WETA Arts November 2023

November’s episode presents Grammy-award winning record label Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, releasing an unusual album of electronic music. The Washington School of Ballet’s Miya Hisaka directs ballet classes for all adults. And, host Felicia Curry interviews Tammy Call, the Director of the National Museum of the United States Army, who discusses the museum’s history, mission and vision.

When you think of the Smithsonian, you might not think Grammy Award-winning record label, but it turns out that Washington, D.C., is home to a highly acclaimed music publisher called Smithsonian Folkways. For their 75th anniversary, they commissioned Baltimore-based experimental electronic music duo Matmos to make an LP using the record label's back catalog.

In 2020, the Washington area welcomed a new museum that had been in the works for over 20 years. Located at Fort Belvoir, the National Museum of the United States Army is dedicated to showcasing an organization that predates the founding of our nation. WETA Arts host Felicia Curry met with Tammy Call, the museum's director, to learn more about the institution's history, mission, and vision.

Want to try ballet? The Washington School of Ballet offers open classes for adults at a variety of skill levels, in addition to their ballet training programs for younger dancers. Led by world-renowned dancer and choreographer Miya Hisaka, the adult ballet program offers an inclusive environment that encourages everyone to pursue their love for dance, regardless of age, background, or body type.