A preview for Artsburst Miami about the upcoming Zun Zun Children Fest, October 1st, presented by FUNDarte.

ZUN ZÚN FEST: A CELEBRATION OF ARTS EDUCATION AND DIVERSITY FOR CHILDREN

Text originally published by Artburst.

Photo: by FUNDarte

WRITTEN BY: EVA SILOT BRAVO

In the last 15 years, Miami residents have witnessed the city’s steady transformation into an international urban hub with the customary arrival of communities from all over. Together with the controversial impact of large-scale real state ventures that prompted that expansion, there’s been a significant shift in the diversity, frequency and depth of the cultural options available to Miamians in any given season, which is still often overlooked.

An important part of Miami’s cultural options has been spawned by the local non-profit sector, in organizations such as FUNDarte, a pioneer in creating multicultural spaces to present top-notch international and local talent on a regular basis.

The upcoming 2016 Zun Zún Children Fest opening Saturday, Oct. 1, presented by FUNDarte, is an example. The line-up and performances were chosen to promote the production of art for children. That is the case of multi Grammy nominee, singer/songwriter and author Rita Rosa Ruesga, who will perform with composer, singer and author Robbi Kumalo and New York-based musician and world music performer Luchy Kalanraty. The festival also features the New York theater company Teatro SEA/Society of Educational Arts.

SEA is a bilingual institution committed to providing a combination of arts-in-educational theater and workshops for Latin communities for more than 20 years. Says Manuel Morán, the company’s CEO, “It has always been important that children who came from Latin America, like those who were born here, know about their culture."

For the Zun Zún Fest, SEA is presenting the inspirational musical “My SuperHero: Roberto Clemente,” a play written and directed by Morán about a boy named Bobby who shows up to school, on a “superhero day,” dressed up as legendary Puerto Rican baseball player and humanitarian Roberto Clemente. Clemente died on one of his trips to Nicaragua in 1972, on his way to help survivors after the impact of an earthquake. For Morán, “this type of personality passes very often under the table without any or no recognition.” His choice to adapt Clemente’s story was largely motivated to “teach children that Latin-American countries and Latin communities have important people, ‘living legends’ that inspire the human heart beyond fiction.” By doing that, the piece attempts to redefine mainstream stereotypes about superheroes and instill in children self-respect and confidence.

“Superheroes do not always have supernatural powers,” says Morán. “Our main purpose is that children feel proud of their roots and we want to make them conscious that they also have the tools to be superheroes.”

With a similar focus on educating children on the richness of Latin and Latin-American cultures, the other acts presented by Zun Zún Fest this year encompasses music, theater, poetry reading, puppet shows and audiovisuals. In the case of Ruesga’s music performance, she dialogues with Afro-Caribbean references. Reflecting on what audiences can expect from her upcoming performance, Ruesga says: “I love to integrate different percussion instruments to my musical arrangements because the rhythm patterns are very well received by children, as well as the visual image of those folk instruments. Adding those rhythms and musical instruments to my songs for children is the best way I have to pass them on to future generations.”

FUNDarte presents Zun Zún Fest, in partnership with Zunzún Arts and Education and the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, opening Saturday, Oct. 1, 2:00-5:00 p.m., at the Miami-Dade County Auditorium, 2901 W. Flagler St., Miami; Tickets $20 Adults, $5 Children under 14. www.ticketmaster.com; 305 547 5414, 786 348 0789.

The festival’s educational activities include a Colloquium on music and literature for children on September 28, 9:00 a.m.-noon, at Centro Cultural Español; and a music and theater performance for K-5 students on Sept. 30, 10:00 a.m.-noon at Miami-Dade County Auditorium, Mid Stage.