Christina Bianco stars in Dora. |
But we are living in a politically correct world, and cartoons about brown children who aren't part of a rap star's posse and who don't live in urban squalor have been written into today's programming. One such star is an animated 7-year-old Latina who lives inside a computer, and in the hearts of the preschool set.
Dora the Explorer is a hot property on Nickelodeon's Nick Jr. segment; it is the highest rated preschool show on commercial television among kids age 2 to 5. The bilingual Latina's explorations
DORA THE EXPLORER LIVE! 7pm Wednesday, May 21 10:30am & 7pm Thursday, May 22 7pm Friday, May 23 11am, 2&5pm Saturday, May 24 11am & 2pm Sunday, May 25 $16.25-26.25 224-9600 or www.ticketmaster.com The Majestic Theater 226 E. Houston 226-3333 |
"Dora is kind of a pop star to the kids," says 21-year-old Bianco. "When you get on stage, the kids are screaming for you. It's overwhelming." The staged show is an elaborate set-up, with full costuming, acrobatics, choreography, and musical numbers. "It's a rock concert for kids," says Bianco. "I went from babysitter to pop star in seconds." And what better idol for America's children than a little girl whose daily life provides valuable lessons in fact-finding, problem-solving, friendship, and multiculturalism? •