stolen Spring Valley Entertainment Inc Interview with Pierre Dulaine January 2015 Arabology KZSU Interview with Ahmad Joudeh Dancer on 'So You Think You Can Dance' (Arabia) Arabology KZSU Khabbaz, Georges 'Ghadi' Theme Song Ghadi (Film Soundtrack) Ghadi Hamdan, Yasmine Hal Ya Nass Crammed Discs Boniche, Lili Elli Ghir Trésors De La Musique Judéo-Arabe World Village/ Harmonia Mundi

Listen to podcast below or at https://soundcloud.com/arabology/arabology-91