As nycgo.com says, it's just not summer in NYC without Restaurant Week. And actually, 2010's version has been going on for more than a week: it began July 12 and will continue through this Sunday, July 25. There are lots of terrific eateries participating this year, some of which are right in Chelsea; more info about many of them can be found here on destinationchelsea.org!

For great deals on some stellar meals, be sure to head over to:

Crema Restaurante

Del Posto Ristorante

Matsuri

The Red Cat

Rocking Horse Cafe

For more information about Restaurant Week, visit nycgo.com. And remember to check out destinationchelsea.org often for more great places to visit in the neighborhood!

The Rubin Museum of Art has many terrific exhibitions going on right now. One is Bardo: The Tibetan Art of the Afterlife (now through September 6), which explores the transitional states between death and either the attainment of spiritual enlightenment or the return to the cycle of rebirth. Also at the museum is In the Shadow of Everest (now through July 26), a collection of photographs by Tom Wool, taken in 2001 of the Rongbunk Valley, which lies in the shadow of Mount Everest (known to Tibetans as Chomolungma, "Mother Goddess of the Earth," the place where the land touches the heavens).

There is more on offer at Rubin as well. For more information, check out www.rmanyc.org. And remember to visit www.destinationchelsea.org often to see what else is going on in the neighborhood!

Tere O'Connor's Wrought Iron Fog was first seen on Dance Theater Workshop's stage in November of 2009. Thank goodness they brought it back! I was determined to go since I didn't get to see it the first time around. I recommend everyone go to experience O'Connor's well-structured and aesthetically provocative piece, which closes tonight Saturday June 26th at 7:30 p.m.!

The basic description of Wrought Iron Fog is rather simple. The dancers, on stage for nearly the entire 60 minute presentation, execute a somewhat random collection of phrases. Looped together, resembling an endless flow of thought and feeling, the phrases featured balletic stances, modern floor work, leaps, jumps, twitches, quirky gestures, suspensions, constant changes of directions, spins, duet and trio partnering...the list goes on.

O'Connor presented what I would like to refer to as "Everything." Everything not literally meaning every single type of movement, emotion, or theme, because obviously this is impossible. But rather Everything being an unsaid, indescribable feeling of completion; a dense sphere of our most innate senses and considerations. And how to handle Everything? A very well-designed system of time and space sharing. O'Connor's format for the dance seemed completely void of rules and instruction. But still, there existed a central understanding between the dancers; an inherent system of know-how, know-why, know-when, know-where.

Some might read this and be saying "Really?! Everything?? Oh, come on." But I stick to my guns. Such a heavily physical and abstract dance that is supported by interesting choreography, a killer score (of random, yet so deliberate voice, noise, melody, and beat cuts), a beautifully simple set, and appropriate lighting, is designed to wrap around your body, brain, and emotions like the slippery, soapy water of a bubble bath. O'Connor knows exactly what he's doing. I'm not sure and I don't know if O'Connor, or anyone for that matter, can be sure that the piece included pain, beauty, anger, fear, happiness, betrayal, bravery, hope, literally "everything"...What's important is that there is the "feeling" of Everything. There's the feeling that anyone can feel anything - there are no idealistic, physical, or structural boundaries for thoughts or emotions. The only constant is time. Hence the title Wrought Iron Fog.

Go see this show.

Learn more about the show and buy tickets at dancetheaterworkshop.org! And as always, use Destination Cheslea as your guide to the best culture NYC has to offer!

The June 3-16 issue of neighborhood newspaper Chelsea Now features a wonderful column by Tony Juliano, the chairperson of the Greenwich Village-Chelsea Chamber of Commerce. In the paper’s “In Their Own Words” column (p. 6), Mr. Juliano talks about his own journey that led him from New Jersey, where he grew up, to the city, where he has become a Chelsea business owner and an integral part of the GVCCC. He also talks about how the Chamber of Commerce functions, and what a valuable resource it can be for neighborhood businesses, community groups, non-profits and individuals. It’s an educational read and a reminder that this is a close community, one that can benefit from the GVCCC’s mission, described by Mr. Juliano this way: “The GVCCC’s mission is to provide innovative, effective programs and services that support our member businesses in four key ways:

ADVOCATE: Champion the voice of business in government and community affairs.

EDUCATE: Keep members informed on relevant issues, and provide opportunities for professional development.

NETWORK: Provide programs and events that connect members to other members, customers, suppliers, and community leaders.

PROMOTE: Market our community’s and member businesses to attract tourism, encourage new investment, and support the area’s economic growth.”

For more about the cultural institutions of Chelsea (including Chelsea Opera, which Mr. Juliano mentions in his column and which is Destination Chelsea’s June Culture Choice), check destinationchelsea.org often!

Check out how Dance Theater Workshop has been inspired by World Dance Day, which was April 29:

http://www.dancetheaterworkshop.org/blog/2010/05/14/dance-bytes-assignments/

Tuesday night, MOMIX opened its four-week run at The Joyce Theater. It was especially interesting to see this company’s work (last night was a program called reMIX, which is a compilation of some of MOMIX’s most popular pieces; the second two weeks of the engagement will be devoted to Botanica, the acclaimed piece that was seen at The Joyce last season), because last week The Joyce featured The Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company in the Alwin Nikolais Centennial. Nikolais, who was born in 1910, was such a pioneer in both his movement and technical/production values, and you can easily see his influence on a company like MOMIX. Both companies focus less on the dancer as individual artist and more on the audience’s overall experience. Nikolais used his dancers’ bodies to form shapes and effects, and MOMIX’s dancers use their bodies to create acrobatic effects and seemingly impossible physical feats. One dancer, for instance, spun around and around while a circular curtain of beads, which she wore on her head, swirled faster and faster around her. It almost looked like a movie image, rather than a human being causing a visual effect with her movements. MOMIX’s dancers not only need to be able to dance, they also need to be acrobats and have many other diverse skills. They create an elegant, circus-like atmosphere.

MOMIX is performing at The Joyce Theater now through June 6. Visit joyce.org for more information and to buy tickets. And remember to check destinationchelsea.org often for more updates on what’s going on at the neighborhood’s many cultural destinations!

Ice Theatre of New York (ITNY) kicked off it's 2010 Home Season with a bang! Featuring the ITNY Company, US Ice Dance Bronze medalists Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre, and three-time US National Men’s Figure Skating Champion and two-time Olympian Johnny Weir, the hour-and-a-half long presentation of non-traditional ice skating had it all; drama, beauty, sensuality, humor, athleticism, and creativity. SkyRink at Chelsea Piers roared with an energetic audience that filled the room with applause, cheers, and laughter.

Such a response can only be expected with performances such as Jacqulyn Buglisi's The Dreame, a romantic and lush duet boasting most impressive side leg extensions. Lar Lubovitch's Tilt-a-Whirl is a perfect example of ITNY Artistic Director Moira North's vision that ice performance be about much more than competition and sequins. The duet, as many other pieces that North has commissioned, uses ice skating as the form with which to study movement, present a story, share an idea, and make you think. Douglas Webster's Dare Greatly most definitely inspired with precise and powerful use of cannon, performer intent, and artistry. And then there was Johnny. Both of Weir's performances were fun, witty, and honest - he is so incredibly nimble and strong. Kim Navarro and Brent Bommentre also deserve praise for their flawless physical abilities and wonderful ice presence.

