Admittedly smitten: JazzAntiqua at 30
aaron stokes laura ann smyth The “smitten” party would be me. I’m smitten by a dance company — JazzAntiqua Dance & Music Ensemble, as it stages its thirtieth-anniversary celebration in an aptly named event, RITUAL OF RHYTHM. For anyone familiar with the choreography of Artistic Director Pat Taylor, the evening, produced in association with Ebony ...
‘Get up and vote!’ Engaged dancers urge pals to use their power
It’s high energy and upbeat; it’s scrupulously non-partisan, and it creates a positive model for civic involvement. It’s the brainchild and passion project of dance-community stalwart, the agent and co-founder of MSA Agency in Hollywood, Julie McDonald. Along with a partner, Pamela Cooper, and a technology maven, Emmy Frevele, “Dance for the Vote” just went ...
Storming the Sixties: From Teen Dance Shows to Shindig!
NBC Hullabaloo Dancers on The Motown State Fair Tour with Canadian singer Tony Roman, ca. 1965. Photograph by James J. Kriegsmann. Courtesy of Karen W. Hubbard. Ed. note: artsmeme is delighted to share with readers the third of three excerpts from author Julie Malnig’s Dancing Black, Dancing White: Rock ‘n’ Roll, Race, and Youth Culture ...
Luminario Ballet on high meets LedZAerial in the orchestra pit
I find watching the superb aerial-ballet artists of Luminario Ballet at a chill venue like The Avalon of Hollywood to be one of the more fun experiences of my annual arts calendar. An upcoming gala/fundraiser event November 3 is billed as an “immersive dance journey via contemporary ballet en pointe, acrobatics, and aerial dance in ...
‘Dancin’ as Danson: tango man Jordi Caballero
Sep
18
2024
Jordi Caballero, a friend of artsmeme (F.O.A.M.), who moves from one amazing project to another with jolting speed, came up with a plum about a month ago. He was invited to be comic-actor Ted Danson‘s dance-double, in the very cute commercial for Consumer Cellular, above. The Portland-based provider of cellphones, no-contract cellphone plans, and accessories ...
Let’s watch YouTube reactions to Jack Cole’s ‘Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend’
Well, I’ve studied it, screened it, spooled it, summarized it, synopsized it. I’ve analyzed, advocated, argued and addressed it. Glowed and kvelled over it, enjoyed and celebrated it. So it’s fun, for a change, to let YouTube queen, “India Reacts” take the reins as she watches (her first time, ever) a video of “Diamonds Are ...
Be a Yankee Doodle Dandy with BalletX — and call it ‘Macaroni.’
Two distinct takes on Yankee Doodle’s ‘Macaroni’ We all sang it as kids, didn’t we, and we loved it — the borderline-bombastic patriotic song with oom-pah-pah rhythm and funny lyrics. The alliterative “doodle-dandy” pays no rent in our ears ad infinitum. The opening stanza is custom made for those who don’t question the deep meaning ...
Bernardo forever, aka George Chakiris at 92 1
photo by jittlov I’ve spent a good deal of time watching the multiple Academy Award-winning West Side Story (1961), and have reached certain conclusions — you may have your own. First, if you haven’t seen West Side (as insiders shorten it) on a big screen, you haven’t seen it. This movie-musical is an operatic experience ...
Top this, Hollywood! The making of ‘Top Hat’ (1935) 2
artsmeme is lucky to have good friends who collect fabulous Hollywood dance photos like the one above, given to us by Bison Archive’s Marc Wanamaker. It’s a soundstage shot of the making of the superlative movie-musical from RKO, “Top Hat” (1935). In our photo, director Mark Sandrich, in his own swank chapeau, directs a brief ...
Death of a dance critic
Aug
6
2024
George Jackson, a renowned dance critic, dance historian, author, and parasitologist died in his sleep in New York Monday August 5, 2024. I was his reader, and George read artsmeme, too, clicking on the occasional link, and perusing. I once received a balletomane’s note from him, in 2017, kind of complaining that our critic, “apparently ...