Downtown Arts + Science Salon.
& Downtown News.
Welcome
Coming up in May: Fencing.
The Art and Science of Fencing
An introductory lesson with an Olympic fencing champ.
Fencing boils down to touching and not being touched, as Moliere defined it.
Sword fighting goes back to the dawn of time, samurais, Romans, and, of course, the sword made it to America along with the cross, the Spanish language, and germs for which natives had no immunity.
Zorro, the California noblemen we all know used the sword in duel after duel to soften the morality of nice Catholic women. “The ultimate immorality for women was sex,” from Curiosities, “even thinking about it was sinful, but Zorro undressed women with two or three swift movements of the wrist, yes, fencing is all in the wrist.” An unforgettable night of improvised duels.
DATE & PLACE TBA.
More information at Magazine DASS
April 13, 7 pm. Community Salon.
What is a Community?
What role do citizens play in building a community? And government, higher education, the arts, urbanism? The Salon features Miami-Dade County Commissioner Eileen Higgins, the only Downtowner elected official, the President of Miami Dade College, the Wolfson Campus, Beatriz Gonzalez, and the distinguished architect and urbanist Juan Mullaret. Moderator: Raul Guerrero, Academic Curator DASS, and Editor Downtown News.
The Salon is divided in four sections, plus a musical bonus at intermission.
1. Urbanism. Integrating society through urban design, making downtown more pedestrian and transit oriented. Neighborhoods more connected. Mix-use urban centers as opposed to shopping malls, and emphasis on street-level shops. Also address parks and streets as community centers and venues.
2. Government and community participation. Community feedback to draft policies. Conducting needs assessment surveys. Covid-19 and the Vaccine, community mechanisms for dissemination of information.
3. Musical Bonus. An exclusive jazzy arrangement of John Lennon’s song Imagine for piano and voice, performed by soprano Ria Iparraguirre.)
Check video of performance @ Magazine DASS.
4. Urban colleges. Their increasing importance, from civic participation and democracy (citizenship) to creating qualified labor force. Downtown is experiencing an influx of high-tech and finance companies, what role does MDC play in reskilling and career enhancement for the changing work market? What areas of training are available beyond the traditional hospitality, health and technical skills?
5. Art and culture as catalysts of community cohesiveness. Developing a sense of local identity, fostering a shared vision—essential for building community, and nurturing health and well-being. Bring together different demographic groups. Young and old, poor and affluent. The role libraries, arts facilities, museums, and entertainment venues play.
About Downtown Arts + Science Salon (DASS)
The motto is simple: Rediscover the art of conversation over a glass of wine, or two. Salons take place in downtown’s iconic venues. For now, however, the safety of Zoom must do, and the comfort of one’s home.
No politics. No private agendas. Just intelligent conversation.