February Highlights

Jim “Texas Shorty” Chancellor

University Folklore Society
44th Annual Folk Festival
Friday, Feb. 6 through Sunday, Feb. 8
All evening concerts will take place in Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St., and other activities will be held in Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th St. Concert tickets are $7-20. 702-9793. http://www.uofcfolk.org.
The Folklore Society’s 44th Annual Folk Festival will bring a wide variety of well-known folk musicians to campus for three days of folk concerts, workshops and jam sessions. Highlights include Irish champion fiddler Liz Carroll; Jim “Texas Shorty” Chancellor, known for his jazzy genre of Texas swing; the bluegrass ensemble Bob Paisley and the Southern Grass; Cootie Stark, considered one of the last authentic Piedmont blues guitarist/singers; the Reed Island Rounders, an old-time music string band; and Dusty Brown, a blues harmonica player. Concerts will be held at Mandel Hall at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6; 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7; and 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8. Other activities include free jam sessions, dancing and workshops, held in Ida Noyes Hall.

Jonathan Alter, senior editor of Newsweek

The Chicago Society
Newsweek Panel Discussion
5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18
University Gleacher Center, 450 N. Cityfront Plaza Dr. Free, but those interested must pre-register by e-mailing iand@uchicago.edu.
Some of the country’s top political analysts and policy-makers will address key questions regarding the upcoming presidential campaign, the Democratic primaries and the role of Illinois’ younger voters in a panel discussion for College students. Panelists will include Jonathan Alter, senior editor of Newsweek, Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, and Congressman Rahm Emmanuel, a former senior aide in the Clinton administration. President Randel will introduce the panel, and John Brehm, Professor and Chair of Political Science and an expert on public opinion and political psychology, will moderate. Following the panel discussion, Brehm will moderate a question-and-answer session with panelists and students. The College will provide free bus transportation for College students to the event, where dinner will be provided.

The Human Rights Program
Human Rights Film Series: “Justice And/Or Reconciliation”
7 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 8, Feb. 15 and Feb. 22
Oriental Institute, 1155 E. 58th St. 834-0957. Free.
In the second concert of the University of Chicago Presents Chamber Music Series, the Brentano Focusing on the theme of “Justice And/Or Reconciliation,” this series will include a variety of films followed by guest speakers. Sunday, Feb. 8, When the War Is Over (2002), a film dealing with the after-effects of the South African struggle against apartheid, will be shown, and Prexy Nesbitt, an activist and scholar on southern Africa, will speak. My Terrorist (2002), a documentary that questions the meaning of forgiveness and hate, the inevitability of violence, and the chance of reconciliation between the Palestinians and Israelis, will be screened at 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15, followed by speaker Judy Hoffman, Instructor in the Committee on Cinema & Media Studies. At 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, a screening of Gacaca: Living Together Again in Rwanda? (2002), which explores the new form of citizen-based justice aimed at unifying a scarred Rwanda, will be followed by a speaker.

University Ballet
“A Tribute to Balanchine”
8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13 and Saturday, Feb. 14
Mandel Hall, 1131 E. 57th St. 702-7300. http://uballet.uchicago.edu. $5. Tickets go on sale at the the Mandel Hall box office Monday, Feb. 9.
The University Ballet will present this program of selected works by George Balanchine, considered one of the greatest choreographers of the 20th century. The performance will include excerpts from Apollo, Stars and Stripes, Who Cares?, and all of Walpurgisnacht Ballet. Balanchine, who choreographed more than 400 dance pieces, served as ballet master of the New York City Ballet from 1948 until his death in 1983.