All of this and more was tied together by a series of interludes featuring Elizabeth L'Heureux that not only provided the coffee beans in between each perfume sample, but also educated the audience on basic skating exercises. The interludes were a throughline for the show, but more so presented a breathtakingly abstract display of simplistic, yet profound movement. I would say Moira North is truly on to something...

...and for this reason, and many more, I suggest you go see the show while you still can. Ice Theatre of New York's 2010 Home Season runs through Saturday May 1. Click here for tickets and more info! And come back to Destination Chelsea for more updates on what our neighborhood's non-profits are up to!

To wrap-up his company's 25th Anniversary, Stephen Petronio is presenting a range of works at The Joyce Theater now through May 2. With one piece from '86, two from the '90s, and two from this decade, the show gives an ideal overview of how Petronio started, where he's been since, and what he sees for the future. The selection of pieces was just what the dance doctor ordered.

In the opener, #3 (1986), Petronio performed solo in an unraveling tux get-up. He not only demonstrated his talent with building complicated, intricate, and lush phrases, but also showcased his amazing ability to perform. Petronio's focus is clear; he commits with a generous honesty and is a pleasure to watch. Here, Petronio takes less than five steps, twists and bends the upper body while looping precise arm gestures. Each delicate, purposeful move is sprinkled with subtle shakes and shivers seen in the hands and fingertips. It's understood, this is how he made his initial mark in the community.

The next piece, Middlesexgorge (1990), displays why he has carved an imperative and respected role in American modern dance history. To start, it is the perfect example of his reputation for wonderfully strong and daring collaborations within music and costume. Beyond these elements, his sexually charged, full-bodied, movement style is at its best here; arms in beautiful lines, bodies in hunched over fouetté turns, quick changes in directions lead by any part of the body be it the pelvis, head, or foot. Each consecutive section of Middlesexgorge gains more momentum, heat, and virtuosity. Equally charged as the movement, questions of style, gender roles, expression, and power/control explode all over the stage. With the men in tight corsets and flower-pedaled leggings and the women in black leotards, every element evokes complete originality and confidence - considering this all was first seen in the early '90s is inspiring and telling of what Petronio set out and continues to do - challenge, create, and instigate.  However, over the past couple years, there have been a few of his shows that I felt these elements were over-produced and at times, trite. With Middlesexgorge, everything is balanced, he was not trying to be overly sexy or showy - it was just the right amount of eye-opening evocation.

Foreign Import (2007) is exactly the kind of piece that I have seen a couple times from Petronio where themes are too obvious, lacking a sense of mystery and sincerity. Having said that, I was very pleased when the last piece of the evening, a World Premiere of Ghostown, reeled me back in, and did so in the more discreet, "'90s Petronio," kind of way. All the elements were dead on; entrances and exits that balanced poses with tide-like flocking, flowing veils and draped linens over dual-colored spandex by Jillian Lewis, and an atmosphere wrought with steam and some kind of underlying, festering coup, demanded fascination and curiosity. Of course, the music of Jonny Greenwood perfectly complimented this anxious decay. Ghostown was the perfect end to a 25th Anniversary presentation.

I urge everyone to go see this show! Go see how Stephen Petronio danced his way into the history books and why he continues to evoke the brain and tease the body. And as always, visit Destination Chelsea for the best culture NYC  has to offer, such as The Joyce Theater! Go here for tickets and more info.

Photo Credit: Ghostown by Stephen Petronio, Shila Julian

Ice Theatre of New York's Opening Night of its 2010 Home Season featuring a guest appearance by skating champion and reality television star, Johnny Weir, is a big hit. Johnny Weir fans are traveling from as far as Japan to attend the show. And of course all his NYC fans don't want to miss out on this opportunity to see their idol so close to home. Johnny has choreographed a special new piece for his debut with Ice Theatre of New York, called "Heartbreak", and of course he will also be presenting one of his signature "Lady Gaga" pieces to the song, Bad Romance.

Call the Ice Theatre office at 212-929-5811 for tickets. Shows are on Thursday, April 29, Friday, April 30 and Saturday May 1. Performances start at 7pm at Sky Rink, Chelsea Piers. If you can grab a bite at La Lunchonette on the corner of 18th Street and 10th Avenue before or after the show and claim your free glass of wine or beer with the purchase of an entree. See you at the show!

Photo Credit: Johnny Weir by Leah Adams (top) and Elisa Angeli and Tyrrell Gene in The Dreame, choreography by Jacqulyn Buglisi, photo by Jay Colton.

Greetings Chelsea!

Studio Anya is announcing a new program called LILA Let's Inspire Learning Anya! It is a movement program for girls ages 11 to 14 that highlights the Anya curriculum through yoga, dance, art, music and specialty classes. Held in the comfort of Anya's full service pilates and yoga studio and under the direction of experienced dancers, yoga and pilates practitioners Molly Lynch and Sarah Sadie Newett.

If you know a budding yogi who may be interested in this opportunity or have any further questions please contact Sarah Sadie Newett at snewett@gmail.com. Please come in for a class no matter what your age!

Warmly,

Studio Anya

49 West 24th Street 8th Floor

New York, NY 10010

www.studioanya.com

212.604.9766

Dance Theater Workshop has had a strong 2009-2010 season. This fact was supported last week by Yasuko Yokoshi’s Tyler Tyler. This beautifully still, vibrantly quiet dance theater piece fused contemporary dance conceived and directed by Yokoski with Traditional Japanese movement choreographed by Masumi Seyama VI. Through this collaboration, a loose visual and intellectual narrative features a collision of East and West; old and new; advancement and nostalgia. Iconic Cowboy Western and traditional Japanese garb along with the live vocals of Kuniya Sawamura and on-stage musician Steven Reker bring this collision to life.

From a series of duets, a couple of solos, and a couple of group sections, Tyler Tyler creates a mesmerizing and emotional meditation that evokes cathartic attention and dead silence from the audience. One of the most beautiful and well-danced parts was a solo that featured dancer Kayvon Pourazar. Pourazar’s mature artistry is rarely matched and solid technique stunningly controlled; his focus, intent, and energy radiates throughout the theater. This is not to say that the rest of the cast wasn’t anything less than stellar.

Check out Dance Theater Workshop for the upcoming production of Faye Driscoll – I know I can’t wait to see it. And of course, continue to use Destination Chelsea as your guide for all that is Chelsea! (Image Credit: Alexandra Corazza)

Destination Chelsea business partner and neighbor Cafe Grumpy was featured in a recent New York Times article touting the "dedicated group of establishments where coffee making is treated like an art, or at least a high form of craft."

Read the full article here.

And be sure to stop by Cafe Grumpy on your next visit to one of the vibrant cultural partners in Chelsea.

A highlight of the New York City cultural season takes place at The Joyce Theater in Chelsea when the Lyon Opera Ballet performs the work of some of our most revered choreographers. Audiences are invited to enjoy three glorious pieces on one program–Maguy Marin’s austere and impassioned Grosse Fugue; William Forsythe’s beautifully inventive Duo; and Merce Cunningham’s magnificently intricate Beach Birds.

