Gypsy Passion: The dark-haired, dark-eyed, sensuous male face staring out from the pages of Newsweek, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar and Vanity Fair this month is Spain’s wildest export, 27-year-old flamenco dancer Joaquin Cortes. Becoming a certified international sensation with his current two-year world tour, Cortes brings his flamenco fusion of jazz, ballet and salsa to the Jackie Gleason Theater at 8 tonight.
Cortes, whose show is titled Gypsy Passion, is being hyped like a rock star with similar results, selling out 10,000-seat venues, merchandise and CDs easily. Cortes has appeared in movies by Pedro Almodovar, music videos and fashion shows. But stomping wildly in his steel nail heeled boots to music ripe with hand claps, tambourines and clacking percussion is Cortes’ true place. The Gleason is at 1700 Washington Ave. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster, 1-407-966-3309, 1-954-523-3309, 1-305-358-5885.
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Who Do Vodou?: The Miami Art Museum opens its hotly anticipated “Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou” show today. More than 500 objects – sequined flags, sacred bottles, dolls, musical instruments, paintings, photographs and videos – will be on display. The objects will be presented singly and in a re-creation of Port Au Prince altars expressing the major practices of the religion. Lectures and music are planned in conjunction with the show, including one by Miami Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrie. MAM is at 101 W. Flagler St., Miami. Call 1-305-375-3000.
More Haitian art, this time a photo exhibit of the country’s politically charged street murals called “Invoking the Spirits: Haiti’s Charged Murals” is up at the Ground Level Gallery, 1035 Lincoln Road, through Oct. 26.
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Blessed by the Pope: Among the most frequently heard names in South Beach and national entertainment lately is that of Paul Pope and his Pope Entertainment Group. Having co-produced the hit musical Rent in NYC, the current film Manny & Lo, and book parties for Aphrodite Jones (All She Wanted) and Tama Janowitz (By the Shores of Gitchee Gumee), Pope’s next project is sponsoring the premiere of Curdled, a film that was created, produced and shot in South Florida.
Quentin Tarantino caught sight of the half-hour film produced by local filmmakers John Maass and Reb Braddock about a woman obsessed with crime scenes. Tarantino financed the film into a full-length feature starring William Baldwin, Angela Jones and Daisy Fuentes. A premiere to benefit the Film Society of Miami begins at 8 p.m. Thursday at AMC Cocowalk Theaters in the Grove, with an after-show party at the Forge on 41st Street in South Beach. Tickets for the premiere are $20; film and party is $75. Tickets for the general public are available through Ticketmaster and the Film Society (for members only).
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Music notes: Zoom into Rose’s, at 754 Washington Ave., tonight to see Zoom from Orlando, and Suzy Creamcheese featuring the alluring vocals of Kimona 117. Saturday, Rose’s rocks with Rene Alvarez, the Honey Sticks and Fuselage. Tobacco Road in downtown Miami has longtime house band Iko Iko on stage tonight; Saturday is my new favorite pet band Reckless Lester and the Tumbleweeds along with Raw B. Jae. Call 1-305-374-1198.
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Oooh la la: Vidal Sassoon, the London originator of “hair as an art form” has opened a Salon and Education Center, its 12th worldwide, at 634 Collins. This full-service salon will also serve as a training ground for new and experimental techniques. Call 1-305-672-3600.
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