THE 28th ANNUAL NY SWORD DANCE FESTIVAL
Sword dancing is a winter celebration that’s come down through the ages from the coal mining regions of northern England. This family-friendly yet loyal interpretation of that tradition is accompanied by live fiddle and accordion music. In both stately longsword and rapper sword dancing, the dancers are linked in a ring by the “swords” they hold in their hands while they work as a team to weave intricate figures and patterns without breaking the circle.
Free. Sat., Feb. 16 and Sun., Feb. 17 (throughout the day and throughout the city). The Sat. schedule includes a 9:30am performance at the Pier 17 Atrium (on the third floor of 89 South St., at the South Street Seaport) as well as 1pm & 3pm performances at Jefferson Market Public Library (425 Sixth Ave., at 10th St.). For a full schedule and more info, visit halfmoonsword.org.
TWO TALKS, AT 92YTRIBECA
Short of a building a time machine and quite possibly wreaking havoc with your family tree, there’s no better way to safely revisit risky 1940s and 1950s America than spending the afternoon of Tuesday, February 12, at 92YTribeca. At 12pm, cultural historian Richard Lingeman (a longtime senior editor of The Nation and the author of “Small Town America, Don’t You Know There’s a War On?”) looks at the cultural milieu from 1945 to 1950, tracing the effects of a period that enveloped America in the aftermath of WWII and the beginning of the Cold War (think psychological insecurities, cultural isolation and the overall anxiety reflected by film noir’s bathing of its moody antiheroes in harsh light shining through venetian blinds). At 2pm, film historian Philip Harwood (currently hard at work on a book about famous film couples of 1935) presents an installment of a series in which he’ll present eight Golden Age live TV dramas. After each screening, social issues and performance are discussed. This time up: Rod Serling’s 1956 Playhouse 90 production of “Requiem for a Heavyweight.”
At 92YTribeca (200 Hudson St., at Canal St.). Tickets to “Noir” are $21, and $28 for “Golden Age.” For reservations and more info, visit 92YTribeca.org or call 212-601-1000.
