Above: Norman Perdue at the Mesgana Dancers New York
Premier. The event was held at NYU’s Skirball Center for the
Performing Arts on Sunday, August 13th, 2007. Photo by
Maki for Tadias Magazine. www.MakiLive.com. MySpace:
makilivecom.
BY STAFF WRITER
New York – Norman Perdue, a former photographer for the Utah Jazz and founder of the Children of Ethiopia Education Fund, the caretaker of the Mesgana Dancers, apologized on Sunday following a Tadias article that raised questions about the kids dizzying travel schedule and his failure to acknowledge the support of the Ethiopian-American community in New York.
“Due to a huge oversight on my part I failed to recognize, on the stage, all the individuals and businesses that had a part in the New York City stop of the Mesgana Tour”, he said in a comment posted on the Tadias blog.
“I publicly apologize for this mistake on my part and would hope that we can move on positively from this time forward.”
Although the apology did not address the children’s busy schedule, it was welcomed as a positive first step in the right direction.
“It is a welcome news in healing the rift with the Ethiopian-American community”, said Meron Dagnew, member of the NYC premier coordinating committee.
“But, at the end of the day, the safety of the children is the number one priority, and I hope COEEF will make the appropriate adjustments to make sure that they are treated properly.”
Ethiopia Reads, another non-profit organization led by the celebrated children’s author Jane Kurtz, which also benefits from the tour, said mistakes were made in over scheduling the children and it will be corrected.
“It’s true that some early legs of the tour were intense — probably too much so”, said Laura Bond, Ethiopia Reads’ director here in the US, who represented the organization at the NYC and New Jersey performances.
“In the future we will not schedule more than two performances in a row. That’s a lesson learned.”
The Mesgana Dancers, who performed in Colorado this weekend, have eight more shows in their sixteen cities U.S tour.
The young girls are scheduled to perform in St. George on August 24th and on August 29th in Murray, Utah, the hometown of the Children of Ethiopia Education Fund.
Related Links and Tadias Stories:
Hot Shots: Mesgana Dancers in Harlem
Mesgana Dancers Arrive in New York
The Children of Ethiopia Education Fund
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Controversial Mesgana Dancers Tour Continues in Colorado this Weekend
Aug 17th, 2007
BY STAFF WRITER
New York – The dark light concealing the stage brightened slowly, traditional music flowing gently; a group of beautiful Ethiopian princesses appeared. Walking out in small graceful steps, they started dancing delicately. The audience roared into loud applause.
Less than twenty four hours after they performed for 800 people in Washington. D.C., the Mesgana Dancers dazzled a diverse audience in New York City with an exhilarating display of youthful artistry.
The spectacular presentation at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts showcased a mosaic of Ethiopian culture, music and dance in an inspiring performance that kept the audience on its feet.
Photo by Philipos Mengistu
Photo by Philipos Mengistu
The New York premier was the third event for the young dancers’ sixteen cities U.S tour.
Sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines, the aim of the tour is to raise money for the Children of Ethiopia Education Fund, a Utah Based organization founded by Norman Perdue, a former photographer for the Utah Jazz.
Concern Raised Over The Kids Busy Schedule
Norman Perdue with Mesgana Dancers in New York. Photo by Steve Dyer of VicRae Inc.
The dizzying travel schedule, however, is showing signs of stress and fatigue not only on the young dancers, age 7 to 13, but also on the adult chaperons of the group.
Mr. Perdue told the audience in New York that the kids are “tired and groggy”.
The children had to wake up at 3:00 A.M on Sunday (few hours after their performance in Washington, D.C.), to catch a plane to New York. Their busy morning schedule included a promotion appearance at the the Abyssinia Baptist Church. The troupe’s itinerary also listed the Riverside church as one of the kids destinations. After few hours of rest, they were back on the road for their 7 PM show.
Mr. Perdue, who ordered the kids to be “quarantined” (in his words) at the COEEF safe house in Addis Ababa in order to clean them up in preparation for their U.S. tour, enjoys telling American audiences that the kids have fallen in love with McDonald.
