TAKE ME TO FENDIKA Documentary Screening

Fire Museum Presents Take Me to Fendika is a documentary short film that tells the story of world-renowned Ethiopian dancer Melaku Belay and the cultural center that he runs in Addis Ababa. Fendika is a dynamic art space where artistic tradition is being renewed and where the cutting edge of Ethiopian modernity is being defined on the stage. Take Me to Fendika takes viewers on a journey to meet some of Ethiopia's most exciting artists who have invented their own jazz language informed by centuries of unique musical innovations.

Cisco Bradley is an American historian known for his work on music, migration, and cultural production. He is a professor at the Pratt Institute, where he teaches the history and aesthetics of music from the African diaspora and runs the Music and Migration Lab. Take Me to Fendika is his first documentary film. It is a collaboration with filmmakers and artists in the U.S., Ethiopia, and Sweden. The film focuses on the Fendika Cultural Center and founder, dancer Melaku Belay, as well as a number of active musicians in Addis Ababa. Fire Museum Presents

Fire Museum Presents curates low-cost and free all-ages musical events in Philadelphia that range from traditional to experimental and local to global, including genres that defy boundaries. FMP partners with venues across the city, creating opportunities for our passionate audiences to meet artists in their own neighborhoods. See more at www.firemuseumpresents.com