Submitted photo
Belly dancer Liah Mazz will entertain Saturday at Ethnic Expo.
Liah Mazz figures that if people are truly going to celebrate the local, free Ethnic Expo’s 40th anniversary, their joy should give their exuberance full physical expression.
The Greensburg resident will demonstrate a form of that at 5 p.m. Saturday at the international festival in downtown Columbus. And she will follow at 5:30 p.m. with a tutorial — on her art of Egyptian-style belly dancing, where rhythm is righteous and well, with apologies to Shakira, hips don’t lie.
“I’m so excited to be at Ethnic Expo for so many reasons,” the Brazilian-born Mazz said. “I’m excited to share my culture and collaborate with so many on diversity.”
Some of her area students are expected to join her. The personal trainer teaches dance several days per week at Zen Wellness in Columbus. She has taught belly dancing for more than 20 years.
Expo, featuring an eclectic entertainment lineup from a mariachi band to Taiko drummers, opens at 11 a.m. Friday and runs until 10 p.m. Saturday along First and Washington streets. The event, the brainchild of late city first lady Barbara Stewart in 1984 to allow international residents to share their culture and feel more at home here, attracts an estimated 25,000 people over the two days for food (in the past, as exotic as alligator), music, dance, art, children’s activities and an international bazaar selling everything from clothing to crafts.
City officials and community leaders have emphasized especially in recent years the importance of such events to build a sense of unity in Bartholomew County.
Jody Coffman, the Expo coordinator, recently finalized the festival schedule.
“We are thrilled to present a diverse range of art that celebrates the rich cultural heritage of our incredible community,” Coffman said.
Among returning favorites set to perform is the Cummins Diversity Choir, a volunteer ensemble that in the past has presented everything from traditional spirituals to classic pop such as Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sound of Silence.” Robin Macheel leads the global group that has appeared at gatherings ranging from the Exhibit Columbus symposium opening to joint concerts with the Columbus Indiana Children’s Choir.
The choir has earned substantial applause and positive reactions.
“I just honestly enjoy so much having the chance to work with my colleagues making music,” said Macheel, who studied music at Indiana University. “The diversity choir provides me a mechanism which I otherwise wouldn’t have.”
Entertainment also will include rock-blues-country artist Marisa Fullenkamp, whose cover tunes span Janis Joplin to Green Day to “God Bless America.” Her online bio notes describe the 23-year-old with the soft soprano voice as “an old soul.”
Others on the schedule are old favorites, including the Indianapolis-based Ballet Folklorico Mosaicos, last performing several years ago when Mexico served as Expo’s host country.
And locals will shine, too, when the Columbus-based Southern Indiana Taiko performs at 5 p.m. Saturday. The group has long been popular at Expo and elsewhere locally as it highlights a segment of Asian culture.
The schedule
Friday (three stages)
11 a.m – Food and bazaar booths open, close at 10 p.m.
5 p.m. – Cummins Diversity Choir
5 p.m. – Brazilian belly dancer Liah Mazz, followed by 5:30 p.m. workshop open to all
6 p.m. – Mariachi Sol Jaliscience
8 p.m. – Singer Brett Wiscons
Saturday
11 a,.m. Food and Bazzar booths open, close at 10 p.m.
11 a.m. – Trinibago
12 – Kanoo
1 – Trinibago Steel Drums group
2 – Celtic artist Emily Thompson
3 – Ballet Folklorico Masaicos
3 -Korean crafts
4 – Chinese flutes
5 – Southern Indiana Taiko
5:30 p.m. – Folk artist Kathrine Nag.
8 – Soul singer Bashiri Asad