In welcoming the France-based company to our neighborhood, The Joyce's Marketing Intern Aktina Stathaki interviewed Lyon Opera Ballet Director Yorgos Loukos. The two discuss topics that include Loukos' programming choices for the company’s Joyce season, funding for the arts, the use of non-conventional performance spaces, and more.

Purchase tickets for Lyon Opera Ballet (at The Joyce Mar 9-14) now.

Last night I saw Bruno Beltrão / Grupo de Rua at Dance Theater Workshop. Hands down, it is one of the best pieces that I have ever seen at DTW! H3 features a series of solos, duets, and group movement selections, which fuse hip hop with contemporary dance. The set and atmosphere are simple and offer subtle qualifiers, such as a warm window of light that moves from one place to another without anyone noticing, the faint hum of cars on a street, and a shiny, almost wet-looking and sneaker-scuffed area that has three sides outlined with a glow-in-the-dark rope.

The piece starts off relatively slow, gaining more and more momentum and power. Without any music for the first third of the piece, explosions of movement (all of which are composed of hip hop mixed with krumping, capoereia, and quarky gestures) come only ever couple of minutes in between more subtle conversations and phrases. But when they do come - wow! These dancers move with grace, power, and force. They are all truly beautiful movers. I will highlight one performer that consistently delivers not only energetic and crisp dancing, but also a focus and commitment nothing short of brilliant; Danilo Pereira's presence is undeniable.

Each section notably ends as another begins with dramatic shifts in lighting and more aggressive, waves of dancers passing trough the space with agility and breath. To add to the heightened level of anticipation and energy, comes music that fuels the fire. And when I say heightened level of anticipation I am referring to the increasingly dramatic and forceful periods of time that I am waiting for the dancers to actually make contact. They rarely actually touch each other, but still build up an incredible kinetic flow just waiting to be released through the touch/contact with another. This describes what the piece is exploring on a more intellectual level; boundaries and space. Beltrão has me sitting on the edge of my seat, holding my breath, wanting, cheering, screaming inside for the next point of contact to occur. Sometimes it takes a while and all I can do is grow more excited, more hopeful.

The most poignant moment was during the third section when the men start to run in backwards circles outlining the floor. One at a time two dancers heave-ho on a third dancer's, the runner's, arms and throw them backwards into a sprint. Tears came to my eyes. I could watch this for hours. It was the perfect segway to the final section, which draws nicely from earlier, softer moments and relationships. RUN to DTW and see if in the end Beltrão respects the boundaries he has set through the entirety of the piece, or if maybe he too, releases some anticipation.

Image Credit: Yi-Chun Wu

NOW Through Feb 23. Dance Theater Workshop 219 West 19th Street

Thursday, February 4th marked the annual Young Associates winter fund raising party at the Chelsea Art Museum. Wicked evil, probably not, but wicked awesome it was. Being a CAM Ambassador, I got to move around the admission line (that was out the door on a freezing night!) and glide into the party guided by Depeche Mode and fueled by loads of free booze!

Slipping down onto the first floor, squeezing through the crowds of hotties to get a breathing spot, I hit a graffiti artist painting an elephant head on the wall. The gorgeous Ganesh (maybe?) was en route to the interactive light show on the back wall. There were adults jumping wildly and working their best Matrix moves to get floating bars of light to jump wildly on the wall. Heading to the top floor, the a psychedelic rose menagerie projection on the wall stopping folks and inspiring shadow puppetry! Turn the corner and Sobin Park’s monumental fairy tale drawings bring me back to the moment as Hercules and Love affair coming from the DJ was trying to send me somewhere else (dancing?). Sobin herself was hanging out in the crowd. Even security was excitedly telling people that they “should meet the artist.” She was damn cute in her Gucci tunic and fanny pack slung over her shoulder.

Trapped on the 3rd floor for a bit since I couldn’t head down the stairs with my drink, I got a chance to wonder around and small chat with awesome folks. Turns out that off to the side, another artist was running a contraption of bottles and paint over canvas creating beautiful striped patterns.

Cute guys in suits (or halfway in suits as ties and shirttails had been set free) and lovely ladies in their coolest after work gear hung around, enjoyed their cocktails (some more than others) and viewed the creations that they had a hand in making happen. Back on the first there were more graffiti artists Logik One and Rimx working the walls with their ultimate coolness. –Jeff

More info on the Young Associates here: http://www.chelseaartmuseum.org/YA/index.htm

Check out the facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2247212813

I enjoy going to The Kitchen so very much! The space, the audience, the location, the artists - all of it works so well. Shows like "Responsible Ballet and What We Need Is a Bench to Put Books On" by Jon Kinzel are the very reason why The Kitchen is a necessary part of the contemporary art scene in NYC. With a star-studded downtown cast, this quiet, subtle, and mesmerizing presentation featured a series of extremely unique movement patterns. The choreography flowed endlessly into shapes, directions, and phrases not only intricate, but also vague in nature and unfocused in meaning; As Claudia La Rocco's recent review in the NYTimes says, a "meditation." Accurately put. I have yet to decide if mediating was enough for me. I will say that the utterly mesmerizing, delicate, and developed vocabulary with which Kinzel presents is fantastic. I just wonder if maybe a bit more context would highlight the brilliant movement even more. Or maybe this is just what is 'supposed' to be the point; breathe, watch, connect, and get lost in what the movement speaks, creates, and shares.

GO to The Kitchen and get your thought on!

Image: Jon Kinzel by Paula Court

A great review from the NY Times for Jon Kinzel's “Responsible Ballet and What We Need Is a Bench to Put Books On” that just performed at The Kitchen. Check out the full review here!

The Department of City Planning recently announced that it has certified the City's application for approval of future acquisition of the High Line above 30th Street! This step will help with Friends of the High Line's goal of full preservation of the historic structure north of 30th Street, including the 10th Avenue Spur, and completion of the High Line project all the way to 34th Street. Click here for more info! Image provided by Flickr user 1 hr photo.

I recently attended opening night of In/Sight 2010: A group show of contemporary art by American Indian Artists at Chelsea Art Museum. I couldn't wait to see this show...and was not disappointed when the time came.

FINALLY - what an amazing group of artists to give space, time, energy, and support to! This exhibition not only highlights a largely underrepresented group of talented and inspiring group of artists, but does so by presenting a little bit of every medium. It features painting, sculpture, photography, and mixed media.

I will say that I believe the curation itself could have been stronger, but overall this presentation is not only intellectually stimulating, but also socially necessary. We don't see enough contemporary art from this so very historically-specific and culturally stacked group of Americans. In/Sight 2010 definitely provides work rich with references specific to the Native-American experience and historically artistic elements.

Go see this exhibit at Chelsea Art Museum! I highly recommend it. The image above is called 'Coyote with Hotdog' by Steve Yazzie, 2009. Brilliant. Click here for info!

First of all, let me say how amazing the discounts were that Destination Chelsea provided in the newsletter! 40% off a matinee ticket? GREAT! This new Culture Choice program sounds perfect. I can't wait for what the next few months will feature...yay for saving money, but still being able to attend amazing cultural programs right in my own neighborhood! And an 'amazing show' is just what Atlantic Theater Company's current Sam Shepard 'Ages of the Moon' proves to be! The acting and writing were great; the set, lighting, and production value were equally pleasing. I will say that I was expecting something a bit darker, coming from Mr. Shepard and all. However, this piece had a softer edge, while still providing ever-growing vulnerabilities through character development and direction.

