Page 31 - Aruba Today 25 April 2015
P. 31
A30
PEOPLE & ARTSSaturday 25 April 2015
Iraqi boy’s dream of becoming dancer defied threats, borders
SAM McNEIL In this Thursday, April 16, 2015 photo, Adil Faraj waits backstage for the cue to begin his final cinema.
Associated Press Faraj said Iraq no longer
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — As rehearsal before his on-stage debut at the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival in Amman, feels like home, though he
a boy in pre-war Baghdad, returned to Baghdad this
Adil Faraj dreamed of Jordan. week to finish a law degree.
becoming a dancer, “If there were no problems
inspired by a Michael Associated Press in Iraq with dance and
Jackson performance he people liked dance, then
watched on DVD. is like a dream.” In the 1960s and 1970s, dance community I would have no problem
For over a decade, he being there,” he said. “But
pursued his passion despite It was a long journey from music and the arts was gutted by violent that isn’t so and I can’t
daunting challenges and imagine any other solution
harassment by strangers his tiny Baghdad bedroom flourished in the then sectarianism, including the than to leave Iraq ... I will
and police. He taught come back to teach and
himself by moving to dance to the Amman stage — the relatively secular country. emergence of Sunni and dance, but I will never
videos in his cramped permanently return there.”
family home — hiding from last stretch helped along After the 1991 Gulf War, in Shiite religious extremists In Baghdad, Faraj’s parents
a conservative society are proud but said it was
scornful of the art form by the New York City-based which a U.S.-led coalition who rejected many forms sometimes difficult to have
and from the chaos that an aspiring dancer as a
engulfed Iraq after the U.S.- Battery Dance Company dislodged Iraqi troops of art and threatened son.
led invasion in 2003. When they heard about
Last weekend, the sweat that mentored him through from Kuwait, the space for artists, said Waleed Shamil, the dancing, some relatives
and tears paid off when the and neighbors appealed
now 22-year-old performed lessons via Skype and artistic expression shrank a history professor in the to his father, Qais, to get
on stage for the first time, him to stop it.
to a packed house at the brought him to Jordan. due to Saddam Hussein’s town of Dohuk in Iraq’s “Some of them expressed
Amman Contemporary their objection and
Dance Festival in the The young dancer’s embrace of more religious autonomous northern approached me so that I
Jordanian capital. could convince him to give
After his solo — machine-like struggle highlights the themes and U.N. sanctions Kurdistan region. up,” said the elder Faraj,
moves to the haunting Gary who sells air conditioners
Jules’ song “Mad World” decline of the arts in Iraq that prompted artists to flee Baghdad, a city of 7 million, in Baghdad’s commercial
mixed with break dancing district of Karrada.
— the audience erupted in after years of political abroad. now has only three theaters “I severed ties with some
applause, and Faraj raised of them, while some of
his fists triumphantly before upheaval. Iraq’s once vivacious for performances and one them changed their
bowing. opinions when they saw
“I felt tremendous joy,” he his successes and are now
said, his chiseled frame encouraging him,” said the
sweaty after the dance. “It 50-year-old father.
Glenn Close, Lena Dunham strike emotional chord at event
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY affective disorder, and she trade. Actress Rachel Weisz
AP Entertainment Writer recalled that her mother, shared success stories
NEW YORK (AP) — Using who died two months ago, She praised GEMS for from the Opportunity
her own family and Robin struggled with depression. Network, which provides
Williams as an example, a As she fought through championing those girls, support for underprivileged
tearful Glenn Close urged tears, Close said, “Whoopi, backgrounds so they can
some of the most powerful I feel Robin here today. and recalled when she get a college degree.
