TOLEDO – West African drum and dance, scavenger-style gallery hunts and a Japanese fashion
show are among the swirl of activities set to fill the Toledo Museum of Art’s galleries during The Great
Art Escape.The annual art-inspired winter celebration takes over the Museum between from Thursday
through New Year’s Day. (Closed Monday) and provides a host of programming daily.Among the highlights is
The Art of Japanese Fashion Runway Show, hosted by Toledo-Lucas County Public Library media relations
coordinator and former Blade fashion correspondent Rhonda Sewell, on Dec. 27 at 7 p.m. in the GlasSalon
at the Glass Pavilion.The show culminates a fashion challenge issued to area artists to create a garment
inspired by the Japanese aesthetic, and will feature the designers strutting the makeshift runway while
wearing their creations.Works on display include Bianca Naves’ upcycled 27-pound-kimono and budding
12-year-old fashion designer Maya Ramirez’s mini-kimono.Also Idy Ciss, principal dancer and
choreographer of the Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago, will perform as the special guest artist of ALMA
Dance Experience on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. in the Peristyle.The group will bring the exuberance and panache of
West African drum and dance to the stage during their free performance, titled "Under the Full
Moon."Also part of the week’s performances in the Peristyle are the Japanese beats of Bowling Green
State University’s Taiko Drum Ensemble on Dec. 27 at 2 p.m. and the Middle Eastern belly dancing of
Leyla and Raq the Casbah on Sunday at 2 p.m.Self-guided gallery hunts, drawing activities, glassblowing
demonstrations, traditional Japanese storytelling and hands-on art activities will also take place daily
throughout the galleries.Admission to the Museum and all of the activities is free. Parking is free for
Museum members and $5 for nonmembers.In addition to the Great Art Escape events, visitors can enjoy
their last chance to see Fresh Impressions: Early Modern Japanese Prints, which closes on Jan. 1.The
exhibition’s 343 woodblock prints have not been seen in more than 80 years, and make up one of the two
best collections in the United States.The exhibition is made possible by Museum members and supported in
part by Bridgestone APM Company and by Douglas and Elaine Barr.For detailed information about all the
activities and special exhibitions, visit the Museum’s website at www.toledomuseum.org.(Story provided
by Toledo Museum of Art.)