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Deborah Mauldin performing Japanese Butoh

ChoosePeace.info's final City Ride of Alabama EarthFest 2006, the World Tour of Birmingham, brought a taste of culture on a beautiful sunny day! Hosted in conjunction with the Birmingham International Festival, we traveled between four countries; India, Japan, Ireland and Morocco and were welcomed with some incredible performances and a taste of each country courtesy of TRIA Market.

For more of this photographic journey click "read more" -->

Our world tourists began our journey at the Birmingham International Festival Center whose photographic display of Nigeria was complemented by a wonderful offering of Nigerian sesame cookies and ginger coolers by Sojourns.

World Tourists parking at the Birmingham International Festival Center

As our world tourists began arriving, we were caressed by the gentle tunes of the Japanese Shamisan by Ladonna Smith.

Ladonna Smith plays the Japanese Shamisan

Our first country we visited was India where we were greeted by the Natyananda Dance Company who performed in the Birmingham International Festival Center. The performance, directed by Sheila Rubin, mixed East Indian dance with explanations of the meanings of the dances and aspects of dance movements. The movements of the hands, eyes and body helped to weave together and communicate stories from India that mesmerized our world tourists!

A Greeting from India


the Deities


Natyananda dancers

Our next destination was Japan and our world tourists hopped on our bikes and trikes and headed towards Avondale Park. We were then greeted by renowned Japanese Butoh dancer, Deborah Mauldin. Deborah is the president of the American Dance Guild and is the first non-New York City president of this organization in its 50 year history. With SI Reasoning presenting the music backdrop, Deborah performed a butoh piece depicting the life of a japanese woman from young maiden, through child birth, the growth of her children and on through old age and the end of life.

Deborah Mauldin and SI Reasoning perform "life"


birthing during Butoh performance


Deborah Mauldin and SI Reasoning


world tourists group photo in Japan

world tourists on their way to Ireland

Ireland awaits our world tourists after a nice cycle to Underwood Park. We were most fortunate as our Irish fiddler, James Wood played a few dancin' tunes fer our young maidens of the Drake School of Irish Dance.

James Wood and Irish dancers


Irish girls a' leapin





hook before ye, hook behind ye


Let ye all be Irish

Final stop of our tour brings us to Morocco, where we are treated to music of the Berber tribe. Joining in was John Scalici and Get Rhythm! who also led off with some world drumming to greet our world tourists as they arrive at Kelly Ingram Park.

Get Rhythm! world drumming greets our world tourists


SI Reasoning welcomes the world tourists to Morocco


John Scalici, Zoubair and SI Reasoning perform Berber tribal music


Zoubair and SI Reasoning on flute


SI Reasoning entranced


SI & Zoubair


Moroccan finale


Special thanks go to the following people and organizations for making the World Tour of Birmingham such a wonderful adventure:

TRIA Market for the wonderful taste of the world
SI Reasoning, Mary Puckett and ChoosePeace.info
Elizabeth Elgin and Alabama EarthFest
Margaret Karpeles and the Birmingham International Festival
Melissa Kendrick and Sojourns
Ladonna Smith and her shamisan
Shiela Rubin and the Natyananda School of Dance
Deborah Mauldin and the American Dance Guild
Katie Cox and the Drake School of Irish Dance
John Scalici and Randy Crowe of Get Rhythm!
Zoubair