women in entertainment to He would be whispering in Colbie Smulders received
help society shed its fear of my ear, ‘A couple of jokes too was in a vulnerable a special Samsung Galaxy
those fighting mental illness would help right now.’” Edge Award for her work
in an emotional speech Williams, Close’s co-star in situation. “When I was with the Oceana group
Friday at Variety’s Power of “The World According to (Trisha Yearwood, Ava
Women luncheon. Garp,” committed suicide raped, I felt powerless. I DuVernay and Emmy
Close was among the last year. Referencing Rossum got separate
honorees, who also Williams and others who felt my value had been Barbie honors).
included Kim Kardashian have killed themselves, Goldberg, who was cited
and Whoopi Goldberg. Close said: “We have determined by someone for her support of Figure
Close’s speech was a lost so many.” She urged Skating in Harlem, brought
tear-jerker for many in the support of the mentally ill else, someone who sent laughter to the event,
crowd. She started off with through her charity, Bring noting it ran a bit long
a joke: “As an actress, I’ve Change2Mind. me the message that body (three hours) and admitting
terrified men, and I’ve Lena Dunham, who also it wasn’t exactly her thing.
certainly terrified children, was honored, talked about was not my own my choices “We don’t need to talk
but I have yet to terrify her experience as a rape about it — do it,” she said.
women. Contrary to the survivor and how it led were meaningless,” she “Women are not good at
cliche, there’s little that her to support GEMS, an helping each other, we talk
frightens us.” organization that helps girls said. “It took years to (stuff) about women like
But she went on to talk caught in the sex trafficking that.
recognize my personal
Glenn Close attends Variety’s worth was not tied to my
Power of Women Luncheon at
Cipriani Midtown on Friday, assault, that the voices
April 24, 2015, in New York.
Associated Press telling me I deserved this
about how the specter of were phantoms, they were
mental illness scares her
most, and the need for liars.” Kardashian choked
greater awareness. Her
sister has been diagnosed up as she talked about her
with bipolar disorder,
her nephew has schizo- late father, famed attorney
Robert Kardashian,
who died of cancer. His
death, she said, led her to
become a supporter of the
Children’s Hospital in Los
Angeles.
PEOPLE & ARTSSaturday 25 April 2015
Iraqi boy’s dream of becoming dancer defied threats, borders
SAM McNEIL In this Thursday, April 16, 2015 photo, Adil Faraj waits backstage for the cue to begin his final cinema.
Associated Press Faraj said Iraq no longer
AMMAN, Jordan (AP) — As rehearsal before his on-stage debut at the Amman Contemporary Dance Festival in Amman, feels like home, though he
a boy in pre-war Baghdad, returned to Baghdad this
Adil Faraj dreamed of Jordan. week to finish a law degree.
becoming a dancer, “If there were no problems
inspired by a Michael Associated Press in Iraq with dance and
Jackson performance he people liked dance, then
watched on DVD. is like a dream.” In the 1960s and 1970s, dance community I would have no problem
For over a decade, he being there,” he said. “But
pursued his passion despite It was a long journey from music and the arts was gutted by violent that isn’t so and I can’t
daunting challenges and imagine any other solution
harassment by strangers his tiny Baghdad bedroom flourished in the then sectarianism, including the than to leave Iraq ... I will
and police. He taught come back to teach and
himself by moving to dance to the Amman stage — the relatively secular country. emergence of Sunni and dance, but I will never
videos in his cramped permanently return there.”
family home — hiding from last stretch helped along After the 1991 Gulf War, in Shiite religious extremists In Baghdad, Faraj’s parents
a conservative society are proud but said it was
scornful of the art form by the New York City-based which a U.S.-led coalition who rejected many forms sometimes difficult to have
and from the chaos that an aspiring dancer as a
engulfed Iraq after the U.S.- Battery Dance Company dislodged Iraqi troops of art and threatened son.
led invasion in 2003. When they heard about
Last weekend, the sweat that mentored him through from Kuwait, the space for artists, said Waleed Shamil, the dancing, some relatives
and tears paid off when the and neighbors appealed
now 22-year-old performed lessons via Skype and artistic expression shrank a history professor in the to his father, Qais, to get
on stage for the first time, him to stop it.
