4. Enjoy Some Amazing Dancing Prepare to have your senses dazzled tonight at the African Dance Celebration. This year's show is titled Kids Crossing Oceans, and it features Afriky Lolo (as always), joined for the first time by the Ugandan Orphans Choir. Afriky Lolo specializes in the vibrant dances of West Africa, which require colorful traditional costumes and powerful drumming; each dance is a celebration of life's moments and must be performed with joy and exuberance. The Ugandan Orphans Choir, a group of children ranging from eight to twelve years old, brings the music and dance of East Africa to bear. The show starts at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Edison Theatre on Washington University's campus (6445 Forsyth Boulevard; 314-935-6543 or www.edison.wustl.edu). Tickets are $25.— Paul Friswold
5. Get Thee to the Renaissance Faire If you want to party like they did in the sixteenth century, come to the quiet hamlet of Petit Lyon in Rotary Park (2577 West Meyer Road, Wentzville; 800-373-0357 or www.stlrenfest.com) for a celebration of all things Renaissance without the famine and pestilence. The St. Louis Renaissance Faire evokes the spirit of the age with colorful costumes, authentic food, merry drinking, armored jousting and nine stages of entertainment featuring comedians, magicians and musicians. More than 100 artisans will be on hand selling their wares and demonstrating woodworking and blacksmithing skills. Children's programming includes a petting zoo, games and period-themed activities. The festival is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (May 16 through June 14), and Monday, May 25. Admission is $8.95 to $15.95. — Rob Levy
6. Check Out a Free Show by Symphony Members Are you on the hunt for a cheap and romantic date night? You're in luck, because Cortango Orquesta performs a free show at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Public Media Commons (3653 Olive Street; www.slso.org). The group is comprised of members of the Saint Louis Symphony, including Cally Banham, who is herself a trained social tango dancer. Once you know that, is it any surprise that the group came together in part to play music suitable for social dances? Cortango Orquesta plays the popular hits of the good old days of tango orchestras, as well as original compositions. — Paul Friswold
7. See a Movie About R.E.M. R.E.M. was the quintessential American indie outfit until around 1988, at which point the band signed to Warner Bros., dove into the mainstream and stayed there, quite profitably. Crucial to the band's mass success was its omnipresence on MTV, as decisively central to its generation as YouTube is to today's. R.E.M. was one of those bands with a visual sophistication that matched its musical one; the guys from Athens were a hand-in-glove fit for MTV. The documentary R.E.M. by MTV relates its story from bar-band origins to international stadium tours. The film draws heavily on rarely seen footage culled from MTV's vast archives, and also features exclusive band interviews, clips from award shows and talk-show performances and, of course, Georgia jangle. R.E.M. by MTV screens at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Wehrenberg Ronnies 20 Cine (5320 South Lindbergh Boulevard; www.fathomevents.com). Tickets are $15. — Alex Weir
