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Paulo Padilha and Group are ready to take on the Midwest!

By Ken Carlson

Who can tell that Paulo Padilha and Group just finished 12 hours of travel from Sao Paulo to Minneapolis/St. Paul? Don’t they look great? Here, the group members are feeling pretty good because they all have shiny, new Wells Fargo bank accounts with even a little cash in the accounts!

The ensemble arrived on Thursday, September 25th to start work the next day with workshops in two St. Paul schools and a public concert Saturday night at The Cedar Cultural Center.

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Paulo Padilha at the Cedar Cultural Center

By Emily Anderson

Though today is the first official day of fall, here in Minneapolis we’re counting the start of the season as September 27, when Arts Midwest World Fest kicks off with Paulo Padilha and Group at one of our most beloved local venues, The Cedar Cultural Center!

We’ve been enjoying the swing and distinctive beats of samba all summer with Paulo Padilha and Group’s lighthearted and catchy tunes, and we can’t wait to see them live.

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Cuisine from the Yunnan Province

By Arts Midwest & Shanren

When you think of Chinese food, you probably think of the classic Chinese-American dishes found in most Chinese restaurants in the United States—like Sesame Chicken, Kung Pao Beef, or Cashew Chicken. While those are certainly delicious, they are also more distinctly American than you might realize.

For example, broccoli, carrots, and onions are all staples in a Chinese restaurant located in the United States, but none of those ingredients are common in China.

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Paulo Padilha and Group arriving from Brazil

Paulo Padilha and Group arrive in the U.S. later this month from Brazil, and we can’t wait to see them perform! The band is fun and upbeat, with a great sense of humor.

Their fall tour starts in Minneapolis at The Cedar Cultural Center on Saturday, September 27th, and takes the band through South Dakota, Iowa, North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

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3M and Arts Midwest World Fest: Celebrating a decade of partnership

Since 2003, 3M has been a major supporter of Arts Midwest World Fest. During our decade of partnership with the company, we have brought diverse, international musical ensembles to 18 different 3M communities across the Midwest.

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Capoeira from Brazil

By Emily Anderson

You may have heard of capoeira referred to as a Brazilian martial art, but it actually bears a striking resemblance to breakdancing. Set to music and practiced in a ring of spectators, opponents “face off” in a mix of choreographed dance steps, tumbling moves, and high kicks.

It is highly entertaining to watch but often raises the question, “Is it a dance or a fighting style?” In short, capoeira is both. This video is slowed down to show the complexity of the movements and the incredible agility and strength required.

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Recipe: Brigadeiro from Brazil

By Anna Keyes

We welcome this guest post by Anna Keyes, part of the Arts Midwest extended family and our resident expert on Brazilian language and culture. Anna spent a year studying and living with families in Brazil and maintains close ties there.

Where American birthdays have cake, Brazilian birthdays have brigadeiro. These sweet chocolate treats are a favorite around the country, and it’s easy to see why. They are reminiscent of chocolate fudge, but with a flavor all their own—and they only require four ingredients!

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Pu-erh Tea

By Ken Carlson

“I wouldn’t trade my [you fill in the blank] for all the tea in China.” We’ve probably all heard someone utter this phrase at some point. China is well-known for its rich and diverse history of tea, and Pu-erh Tea—produced primarily in mountainous Yunnan Province—is one of the most celebrated of China’s teas.

Yunnan Province is located in Southwestern China and is home to Shanren, a musical group touring this fall as part of Arts Midwest World Fest.

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Community Profile: Hanover, Indiana

By Ken Carlson

Hanover, Indiana has several claims to fame, but one of the most celebrated is undoubtedly Logan’s Point or more commonly “The Point.” Located on the campus of Hanover College, the Point is the only place along the Ohio River that three of the river’s bends can be viewed from one location. This picturesque spot is one of the most frequently painted and photographed natural landscapes in Indiana.

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Community Profile: Midland, MI

By Ken Carlson

Pull out a map, and you’ll see that Midland, Michigan is located near the crook of the thumb of the Michigan “mitt.” It’s in the region commonly referred to as the Great Lakes Bay Region, with the cities of Saginaw and Bay City close by.

If you visited Midland in the 1850s, you would have discovered riverbanks lined with Chippewa Indian Wickiups, round huts made of bent saplings and covered with skins and bark. Perhaps you would have come across a Native American hunting or fishing while others worked crops of corn, squash, gourds, and pumpkins.

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