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April 23, 2025

Spring 2025

Upcoming shows and some recent inspiration from a San Francisco-based folk dancer and tambourine player

2025 logo black.png

Greetings!

Spring has sprung, and I am happy to be writing to you about dance and music and life even in times that seem pretty out of control. For all the fear that the authoritarian powers, as well as their enablers, both at home and around the world, are causing in their attempts to tamp down our humanity, it is our togetherness and humor and solidarity and care and protection and for each other and for the most persecuted walking and living at our sides that is everything.

I know we are all awash with information and things to read and information overwhelm these days, so this is a quick hello and a seasonal check in to share some upcoming performances as well as a few musical things that have caught my attention lately.

Hang in there and keep in touch. We got this.

Monica

Upcoming Performances

Duo Pizzicato
Earth Day at Alemany Farm
Saturday, April 26
San Francisco, California
1:30 - 2:30pm (lower level stage by the food and greenhouse)
I’m really excited to sit in on percussion with the talented musicians of Duo Pizzicato for some Italian tunes. We’ve had a lot of fun getting to know each other and rehearsing.


Among Cedars and Jasmine
Songs of Lebanon and Syria

Saturday, May 17
7:30 - 10:00pm
San Mateo, California

&

Sunday, June 8
7:00 – 9:30pm
Sacramento, California
Don’t miss Aswat’s Spring concert. The repertoire and material is really beautiful and timely.

Carnival of Stars
Sunday, June 22
1:30pm
Hayward, California
I’ll be performing an early afternoon solo at this BARTable festival.

Lately

A silhoutted figure holding a large tambourine stands in front of the sun rising over a river.
Playing my tamburello by the Mississippi River at sunrise, March 2025. Photo by Tina O.

A man about to be freed from prison dances as his cellmates look on with smiles.
Dance legend Ibrahim Akef dancing for his cellmates in the movie The Charmer, 1958. Click the photo to watch the whole scene.

A close up of two faces singing into microphones, eyes closed.
Canto alla spiga - Enza Pagliara and Dario Muci with some a capella loveliness. Click the photo for a link to the video.

I’m going to stop there. Thanks if you made it this far!

xo/mb

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Join the discussion:
Chava Malka
Apr. 26, 2025, morning

Hi Monica,

I was lamenting that Mondays with Monica were a thing of the past, and an hour or so later I got your last newsletter and read that you plan to teach again. I was so happy. Please put me on the list of eager students. The day doesn't have to be Monday, but you gotta admit, "Monica Mondays" has a certain ring to it.

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Movement, Music, Culture, Joy
Apr. 26, 2025, evening

Hi Chava! I do love some alliteration - Mondays with Monica and Tarantella Tuesdays will both be hard to beat, so why try? ; ) We'll see how it all plays out! ~Monica

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