“Their favorite food is McDonald’s Happy Meal”, he said during his stage appearance in New York.
On Sunday, August 13th, however, the only happy meal the kids seemed to enjoy was an Ethiopian food provided by the Ethiopian-American community in New York, which the children were observed devouring on the city sidewalk outside the theater after their performance.
“Clearly they are very tired and hungry”, said Meron Dangnew, member of the NYC premier coordinating committee, who helped feed the young dancers. “They told me that they didn’t even have enough to eat that day.”
“These kids are not machines, they need to be treated like children”, she said.
Lack of sleep Blamed for Lack of Recognition of the Ethiopian Community
At the conclusion of a breathtaking performance by the Mesgana Dancers, Mr. Perdue handed out gifts of Ethiopian scarves to select non-Ethiopian members of the group that coordinated the NYC premier, but failed to acknowledge Ethiopians and the generous support of the community.
He told Tadias Magazine that exhaustion is to blame for his insensitivity.
“I am very tired, I don’t know what happened”, he said. “I am exhausted.”
So too are Ethiopian members of the NYC coordinating group and Ethiopian-American business owners who gave generously and even hosted the Mesgana Dancers and Mr. Purdue in a show of traditional Ethiopian hospitality in New York.
Philipos Mengistu, owner and Executive Chef of Queen of Sheba restaurant (who attended the show), hosted the Mesgana Dancers for a free lunch at his mid-town eatery. Mr. Perdue and his wife Ruthann were present.
Mr. Perdue and his wife also attended a dinner for the Mesgana Dancers hosted by Etiye Beke of Merkato in Harlem. Her restaurant also provided the food for the VIPs reception at the SKirball center for the Performing Arts.
Meron Dagnew, member of the NYC coordinating group, was in charge of arranging hotel and transportation for the young dancers. Her other responsibilities included flyer design and distribution, reaching out to the Ethiopian community, and accompanying the children during their historic tour at The Harlem Dance Theater.
“Really, this is lack of sleep”, Mr., Purdue said. “I will make sure to recognize them in other cities”.
Lunch at Queen of Sheba. Photo by Steve Dyer of VicRae Inc.
Lunch at queen of Sheba. Photo by Steve Dyer of VicRae Inc.
Etiye Beke greets the kids at Merkato. Her restaurant also provided the food for the VIPs reception at the Skirball center for the Performing Arts. Photo by Steve Dyer of VicRae Inc.
Meron Dagnew with the kids at Merkato. Photo by Steve Dyer of VicRae Inc.
Mr. Purdue at Queen of Sheba. Photo by Steve Dyer of VicRae Inc.
First of all thank you for your concern about the Mesgana Dancers.
You might not know me, but I am one of the sponsored girls. Mesgana Dancers are coming here to raise money for the other girls who are back home in Ethiopia.Norm Perdue is really a great guy that have changed my life. I have known him for about 7 years now. I met him when I was ten, since then I dreamed all the time about studying in USA. Thanks God, I am here now fulfilling my life dream. There are more than 1000 sponsored girls who were being helped by the COEEF. It is a really great opportunity even for the Mesgana Dancers to come here and share their culture. Don’t you guys fill proud on what this guy is doing? Helping the girls to get educated. Sorry guys, I was so mad when I saw this story, but I am so happy to tell you guys how each and every part of the 1000 girls life is changing right now.
My wife and I were COEEF sponsors for many years. After falling on hard times and not being able to sponsor, I wanted to find my old friend Norm Purdue. Searching on the internet I found this thread, and I read with dismay as Norm was vilified by those who appear quick to judge.
“Mr. Norm” as the villagers called him when we visited there, is the most humble, caring, Christ like man I have ever had the privilege to know! To have a man such as him cast as anything less than a saint is heartbreaking to me and to my wife.
How people like Norm can give so much without getting anything in return is beyond my understanding. And how some people can so carelessly judge and and lay blame is also beyond my comprehension. May God bless Norm Purdue.