The storyline features an over two decade reunion between two men. Now old and a bit more senile, the two men share stories, thoughts, and conversation throughout the one act play. Drinking whiskey and scoffing are all the two men do, until they slowly start to loosen up and spill their more vulnerable, relinquished sides. During this transformation, they fight twice, make up once, deal with an unruly, yet very symbolic, porch ceiling fan, and finish a bottle of scotch.

One might think the characters, their stories, and the presentation might only relate to older people, but this is largely not the case. The core of this work is speaks to the friendship, growth, honesty, dependability, and sometimes, lack there of each between two friends. The lessons and ideas shared here can be understood and appreciated by people of ages and backgrounds. I am much younger than the two characters and could completely appreciated and interact with the issues they battled, shared, and sometimes, not always, conquered.

I suggested this show to my best friend and hope he'll take advantage of these Destination Chelsea discount codes ASAP! Everyone should. I didn't have time to discuss the acting, but know that it's phenomenal. And once again, ATC continually commits to the highest production values. Click here for more information on the show and how to receive DC's discounts!

Ages of the Moon, Sam Shepard’s newest play currently at the Atlantic Theater, is about male friendship, bonds and memories, the remaining glimpses of power and desire of two men at the dusk of their lives. Set in the front porch of a remote fishing house somewhere in the American South, on the day of a total eclipse of the moon, the two friends of over fifty years meet, talk about their past, about women, wives and male rivals, they fight, reconcile and fight again, hiding their vulnerabilities behind whiskey and futile demonstrations of masculinity and power.

Ames, played by Stephen Rea, was forced to leave his house after his wife discovered traces of an insignificant past affair. Desperate and lonely in his isolated fishing house, he’s called his old friend Byron (Sean McGinley) who arrives to offer support. The play is masterful in allowing the characters to emerge gradually and effortlessly through what seems to be insignificant small talk: the upcoming eclipse on the moon; girls on bikes; memories of their wives and of past rivals; the “finicky” fan on the ceiling that seems to function at will. As these topics come up, randomly, between long pauses and sips of whiskey, often leading to witty one liners, it is not only the two men’s contrasting characters that are revealed – Ames’ grumpy and fierce temperament, always ready to start a fight, yet in desperate need of companionship, against Byron’s quiet condescending personality, carefully avoiding to reveal his own feelings in order to be supportive to his friend. More than that, subtly and without manipulating or emphasizing it, the play allows for a third space to emerge: the very space between the two men, their friendship and its nature, at once suffocating and comforting. The detailed crafting of characters and dialogue makes these two men complementary, as Byron often completes Ames’ thoughts or blends, almost as a ghost, into his friend’s memories of the past. Ames’ fierce spirit, trying to assert self-sufficiency, revolts (“you think you know me that well?”) and in his fists of rage tries to drive his friend away physically as well as from his reminisces, only to ask him to return again. When at the second, darker part of the play, Byron for the first time, alone on stage, opens his heart and reveals his loneliness after his wife’s death and crushes under what seems like a heart attack (which fortunately is not), it will be Ames’ turn to be quiet and listen and take care of him. As fifty years of friendship have been tested through bitterness, anger, humor and lots of whiskey, the play closes with the two friends, seated on the porch next two each other watching the moon and slowly disappearing in the darkness of the eclipse.

I am a devoted fan of Stephen Rea from his film work - this was the first time I was seeing him on stage and he was equally astonishing. He had such a fine balance between wittiness and vulnerability, such imperceptible transitions between anger and loneliness, feistiness and defeat, mischievousness and introversion. He was a charming boyish old man, in such extraordinary command of all his expressive means that at times I thought that he was acting even with his wrinkles. McGinley was a good pair (in fact the play has been written for these two actors) and was captivating particularly in the later part of the play.

The only aspect that I had some trouble with was the direction (by Jimmy Fay) mainly in the earlier part of the play. Although the performance achieved to maintain the play’s fine balance between lightness and emotion and brought out its profound good-heartedness, it seemed to me that, in its earlier part, it did not adequately create and establish that atmosphere of intimacy and ease between the two men who can comfortably sit in silence for hours or can be so in-tune as to complement each others’ thoughts. Thus for example the leit-motif of the two men drinking simultaneously while looking away comes across as a gimmick rather than a sign of deep-seated familiarity between the two. Similarly the fast-paced one liners, occasionally emphasized to elicit laughter (a trap that Rea was more successful in avoiding) in combination with a rather static staging in the beginning, at times created a sitcom aesthetic. However the play is still in previews and probably these things will smoothen and relationships will gel during the run. Despite such slight weaknesses Ages of the Moon is a very strong play with an extraordinary cast making the performance a treat for New York audiences.

Ages of the Moon runs at The Atlantic until March 7. Don’t miss the opportunity to get a special discount offer for January performances through Destination Chelsea’s Culture Choice!

Last Saturday was killer cold. Felt like 10 below, but the BF and I pulled our hangovers and ourselves outta bed and poured ourselves into a sweet brunch in the EV on the way to Chelsea. You see, we were coming from Greenpoint (BKLN!), so you have to stop and eat on the way lest one or both of us collapse from starvation and exhaustion on such a long and arduous journey. The MTA can be very cruel to North Brooklynites on weekends, by say, hmmmmm, screwing up the L.

After eating, we split up and I headed over to the Chelsea Art Museum. Recently, there have been a series of Asian artists who are either less known or have never been shown on these shores. The latest, on the top floor, So-Bin Park, hails from South Korea. Her show, Toward the Creation of a New Female Myth, was created in Brooklyn, specifically for the museum. Swirling landscapes that end up leading into figures of beastly dragons and striking beauties, with the occasional deities and references to mythology mixed in. She continues on the beauty and beast theme, but with an evolution toward greater abstraction, from what she had shown at the Tenri Cultural Institute back in 2007. These drawings are pretty awesome. The layers and layers of graphite create textures and, and I would dare to say, covering other elements. The colors are what I call the “Holy Trinity”=Red, black, white. You can get sucked into the mazes of (not so straight) lines that her tools created. After that, I was STARVING, again. Off to Blossom for a BLT and fries! http://www.chelseaartmuseum.org/exhibits/2009/park/index.html

Please join Lori Belilove & The Isadora Duncan Dance Company for showcases during the APAP 2010 Conference. We will be offering two half-hour showcase performances featuring the Company, and junior troupe "The Beliloveables," with dances from Duncan's repertory as seen in The Art of Isadora program. For more info, click here!

Reception to follow each performance. Not to be missed!

Sunday, January 10, 2010 4:15-4:45 pm and 5:15-5:45 pm

New York City Center Studios, 6th Floor

RSVP to info@isadoraduncan.org or 212-691-5040 or Tommy Flagg/Terpsichore Management trishterpsichore@hotmail.com or 908-996-6885

This past year presented many exciting things - nationally and locally! Our country elected the first African-American President; Lady GaGa hit the music scene with an outrageous bang; and Friends of The High Line opened the long anticipated "park in the sky!" Check out the 2009 in Pictures letter that I received from FOHL, it has some amazing shots! Click here!

