IF SHE SAYS SO…

US First lady Michelle Obama says she's bringing the arts to the White House to "lift young people up." Mrs. Obama started a series of White House events last year highlighting different genres of music - from jazz and country to Latin and classical - and this year she kicked off a dance series with performances by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. All the events include an instructional component for students led by professional artists. "We want to lift young people up," she told Harper's Bazaar in an interview in the magazine's November issue. "The country needs to be mindful that we have all these diamonds out there, and it would be a shame not to invest in those talents."