Second Act

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, WLRN has brought you the stories of how South Florida's arts organizations had to change the way they connected with their audiences during shutdowns. Now that the curtain has gone up once again at so many local venues, our reporting series called Second Act will cover the possible lasting impacts of those changes.If you've got a story for us, please send an email to talktous@wlrnnews.org with the words "Second Act" in the subject line.

'Men Who Dance' is back at the Broward Center for its second year

WLRN 91.3 FM | By Christine DiMattei

Published November 24, 2021 at 6:00 AM EST

Photo of Pontus Lidberg against a dark background and wearing a gold chain around his neck — Pontus Lidberg, the artistic director of the Danish Dance Theatre, will be among the featured performers at the Men Who Dance Festival 2021

The end of a COVID-related travel ban means the festival is welcoming international artists this year.

"I wanna be a dancin' man," goes the old song by Harry Warren.

But what does it mean to actually be that guy?

"If you have a young boy in a family who says 'Hey, I want to take some dance classes', a lot of eyebrows may go up," said Rafi Maldonado-Lopez, artistic director of the Inter-American Choreographic Institute (ICI).

"Can we start really figuring out what is this idea of masculinity? What does it mean?," he said.

This coming weekend, ICI will present "Men Who Dance" at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts' Amaturo Theater for the second year in a row.

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The performances — which once again feature dancers from some of South Florida's top companies — seek to confront and deconstruct stereotypes surrounding male dancers. One of the highlights from last year's edition, for example, was two men dancing the tango.

Last fall's "Men Who Dance" was one of the shows that marked the Broward Center’s return to live theater after the pandemic closed it down.

The recent easing of COVID-related travel restrictions means the festival is welcoming international artists. Among them is Pontus Lidberg, artistic director of the Danish Dance Theatre in Copenhagen.

"Men Who Dance" will also feature dancers from Paraguay, Mexico and Brazil.
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IF YOU GO:

Men Who Dance Festival 2021
Presented by the Inter-American Choreographic Institute
8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 27, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28
At the Amaturo Theater at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale

For more information about the performance — and about the theater's COVID-19 safety guidelines — please visit the Broward Center's website.

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This interview is part of WLRN's reporting series called Second Act — an in-depth look at how South Florida's arts organizations have adapted during COVID-19. And how long-lasting those changes might become.

If you've got a story for us, please send an email to talktous@WLRNnews.org — with the words Second Act in the subject line.