/// ECLECTIC
May Eclectic Events
BY AUDRIA LARSEN
LATIN AMERICANS UNITED FOR PROGRESS
FIESTA Holland Civic Center, Holland
May 4–5 FREE!
laup.org, (616) 392-5058
The annual Latin Americans United for Progress (LAUP) Fiesta brings a rollicking 20,000 event goers each year celebrating Latin American culture in the Holland area. This two-day event celebrates culture with many food and entertainment offerings. Live music and dance performances showcase local talent, the car show boasts snazzy lowriders and of course, the crowning of the annual King and Queen is always a point of interest. The non-profit serves the Hispanic community along with anyone who may benefit from the Spanish language, employment and cultural services. Information about these services will be available at the fiesta.
DISEASE DETECTIVES Kalamazoo Valley Museum Jan. 21–May 28 FREE!
kalamazoomuseum.org, (269) 373-7990
If you happen to think Ebola is cool (blood ooz- ing from every orifice … what’s not to like?), then this exhibit is for you. This hands-on exhibition lets you dive into the world of infec- tious disease fighting, albeit safely. Interact with
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ailing mannequins, take their temperatures and diagnose them. Explore enormous 3-D microbes, wield giant cotton swabs and test your pathetic hand washing skills. Yes, you! Flip books, case studies and other activities provide insight to the world of disease usually discussed only through sensationalist news stories. Bird flu! Swine Flu! Mosquitoes from hell! Become com- mander of your viral universe and relax a little.
CHAIRMANIA: FANTASTIC
MINIATURES Grand Rapids Public Museum Launches March 31 Free with general admission
grmuseum.org, (616) 929-1700
Perhaps in honor of the notable furniture his- tory of Grand Rapids, the world-renowned designer, George Beylerian, gifted his collection of miniature chairs to the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Described as “miniatures possessing a monumental presence,” these wee objects highlight the artistry and the potential of a practical, everyday object like a chair when presented as a unique form. More than tiny, wooden versions of human sized chairs, these miniatures are crafted out of various miscellany including ticket stubs, playing cards, buttons and even gum wrappers. Beylerian has a coffee table book, bearing the same title as the local ex- hibit. But, photos generally pale in comparison to experiencing the real thing up close. Take a gander and rethink where you rest your booty. n
Cirque du Soleil presents: QUIDAM
C
IRQUE DU SOLEIL IS BACK with the stunning production Quidam. The show premiered in 1996 under the Big Top and has recently undergone a remark- able transformation into a travelling arena show. Fabrice Lemire, artistic director and renowned dance master, who led the remount of the new show, discussed
revamping a venture of incredible proportions and the magical appeal of live entertainment. “Sixty percent of the cast is brand new,” Lemire said. While the arena shows last a few days, Big Top shows set up camp in one location for
five to six weeks, providing a stable setting for circus families. But putting on a production in arenas has benefits despite the added workload. “I find it magical, because [of the fabric of the] Big Top, the
sound of the piece sometimes gets lost in the space,” Lemire said. “In this venue, we have surround sound and the sound quality is a lot better. And we can isolate different musical moments, something we couldn’t do in the Big Top.” While the story of Quidam is the same, Lemire said basically
everything had to be redesigned. But, the artistry of Cirque du Soleil persists and continues to capture audiences. “[It’s] very unique, [possessing] a wow factor with a high
Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids May 30-June 3, show times at 1, 3:30, 5 and 7:30 p.m. $37.50-$97.50 /
vanandelarena.com, (616) 742-6600
level of acrobatics and a high level of emotion and peaks and valleys,” Lemire said. Quidam is the fanciful world that a young girl named Zoë dreams up as means of escape. “For me, she is in her own head, she never leaves home. She is thinking outside the
box,” Lemire said. The appeal of her character is the transition she goes through that everyone can relate to. “She sees these people [acrobats, aerialists, et cetera] and they could be her,” said Lemire.
“Which way is she going to go?” “I think we always go back to the entertainment” Lemire added. “[With] performing art,
you take [the audience] on a journey, something they don’t do every day. That’s what Cirque has created for 25 years, you go there and dream.”
Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam Photo: Matt Beard, Costume: Dominique Lemieux
SCHEDULE | DINING | SIGHTS | SOUNDS SCENE
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