Rasta Thomas’ Rock the Ballet is coming next week at The Joyce! From Dec 15 until Jan 3, Rasta Thomas’ Bad Boys of Dance will rock the stage with their unique, high-energy fusion of ballet, hip-hop, musical theater, contemporary and tap, a holiday performance ideal for dance lovers and first time theatergoers of all ages! To celebrate the event, The Joyce Theater offers amazing gifts with the purchase of Rock the Ballet tickets: receive a Joyce Theater Jacket at the discounted price of $25 (regular price: $30) or a Joyce Theater T-shirt for $10 (regular price: $15) when you purchase two regular priced A section tickets ($59). With the purchase of a pair of B section ticket ($35), enjoy a Joyce Theater t-shirt for $10 (regular price: $15) or a tote bag for $15 (regular price: $20).

For more ideas on how to celebrate these holidays spreading the beauty of dance, check out The Joyce Theater blog. Happy holidays!

Rock the Ballet runs at The Joyce from Dec 15 to Jan 3. Check out The Joyce Theater calendar to purchase your tickets and find out about upcoming performances .

It was my first time in The Kitchen, this past Friday, and the first thing I noticed, aside from the friendly, casual hostesses at the door, was how amazing the performance space is. A very simple black-box theater, with very high ceilings, bare walls with the lighting equipment showing, it seems to be created for precisely what The Kitchen offers: unpretentious, non-mainstream, great quality performances. It’s one of these spaces with real personality, that can inspire performances specifically created for it (I was wondering if performance artists have already done this-create something with that space in mind- if anyone knows please let me know!).

I went to see Alicia Hall Moran’s The Motown Project. I admit that I didn’t know her work but I was looking for an opportunity to go to The Kitchen and the show’s online description attracted me. And what a discovery it was! Has it ever happened to you that you like something so much and you can’t even (and not even care to) explain why? Because this is how I was feeling after the performance ended. Moran sang with a purely operatic voice great Motown hits- from Marvin Gaye’s I heard it through the Grapevine to Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered I’m yours, occasionally intertwined with classical arias from Bizet’s Carmen and Mozart’s Figaro in transitions so artistically created (thanks also to the subtle magic of Thomas Flippin’s classic guitar) that were almost imperceptible. The songs were structured through a loose storyline of betrayed or unrequited love - Moran who also had the artistic direction of the program, staged it using the very simple concept of a young woman flipping through the pages of a photo album, very occasionally interacting with her musicians or, more interestingly, with the instruments. My director’s eyes kept telling me that more work on the staging and direction of the piece might have helped bring out the humor of the performance that was already there- partly inherent in the operatic rendering of popular hits and partly deliberately emphasized by the singer in her interpretation of the unhappy lover. It might have also helped smoothen some moments of stage awkwardness that occurred during some transitions or scenes that required a bit more “acting”. Yet by the end of it, all of this didn’t really matter. There was a disarming simplicity in the way the performance connected seemingly contrasting styles and sounds to a completely new, original interpretation. In addition to Moran’s voice and Flippin’s guitar, the group was graced with Clare Bathe’s vocals, Tarus Mateen’s base and Kaoru Watanabe’s Japanese drums- a combination of sounds that created fascinating musical dialogues on stage. There was something so ingenuous in the way the performance made these dialogues at times seem seamless (as with the wonderful transition from Signed, Sealed, Delivered I am yours to L’amour est un oiseau rebelle) and at times emphasized them- for example when the two women sang together- Moran with her operatic voice and Bathe with her powerful, visceral soul singing (my personal most favorite moments). And there was something absolutely admirable in the way Moran succeeded in maintaining the very fine balance between allowing the humor to come out of her interpretation while avoiding falling into the trap of mockery, thus paying equal respect to both genres at the same time.

The evening ended beautifully with wine and mingling in the lobby that felt as warm and welcoming as a house party. The Kitchen has become an absolute favorite!

Actress Katie Holmes has proved that she is an active supporter of dance- she is the co-founder of Dizzy Feet Foundation, an organization devoted to assisting underprivileged youth in pursuing their dream of becoming dancers. Recently she was seen at The Joyce Theater where she came to attend the performance of Complexions Contemporary Ballet.You can get a glimpse of the paparazzi craze following her visit at The Joyce here. According to the dance company's coverage of the event, the actress and her daughter met with the dancers of the company and expressed their admiration for their work.

As a fan of Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, I was eager to see Bill T. Jones' new creation, "Serenade/The Proposition," at The Joyce Theater this weekend. Having read about the three part project he is currently working on in honor of Abraham Lincoln's bicentennial, I was curious to see how much such a historically specific topic fit into his regular aesthetic. I am constantly wowed by his ability to fuse a movement vocabulary with theatrical elements. He can creates very intricate worlds on stage. His choreography, costuming, set design, lighting, and direction is always inspirational, unique, and "so bill."

The show was definitively still "so bill," but also different than his regular presentation style. I think more than ever, Mr. Jones chose to be more strict with himself; how he handled, commented on, and interacted with his topic was a bit more reserved and traditionally polite. Although most of the design elements still stood out as interesting and captivating, there remained those that kept alive a less-seen, more subtle, gentle appeal; an orator dressed head to toe in a professional suit, classical music used through most of the piece, and a lucid comment on the connection between history and the memories and moments we experience in the present day. The writings and speeches of Lincoln, as orated by actor Jamyl Dobson, were powerful and well-placed, as well provided a nice pace for the piece. However, I think the piece could have done without Mr. Jones' autobiographical material - the point was clear. An excerpt from Mr. Jones' own writings seemed a bit excessive. The singer standing opposite the orator was also unnecessary. Her voice was often distracting.

As always, the company dancers were amazing. They perform with a heartfelt vigor destined to examine movement, emotion, and communication. Besides the opening series of synchronized entrances and exits that were a bit off, all the choreography was achieved with exactness and commitment. Mr. Jones' best choreographic choices were seen in the duets, trios, and quartets scattered throughout - absolutely breathtaking. I only wish that I get to see the first part of his Lincoln bicentennial project, "Fondly Do We Hope...Fervently Do We Pray" that premiered a few months ago at the Ravinia Festival!

I would like to congratulate to The Joyce Theater for commissioning Bill T. Jones to make "Serenade/The Proposition." The support and presentation of work with such a courageous, mobilizing, and unique quality is exactly what this nation and American public needs. Visit www.joyce.org to see what other companies and programs this Chelsea gem offers.

Last night, I went to see Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet perform at the Chelsea Art Museum. The two organizations have been collaborating in a series of installation performances choreographed by Cedar Lake Artistic Director, Benoit-SwanPouffer. For this performance, Pouffer made decisions based of his interpretation the museum's current Iran Inside Out exhibition, curated by Sam Bardaouil. Bardaouil actually performed in the installation as a sort of narrator, using voice, song, and intense observation of the other performers - almost an outside observer, himself commenting on the display(s). Attendees moved through the exhibition space along with the dancers as they performed small, sometimes simultaneous, vignettes. This was when the performance was most interesting, as most of these smaller (both in number of dancers involved, as well as the size of the movement) trios, duets, and solos were less 'dancey' and more expressive, creative, and what seemed to be improved. The larger group dance scenes lacked a sense of genuineness with movement that didn't quite, in my eyes, relate to the overall manic, repressed, abusive mood previously established byPouffer . There were too many Iranian cliches and stereotypical images and choices made, such as the men wearing military jackets with nothing but Lycra dance shorts and a wife-beater underneath. However, the whole work was his interpretation of the exhibit, so to each his own. Overall, there are some great momentsPouffer was able to capture. I encourage everyone to see cooperative work, such as this, whenever possible.