to a packed house at the brought him to Jordan. due to Saddam Hussein’s town of Dohuk in Iraq’s “Some of them expressed
Amman Contemporary their objection and
Dance Festival in the The young dancer’s embrace of more religious autonomous northern approached me so that I
Jordanian capital. could convince him to give
After his solo — machine-like struggle highlights the themes and U.N. sanctions Kurdistan region. up,” said the elder Faraj,
moves to the haunting Gary who sells air conditioners
Jules’ song “Mad World” decline of the arts in Iraq that prompted artists to flee Baghdad, a city of 7 million, in Baghdad’s commercial
mixed with break dancing district of Karrada.
— the audience erupted in after years of political abroad. now has only three theaters “I severed ties with some
applause, and Faraj raised of them, while some of
his fists triumphantly before upheaval. Iraq’s once vivacious for performances and one them changed their
bowing. opinions when they saw
“I felt tremendous joy,” he his successes and are now
said, his chiseled frame encouraging him,” said the
sweaty after the dance. “It 50-year-old father.
Glenn Close, Lena Dunham strike emotional chord at event
NEKESA MUMBI MOODY affective disorder, and she trade. Actress Rachel Weisz
AP Entertainment Writer recalled that her mother, shared success stories
NEW YORK (AP) — Using who died two months ago, She praised GEMS for from the Opportunity
her own family and Robin struggled with depression. Network, which provides
Williams as an example, a As she fought through championing those girls, support for underprivileged
tearful Glenn Close urged tears, Close said, “Whoopi, backgrounds so they can
some of the most powerful I feel Robin here today. and recalled when she get a college degree.
women in entertainment to He would be whispering in Colbie Smulders received
help society shed its fear of my ear, ‘A couple of jokes too was in a vulnerable a special Samsung Galaxy
those fighting mental illness would help right now.’” Edge Award for her work
in an emotional speech Williams, Close’s co-star in situation. “When I was with the Oceana group
Friday at Variety’s Power of “The World According to (Trisha Yearwood, Ava
Women luncheon. Garp,” committed suicide raped, I felt powerless. I DuVernay and Emmy
Close was among the last year. Referencing Rossum got separate
honorees, who also Williams and others who felt my value had been Barbie honors).
included Kim Kardashian have killed themselves, Goldberg, who was cited
and Whoopi Goldberg. Close said: “We have determined by someone for her support of Figure
Close’s speech was a lost so many.” She urged Skating in Harlem, brought
tear-jerker for many in the support of the mentally ill else, someone who sent laughter to the event,
crowd. She started off with through her charity, Bring noting it ran a bit long
a joke: “As an actress, I’ve Change2Mind. me the message that body (three hours) and admitting
terrified men, and I’ve Lena Dunham, who also it wasn’t exactly her thing.
certainly terrified children, was honored, talked about was not my own my choices “We don’t need to talk
but I have yet to terrify her experience as a rape about it — do it,” she said.
women. Contrary to the survivor and how it led were meaningless,” she “Women are not good at
cliche, there’s little that her to support GEMS, an helping each other, we talk
frightens us.” organization that helps girls said. “It took years to (stuff) about women like
But she went on to talk caught in the sex trafficking that.
recognize my personal
Glenn Close attends Variety’s worth was not tied to my
Power of Women Luncheon at
Cipriani Midtown on Friday, assault, that the voices
April 24, 2015, in New York.
Associated Press telling me I deserved this
about how the specter of were phantoms, they were
mental illness scares her
most, and the need for liars.” Kardashian choked
greater awareness. Her
sister has been diagnosed up as she talked about her
with bipolar disorder,
her nephew has schizo- late father, famed attorney
Robert Kardashian,
who died of cancer. His
death, she said, led her to
become a supporter of the
Children’s Hospital in Los
Angeles.
