From Venice with Love Paella Party

A shared paella dinner, Haitian folkloric dance and Caribbean-rooted electronic music close The Betsy’s From Venice with Love series in Miami Beach. The closing celebration takes place Saturday, October 31 at The Betsy - South Beach, bringing together food, performance and music connected to the African and Caribbean Diaspora. The program is produced in partnership by The Betsy Writers Room and FIU’s Public Humanities Lab, with support from the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation CreARTE Grant.

The evening is tied to From Venice with Love, a retrospective and public humanities project centered on Miami-based Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié following his participation in the 61st Venice Biennale. On view at The Betsy from August 1 through November 15, the project includes works in The Betsy Gallery, nightly video projections on the Betsy Orb during August and light boxes in B Bar. Duval-Carrié’s work often engages Haitian history, migration, Vodou symbolism and cultural connections between Haiti, Africa and the wider Caribbean.

The Paella Party features a live performance by Nancy St. Leger Dance Company, an ensemble dedicated to preserving and sharing authentic Haitian folkloric dance through movement, rhythm and tradition. Music will be provided by DJ Gardy, also known as Gardy Girault, a Haitian DJ, producer and singer whose work bridges traditional Caribbean sounds with contemporary electronic music, including his “Rara Tech” style.