The artwork featured in the exhibit was fantastic. There was so much to look at, think about, and learn from. The aesthetics presented are something so foreign to the Western eye, that they truly provide intriguing moments with which to explore the visual and intellectual depth of a variety of motifs and themes. And what an amazing backdrop for live performance!

Go see if your interpretation is the same as Pouffer's or if you come up with something different. Cedar Lake performs at Chelsea Art Museum again tonight and tomorrow night, September 2nd and 3d, at 7:30pm. And you must experience CAM's Iran Inside Out before it's ending date of this Saturday, September 5th - the artwork is superbly vital and thought-provoking.

As Destination Chelsea recently reported, The High Line just opened their stairwells to the sky! To celebrate the opening, Friends of The High Line threw a benefit party, complete with CK models, giant pinwheels, and Danny DeVito! Check it out!:

http://www.bizbash.com/newyork/enewsletter.php?newsletter_id=467

The LGBT Center is pleased to announce "As We See It", the 5th annual exhibition by the NYC Photo Club. The exhibition runs from June 11 - September 3, 2008. Free admission. 208 W 13th Street, NY, NY 10011, www.nycphotoclub.com.

"As We See It"

features stunning imagery...

from erotic to political...

from pop art to politically incorrect...

from travel to portraiture...

and everything in between by some of the finest emerging photographers in NYC.

The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center 208 W 13th Street, NY, NY 10011 212.620.7310 | gaycenter.org

Yelp.com and The Joyce Theater just threw an awesome party at Chelsea Art Museum to celebrate the Yelp Elite - Yelp.com's most respected and frequent bloggers! The Yelp Elite sampled some of Chelsea's favorite food, drink, and art before being given their Yelp New York Passport to Chelsea, a booklet featuring discounts to the neighborhood's must-sees, dos, and eats! Check out photos from the event, as well as what the Yelp Elite really thought...

http://guestofaguest.com/nyc-events/not-quite-the-jet-set-yelp-offers-passport-to-patrons-of-chelsea/

Yelp Official Blog: http://communityblog.yelp.com/2009/06/the-yelp-new-york-passport-to-chelsea-launch-party.html
Talk Thread: http://www.yelp.com/topic/new-york-the-official-thread-for-the-yelp-passport-to-chelsea-kick-off-event
Reviews of the Event: http://www.yelp.com/biz/passport-to-chelsea-launch-party-new-york
Pictures: http://www.flickr.com/photos/yelp/sets/72157619190073918/

St. Peter’s Church on 20th Street between 8th and 9th avenues is the perfect Chelsea location for the Chelsea Opera’s production of “Suor Angelica” (Puccini) and their presentation of “Women Extraordinaire,” a nice mix of opera classics such as “Flower duet from Lakme,” and more modern operatic choices such as “Things change, Jo” from “Little Women” (Adamo).

It was nice to have to show start with some familiar songs before getting into the lesser-known Puccini opera “Suor Angelica.” The presentation of “Women Extraordinaire” was a great showcase of the people in the company. Soprano Casey Hutchinson and Mezzo-Soprano Kristen Allegri started the night off with grace and beauty. Allegri also showed her talent throughout “Suor Angelica.” All the performers showcased here showed a fantastic understanding of all the components of opera: acting, singing and grace. Performers showcased a range of vocal types and ages. But the most impressive thing about this performance was the wide array of musical selections. I was particularly impressed with the modern selections such as “The Rape of Lucretica”, “Little Women” and “A Street Car Named Desire.” Darcy Dunn (mezzo-soprano) was a vivacious and dynamic performer who filled the whole room up with her stage presence and voice while singing the part of Meg from “Little Women.” She had a strong voice and acting skills to match. Dunn became this character, much as Rachel A. Rinsione did with her interpretation of the character Blanche in the operatic version of “A Street Car Named Desire.” Rinsione embodied the character of Blanche and showed her skill as both an actress and singer in her emotional interpretation of the solo “I want magic.”

In the production of “Suor Angelica” Dulce Manzini portrayed La Zia Principesa beautifully. In her duet with soprano Anya Fidelia (Suor Angelica) she showed a great skill in both her acting and musicality. Her voice is of top quality and both she and Fidelia clearly had a feel for working well together. Their voice, emotions and presences filled the room. The way in which the two women interacted with each other showed off their skill that they have honed over many years of training and performing. Both performers exhibited a mastery of the music and language that is often not present in modern productions.

I was extremely impressed with the impact that the singers and musicians were able to make with such minimal space. Stage director Beth Greenberg certainly has a great understanding for staging an opera in any space, weather it be the main stage and New York City Opera or the small stage at St. Peter’s church. Additionally the orchestra played beautifully under the direction of Carmine Aufiero.

Each part of this production served to strengthen the other. It was clear that all that participated in the performance, as well as the audience, thoroughly enjoyed themselves. When leaving, murmurs could be heard through the audience about how this was a most impressive production, and possibly the best they had ever seen out of the Chelsea Opera in its amazing 5 years of performances. Many of the audience members had seen the company perform this opera before in June of 2004, and seemed to be very impressed with how well and how much the company has grown in these few short years.

This production was great fun, and definitely something to see for both opera aficionados and those who just simply enjoy good music. If you are interested in going to the show it runs until June 7th! Visit the Chelsea Opera’s website at http://www.chelseaopera.org/ for details and to book tickets in advance.

International Print Center New York presents New Prints 2009/Spring – Selected by Polly Apfelbaum in its gallery at 526 West 26th Street, Room 824, between 10th and 11th Avenues in Chelsea. On view from April 23 until May 30, the show consists of sixty-two pieces by fifty-three emerging to established artists, selected from a pool of nearly 2,100 submissions.

The complete artists’ list for New Prints 2009/Spring is as follows: Lauren Abshire, Kamrooz Aram, Richard Artschwager, Tauba Auerbach, AWG, Glen Baldridge, Colby Bird, Michael Bramwell, Noah Breuer, Tamar Cohen, Ann Conner, Ian Cooper, William Criswell, Elizabeth Deasy, Hope Dector, Tomory Dodge, Carroll Dunham, Orna Feinstein, Elise Ferguson, Steven H. Ford, Jesse Gottesman, Joanne Greenbaum, Ann Hamilton, Denise Hawrysio, Adriane Herman, John Himmelfarb, Robert Howsare, Matt Keegan, William Kentridge, Andrew Kozlowski, Jennifer Marshall, Chris Martin, Suzanne McClelland, John L. Moore, Laura Moriarty, Jill Moser, Doris Neidl, Danica Phelps, Adam Pitt, Paula Praeger, Erika Radich, Sara Greenberger Rafferty, Susan Rothenberg, Anthony Ryan, Jackie Saccoccio, Alison Sahmel, Phil Sanders, Larry Schulte, Mindy Shapero, Shinique Smith, Joan Snyder, Richard Tuttle, and May Yang.

International Print Center New York is a non-profit institution founded to promote the greater appreciation and understanding of the fine art print worldwide.

