Art starts activists' symposium

This two-day symposium (Dec. 6 - 7) will be presented by the Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Studies. The symposium includes an evening of arts presentations on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and a plenary panel and workshops on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in the Integrated Learning Center. Workshops begin at 1:30 p.m.

Planning committee members include representatives from Wingspan, the Border Action Network, Derechos Humanos, Pan Left Productions, the Sex and Freedom Project, the American Friends Service Committee, the Arizona Roofers Union, Students Against Sweatshops and the Southern Arizona Alliance for Economic Justice. For more information, call 626-3431.

Kingsolver reading with drums

Tonight at 7:30, African percussion will highlight special guest Barbara Kingsolver's reading from "The Poisonwood Bible." The event features music from the UA Percussion Ensemble, the UA African Music Ensemble and CrossTalk Drumline.

The event is presented by the UA's Percussion Ensembles in the School of Music and Dance in the College of Fine Arts.

Tickets may be secured in advance through the Fine Arts Box Office. Call 621-1162 for ticketing information.

UApresents Goldberg's ÎCirque'

All this weekend at Centennial Hall, Neil Goldberg's "Cirque" will be showing at 8 p.m. From contortionists to musclemen, aerialists to jugglers and clowns, Neil Goldberg's "Cirque" is a stunning entertainment extravaganza inspired by the French cirque tradition. The creators of Cirque Ingenieux have assembled an international ensemble of 24 of the world's most talented and unique artists in an exhilarating new spectacle.

In 1993, Neil Goldberg's creative philosophy made Cirque Inc. the first American company of its kind producing this style of performance artistry worldwide. The company's award-winning production of Cirque Ingenieux began touring the United States in 1996, with a highly successful run in Tucson in 1999. Goldberg personally has traveled the world bringing back to the productions performers from the Mongolian School of Contortion, Chinese & Polish Acrobatic Associations and the Moscow State College for Circus & Variety Arts.

For more information about tickets, call the Centennial Hall Box Office at 621-3341.

UA holiday dance celebration

Saturday evening at 8, the UA Dance Ensemble's holiday celebration through dance will be performed at the Ina E. Gittings Dance Theater. These series of dance concerts highlight the remarkable talents of the ensemble with innovative choreography and spectacular dancing. A harmonious mixture of ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance styles will be featured.

Saturday's performance, "In the Season, Student Spotlight," will include works choreographed and performed by graduate and undergraduates of the UA Dance Division. This concert is a series of dances selected through an adjudicated process for their excellence in performance and design.

For more information go to http://www.arts.arizona.edu/dance.

Music and Dance choral concert

On Sunday, the School of Music and Dance will present the annual Christmas choral concert in the College of Fine Arts. The event is free and is located at the St. Augustine Cathedral, 192 N. Stone Ave. For more information, call 621-2998.