A little scandal goes a long way

Little Egypt brought belly dancing in the United States, but her history and true identity remain fascinatingly shrouded in mystery.

By Jennie Rose Halperin | Apr 14 09:13 pm ET

Taking it when no one is giving

With the fate of federal arts funding up in the air, we might benefit from a history lesson, and the wise words of some folk songs.

By Jennie Rose Halperin | Mar 31 09:00 pm ET

Theaters are a Reminder of Cinema’s Wonder Years

“Going to the movies just isn’t the same,” my mother always says as we climb the escalator to the top floor of the multiplex, stale popcorn in hand, to shiver through a 90-minute flick.

My mother, who grew up in the Bronx, was a bit spoiled by the movies she saw as a child. The closest cinema to her home was the Loews Paradise Theatre, located on the Grand Concourse. Opened in September 1929, only a month before Black Friday, the opulent theater contained 1500 seats and was designed to resemble a 16th century baroque garden.

By Jennie Rose Halperin | Feb 24 10:04 pm ET

What’s In a Name? Student Debters Sing a Strangely Familar Tune

“Sixteen Tons” was a surprise hit for Tennessee Ernie Ford in 1955.

By Jennie Rose Halperin | Feb 10 11:47 pm ET