Gallery hours are 11- 6 p.m., Tuesday - Saturday. For additional information, call (212) 989-5090 or visit IPCNY's website www.ipcny.org. For further information regarding this exhibition, please contact Kendra Sullivan at kendra@ipcny.org.

I was able to escape the hour and half rainstorm last night by attending Offices at The Atlantic Stage Theater. Besides staying dry, I had an entertaining hour and a half watching these three short one act plays. The rotating set was a great story telling tool. Working in a corporate setting myself, I could not help but laugh and cringe at the scenes before me. Some office experiences I completely identified with and others have never happened before but would not have minded (first play, girl at her desk). I would not say that Offices is a fantastic theater experience but it was definitely entertaining. My companion for the evening was about to fall asleep when the lights went down and he stayed wide awake through the whole show so I would say that is a sign of an entertaining play! I think I was most impressed with seeing F. Murray Abraham live and in such a different role then I have ever seen him in. He is usually so serious and intimidating in his roles yet in this piece he is crass, sarcastic, and completely hysterical. I have always been a huge fan of the Coen brothers films, I think I quote The Big Lebowski on a weekly basis...so I was very excited to see Ethan Coen's writing in a smaller scale. You could definitely see the dark humor he is famous for in Offices. The Linda Gross Theater is a great venue to see live theater..not just because you get to walk on the stage when you have to use the bathroom, but because of the intimate setting. You truly are up close and personal with the actors and therefore feel more a part of the theater experience. This was my second time at this theater. I had seen The Cripple of Inishman there about a month ago and loved it. Offices is playing until May 31. Definitely schedule a time in your Outlook Calendar to check it out! http://www.atlantictheater.org/

Check out our website to view Ice Theatre of New York's latest newsletter, with pictures from past events, information on upcoming performances and much more!

Spring 09 Newsletter

"Theresa" is a performance by cellist Keren Rosenbaum, physical theater artist Cassie Terman, and 2 members of Reflex Ensemble, who transform an empty stage with sound, music and movement to explore a surreal realm of comic dilemma and the pathos of human frailty. Inspired by the writings of Italo Calvino, this performance was developed in the New Art Lab of The Project Room for New Media at Chelsea Art Museum.

Chelsea Art Museum 556 W22nd Street New York, NY 10011

The performance starts at 6pm.

Tickest are $15/$10 students and seniors/ free for CAM members.

For more information: programs@chhelseaartmuseum.org or 212-255-0719 ext 112

On view through next week at

International Print Center New York:

SEEING GOD IN PRINTS

Indian Lithographs from the Collection of Mark Baron and Elise Boisanté

International Print Center New York announces SEEING GOD IN PRINTS: Indian Lithographs from the Collection of Mark Baron and Elise Boisanté, an exhibition of printed images of Hindu gods and goddesses published in India in the 19th and 20th centuries.  Curated by Andrew McCord and Mark Baron, the Exhibition will be on view from March 4th-April 11th, 2009, in IPCNY’s gallery at 526 West 26th Street in Chelsea, Room 824. 

SEEING GOD IN PRINTS is the first formal presentation in the United States of this genre of Indian art.  The Exhibition is comprised of some thirty-one historically significant lithographs of Hindu gods and goddesses printed during the last quarter of the 19th century and through the 1940s.  First printed in Europe, later at Indian-run commercial color presses, these lithographs were produced in large editions and widely distributed to merchants and households across India.  In the words of Mr. McCord, these prints, "as standardized, forward facing icons, give an immediate and portable connection to the divine."

International Print Center New York is located in Chelsea on 26th Street526 West 26th Street, Room 824. Hours are 11- 6 p.m., Tuesday-Saturday. For additional information, call Kendra Sullivan, Program Manager, at Kendra@ipcny.org or visit IPCNYs website www.ipcny.org.

F. Murray Abraham, Mary McCann and Joey Slotnick are three of 11 performers for Atlantic Theater Company's world premiere of Ethan Coen's Offices, to play April 15-May 31 at ATC's Linda Gross Theater Off Broadway.

Artistic director Neil Pepe directs the three short plays that make up Offices, a workplace triptych.

According to ATC, "Hiring and firing are antisocial acts. Workplace pressures make for nasty competition. And the work itself can be meaningless and alienating. Accordingly, the three short plays that make up Offices are comedies."

Academy Award winner Ethan Coen ("No Country for Old Men") reteams with Pepe (Broadway's Speed-the-Plow), who staged Coen's sold out 2008 run of Almost an Evening, which had a commercial transfer.

For Offices, the ensemble cast of 11 includes Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham ("Amadeus," Almost an Evening), Daniel Abeles (Behold, the Bowery!), Brennan Brown (Atlantic's Celebration), Aya Cash (From Up Here), John Bedford Lloyd (Some Americans Abroad), Daniel London ("Patch Adams"), Mary McCann (Spring Awakening), Joey Slotnick (Almost an Evening, Lookingglass' Our Town), Greg Stuhr (November), C.J. Wilson (The Voysey Inheritance) and Daniel Yelsky (upcoming film "Meet Monica Velour").

Opening is May 7. Atlantic Theater Company's Linda Gross Theater is at 336 West 20th Street.

Coen's one-acts collection Almost an Evening in 2008 played at Atlantic Stage 2, the intimate 16th Street space, and then moved to a commercial Off-Broadway run.

Coen has made 14 movies with his brother Joel, including the Academy Award-winning films "No Country for Old Men" and "Fargo," plus "O Brother, Where Art Thou?," "Raising Arizona," "Barton Fink," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "The Big Lebowski" and "Burn After Reading."

Offices will feature scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by Laura Bauer, lighting design by David Weiner and sound design by Obadiah Eaves.

Offices will play Tuesday-Friday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM & 8 PM and Sunday at 3 PM & 7 PM.

Tickets are $65 and available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 (ticketcentral.com).

________________________________________________________________________________ 

The final production of Atlantic Theater Company's 2008-09 Off-Broadway season will be the world premiere of Leslie Ayvazian's modern-relationships play Make Me, directed by Atlantic associate artistic director Christian Parker. Casting will be announced shortly.

Make Me will begin previews May 19, officially open May 31 and play a limited engagement through June 14 at the intimate Atlantic Stage 2 at 330 West 16th Street.

According to Atlantic, "In Make Me, six pent-up Americans in three different relationships have reached the end of their ropes. In this naughty comic fugue, Leslie Ayvazian explores what happens when the rules are changed just at the moment when people think they are perfectly comfortable and the lengths to which some will go to be seen, heard and obeyed."

Ayvazian makes her Atlantic Theater Company debut. Her acclaimed Off-Broadway play Nine Armenians won the John Gassner Outer Critics Award, The Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the Kennedy Center's Roger L. Stevens Award. Her film credits include Showtime's "Every Three Minutes" starring Olympia Dukakis.

Atlantic associate artistic director Parker most recently staged the New York premiere of Tina Howe's play Birth And After Birth. Other Atlantic credits include Jeff Whitty's The Hiding Place and 10X20, a festival of newly commissioned ten-minute plays by writers previously produced at Atlantic.

Make Me will feature scenic design by Anna Louizos, lighting design by Josh Bradford and sound design by Jill BC DuBoff.

