The Cultural Section of the Embassy of Algeria in Washington is pleased to inform the members of the Algerian community living in the United States of America that our country is represented in the “Arabesque: Arts of the Arab World” festival scheduled to take place between February 23 and March 15, 2009, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Algeria will participate through the following cultural events:

Theater - Coopérative Théâtrale Hammou Boutlelis “Married man on Vacation”

The Algerian theater company presents a humorous one-man show written by Mourad Senouci and performed by Samir Bouanani. It’s the hilarious account of the transformation of a man who doesn’t truly appreciate his wife until she goes on vacation. Performed in Arabic with English surtitles.
Sunday, March 1, at 6pm. Millennium stage.

Free, no tickets required.

Dance - Compagnie LA BARAKA: Allegoria Stanza

Compagnie LA BARAKA makes its D.C. premiere with this piece for seven contemporary and three hip hop dancers, set against Charles Picq’s videos of water. Fusing hip hop, contemporary dance, and multimedia visuals to stunning effect, Algerian-French Artistic Director and choreographer Abou Lagraa “does the unexpected.” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)

Tuesday, March 3, at 7:30pm. Terrace Theater.
All seats $25.

Music - Djamel Laroussi: 3 Marabouts

Laroussi and his band combine both western and North African rhythms based on traditional desert music from Sahara. Although the emphasis is Algerian there is a strong understanding of reggae, jazz, hard rock, pop, soul and funk.

Sunday, March 15, at 6pm. Millennium stage.
Free, no tickets required.

Literary program

Writer Anouar Benmalek will take part in the literary panel discussions planned at the Kennedy Center during the festival.

Arab film festival

“Adhen” (Dernier Maquis), a movie by Algerian director Rabah-Ameur Zaïmèche will be presented with five other Arab films selected for the festival. The US premiere of the movie will open March 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the Family Theater. All tickets $8.

Director Rabah-Aimeur Zaïmèche will attend Arabesque to talk about his movie.

Exhibit of Traditional Dresses

During the festival, two Algerian traditional dresses (Constantine and Kabyle styles) will be exhibited at the Kennedy Center’s Hall of States.

The Souk

The Embassy of Algeria will take part in this exhibit/marketplace, which will feature 10 pieces by Algerian calligrapher Aziz Kacimi El Hassani and a few traditional handicraft items.

French Translation

Le Service Culturel de l’Ambassade d’Algérie à Washington a l’honneur d’informer l’ensemble des membres de la communauté algérienne établie aux Etats- Unis d’Amérique que notre pays est représenté au Festival des Arts Arabes « Arabesques : Arts of the Arab World », qui aura lieu, à Washington, du 23 février au 15 mars prochain, au Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, par les manifestations culturelles ci-après ;

- Théâtre  

- Danse

- Musique

- Programme littéraire

- Festival du film arabe

- Exposition des tenues traditionnelles

- Le Souk