Washington Moroccan American Club

Presents 

 Youth Fine Arts Event & Poetry Slam

Saturday, March 13, 2010

4:30 – 7:30 PM

McLean Community Center

1234 Ingleside Ave McLean, VA

Limited Space  –  Register Now

Ages 7- 17

Remember having to memorize and recite classic poems in school?  Inspired by the power of the arts, with an emphasis on the spoken word, WMC is hosting a Fine Arts Event & Poetry Slam. Our hope is that literary pursuits and traditions are encouraged and expanded serving as a source for inspiration and achievement.

Youth, ages 7-17, are invited to choose one of the following submissions to be presented on stage in front of an audience.  Selection should be limited to a maximum ten (10) minute performance time frame. Selections from Moroccan poets/authors or original compositions from participants are strongly encouraged.

·         Original or selected poetry, prose, or short story to be read aloud. Can be presented in English, Moroccan language or French (and should include English translation.)

·         Original Essay:You can write about Morocco: your favorite memories, a story about your grandparents!

·         Performance: Dance / Instrument / Song

·         Original art work: Sculpture, painting, drawing (displayed & presented by artist)

Parents will be asked to escort their children to the stage and introduce them.

 A list of Moroccan “classics” is available upon request.

To Enter:

·         Email Annalisa Assaadi, ajassaadi@gmail.com to receive registration form

·         Complete registration form, Deadline to Register: Feb 28, 2010, email to ajassaadi@gmail.com

·         $15 OPTIONAL registration fee per youth is suggested to cover costs of venue and refreshments

·         All participants will receive a souvenir program and gift of appreciation  

Questions? Annalisa Assaadi, ajassaadi@gmail.com

WMC is committed to strengthening the ties for youth in the American-Moroccan community.  Our goal is to strengthen and highlight our shared heritage, foster the fine arts, and provide an opportunity for friendship and sharing. Please visit www.WMC20.org for a list of 20^th Anniversary events, March 2010!

Event report:

The Youth Fine Arts Event

             The Youth Fine Arts Event (YFAE) was held at the McLean Community Center, Virginia and was one of twenty events organized by the Washington Moroccan American Club in March 2010. The participants in the YFAE were not scholars, intellectuals or famous authors.  They were young promising artists, ages 4-17, from the Moroccan-American community, who recited poetry, conducted aloud readings of Arabic and Amazigh literature sang in Arabic, English and French, played musical instruments, put on a puppet show, and even performed a martial arts demonstration.  In other words, our youthful participants revealed their rich diversity of interests that reflects their combined cultures of Morocco and the U.S.  

            The primary goal of this program, which was covered by Allied Media Mostapha Saout, was to give our Moroccan American children an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic interests and accomplishments while encouraging them to explore their rich cultural heritage and to share what they learn with other children and parents from our community. Videos by famous young Moroccan artists, projected on a large screen welcomed the public to their seats. The program opened with the beautifully sung American national anthem, followed by the Moroccan national anthem played equally beautifully on a baritone horn, and then a recitation of Surat Al Fatiha and Surat Ayat Al Kursi from the Koran. Later in the program other participants recited poems in Arabic or English and told an Amazigh story in Amazigh and English.  Several children performed classical music on the piano and one even sang a Green Day (rock) song accompanied by an electric bass and a drum track.  A student from Ibn Khaldoun Academy captivated the audience with a puppet show while the poetry aspect lived up to its name through the reading of an original, sensitive poem by a high school student.  Closing the performances was a drawing for all the participants. Four of them won a stay in the Cultural Residence for the Benefit of The Moroccan Community Living Abroad, organized each summer by Hassan II Foundation. All of this took place in an auditorium that was decorated with lively works of art created by many of the performers. 

            An important result of this program was to bring Moroccan-American families and others together. This happened in two ways. First, an organizing committee of volunteers was created and began planning the event in February.  This group worked closely together to reach out to generous sponsors and to the larger community, notifying them and encouraging participation by their children.  The organizing committee turned out to be a hard-working and cohesive team that has decided to continue working together for future editions of the YFAE.  Second, the event itself brought together over 80 members of the community who watched the performances and enthusiastically supported the young artists. Many of them expressed the need for more similar programs within our community. The evening concluded in a very cordial atmosphere with everyone sharing tasty  Moroccan and international food donated by dedicated volunteers, while recordings of Moroccan music played in the background. 

Based on feedback from parents of the participants and other members of the audience, the conclusion was drawn that similar cultural programs geared towards children as well as towards families would be more than welcome by the overall community as such cultural programs would encourage more children to explore their Moroccan heritage, help strengthen their mixed cultural identity, and help build a stronger Moroccan American community.