The Mesgana Dancers, a troupe of seven Ethiopian girls ages 9-12, will perform traditional cultural dances on Sept. 13 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Rose Wagner Center for Performing Arts, 138 W. 300 South, Salt Lake City.
Mesgana, which means gratitude in Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia, is part of the Utah-based Children of Ethiopia Education Fund, founded by Murray residents Norm and Ruthann Perdue. The nonprofit foundation finds sponsors worldwide to help girls living in Addis Ababa, the country’s capital, get an education.
The Perdues offer Ethiopian students a chance to join the Mesgana Dancers, which tours America in the summers. Tickets to the performance are $15, available by calling 801-355-ARTS or visiting www.arttix.org. For more information about the Mesgana Dancers or COEEF, visit www.coeef.org.

– Alicia Greenleigh, The Salt Lake Tribune