This Saturday Fitch and her seven-member female troupe will beat their drums in celebration of women at the first Women and Culture Festival. The South Florida group, whose members hail from Costa Rica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and other rhythmic nations, will perform the takada and music from Ghana, Togo, and Benin.
Women expressing themselves through song will also include M. Renee Prieto, head of Renaissance music group Generica, and singer Karen Jones, well known as the leader of the outstanding Unity Church Choir. In addition, belly dancer Hanan will perform, artist Sonali Echevarris will exhibit her paintings, designer Karelle Levy will showcase her knitted fashions, DJ Majica will hit the decks, actress Amy Baez will emote, and Dinorah de Jesus Rodriguez and Amy Serrano will offer excerpts from their films, about -- what else? -- WOMEN!
"I know a lot of women in our community who are doing great art in a variety of forms but not always getting the right kind of exposure," says event organizer José Elias. A member of the Cuban roots group Conjunto Progreso, Elias is also the man behind the five-year-old Afro-Roots Festival. "The participants are women from different cultural backgrounds who've therefore had different influences," he stresses. "I think of it as a global celebration of women."