Ayvazian's second full-length play (after Nine Armenians), Singer's Boy, was produced at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco directed by Cary Perloff. High Dive, her one-woman show about turning 50, premiered at the Long Wharf Theatre directed by David Warren, produced in conjunction with The Play Company, and opened in New York at Manhattan Class Company. It has since received many productions in the U.S. and recently completed a successful run in Poland. Rosemary and I, which was named a Susan Smith Blackburn Prize finalist, received a workshop at New York Stage and Film and a full production at the Passage Theatre in Trenton, NJ, directed by Blair Brown. Her play Lovely Day premiered at City Theatre in Pittsburgh in a production directed by Tracy Brigden, and was produced in New York at The Play Company where it was staged by Blair Brown.

Make Me received workshop productions by the Cape Cod Theatre Festival and the Adirondack Theatre Festival, both directed by Martha Banta. She has received commissions from Manhattan Theatre Club, South Coast Repertory Theatre and Wind Dancer Productions.

Make Me will play Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30 PM, Saturday matinees at 2:30 PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM. All tickets are $40 and are available by calling Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or by visiting www.ticketcentral.com.

For more information visit www.atlantictheater.org.

The Kitchen Gallery and Performance Space on W. 19th between 10th and 11th offers a plethora of visual, performing and mixed media art presentations. Their current show in the gallery is Elodie Pongs "After the Empire;" an experimental short film in which the artist, Pong, tested the boundaries of the audiences acceptance of the somewhat absurdist structure of popular culture.

 I arrived towards closing time. The gallery staff was fairly amenable to staying open a little later to enable me to watch the video in its entirety. The space was set up nicely with one sculptural exhibit in the main room, and two film installations in the back. The staff was knowledgeable about the pieces, explaining that Pong herself wanted the viewer to walk into watching her film at any point throughout, because even though it had a beginning and an end, it ran in a loop and could be picked up on from any point.

I came in just for the middle of the piece, and must say that watching it from middle to middle was extremely interesting and effective. Pongs idea that people should be able to view her piece from any point was completely valid and worked perfectly.

 The film itself was a series of short vignettes, intertwined with each other. Each vignette had developed and absurdist characters, either reminiscent of a cultural stereotype (an Asian sex addict), or a pop culture icon, all with slightly new spins. She seemed to use only dialogue from other famous movies and songs and speeches; however, the variety of sources and the way Pong connected references that seemingly  had nothing to do with each other was impressive. From Elvis, to Marylin Monroe, to Martin Luther King Jr. and even Batman and Robin, Pong pointed out the comical aspect of many of the popular influences through America. The film had a feeling of a side show at a circus, giving it humor and a sort of melancholy, which after all does play into what seems to be the overall point.

 In this exhibit, Pong poigniantly points out the absurdity of much of our media driven popular culture, and makes the viewer think what will be left of our civilization and culture "After the Fall."

The first time I saw Savion Glover was in Jelly's Last Jam with Gregory Hines. I think I was twelve at the time and he probably was the same age.  For a twelve year old to hold his own with Gregory Hines, that young man had to be someone special. Twenty years later, Savion Glover is not just a special dancer he is spectacular. I must preface this blog by saying I am not a huge fan of tap dancing...maybe it was because I was not allowed to take tap classes as a kid (mom was concerned about the constant sound of tap shoes on her kitchen floor!) or maybe because most muscials with tap in it are pretty cheesy but Savion Glover's show at the Joyce last night was not your typical tap show.  It reminded me more of STOMP then 42nd Street. 

Savion is an amazing athlete.  He danced for a good two hours straight with one 20 minute intermission.  The one word to describe his dancing is passionate.  It is mesmerizing to watch him and he rarely moves around the stage...his dancing was contained to a square piece of wood maybe 8X8 feet but he worked his space and the energy exuded all the way out from his fingertips.  Let's also talk about his smile, it is infectious.  He truly looks like he is loving every minute of performing and has a deep admiration and respect for his fellow hoofers and musicians.  This show was not so much a visual performance but a musical performance.  Savion and his fellow hoofers became a part of the band that was on stage and without the tapping, the music would not have been complete.  The show also featured an amazing flamenco dancer and singer.  The idea of tap and flamenco together is so brilliant since they do parallel each other in so many ways.  Great concept.  Did I mention Savion taps on his toes for a good two minutes without ever coming down.  Speaking as a 6 year pointe dancer...holy #$#$!  I was ready to get down on my knees and do the "I am not worthy" right then and there.

I have to admit that I was ready for the show to end and the second act did drag a bit.  The last number felt like it went on way too long and I found myself looking at my watch.  I am going to attribute this to the fact that I am not a huge fan of tap and not a musician.  For those who love this genre of dance and are fans of percussion and latin flavored music, that last number would probably be enjoyable, but for me, at some point it just became noise and I was hoping it would end soon.  At the end of the show, I had a deep respect and admiration for Savion Glover but at the same time I was all tapped out!  

Savion's show plays for another week at the Joyce and his performance should not be missed!  He was a brilliant dancer at age 12 when I saw him years ago, but now years later, he is a gifted master artist and has taken the genre of tap to a performance level you will never see anywhere else. 

 http://www.joyce.org/

This morning, trucks, trailors, extension cords, and lighting equipment took over Peter McManus Cafe and the Northwest corner of 19th St. and 7th Ave!!!

Guess what the shoot was for:

1.) A segment on The David Letterman Show.

2.) An episode of Law & Order.

3.) A new Adam Sandler movie.

We know the truth........:)

Sadly, the corner of 19th St. and 8th Ave. says goodbye to a long standing gem of the block - Galaxy Diner. From greasy eggs and toast to healthy fruit shakes, this place will be missed!! Does anyone know when this place opened?? OR why this place closed??

R.I.P. Galaxy!!!

That’s right! Tickets to all evening performances in Dance Theater Workshop's Bessie Schönberg Theater during February and March are now $10 online and $15 through the box office. To see which shows are included in this limited time offer, click here!

Also visit Dance Theater Workshop to learn more about this great contemporary dance art organization.

Local Chelsea master of baked goods, The City Bakery kicked-off their 17th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival this past Saturday! Widely known for their variety of delicious breakfast pastries, City Bakery also boasts the "best known and most drunk hot chocolate in New York since 1990." For the month of February, City Bakery presents a different flavor of hot chocolate each and every day...thank goodness for us there is only 28 days in this short month!

Learn more about The City Bakery here and pick your hot chocolate day(s) and flavor(s) here!

This Thursday 1/22 at 7pm!!

In conjunction with the exhibition on view ItaliaArabia...

Come see Waiting for Pasolini (2007), selected Best Arabic Film at the 2007 Cairo International Film Festival. Directed by Daoud Aoulad-Syad, it  is a distinctly Moroccan comedy set in Ouarzazate, a Moroccan town used by countless American and European film production companies. The tiny village of Ouarzazate is turned upside down when it is announced that an Italian film crew will be arriving to shoot a film. Waiting for Pasolini will be followed by a brief discussion on the role of art in cross cultural exchange, as it relates to the film and the exhibition.

Chelsea Art Museum – Home of the Miotte Foundation

566 West 22nd Street (at 11th Avenue)

New York, NY 10011

Free with museum admission.

Space is limited. RSVP required by Tuesday, January 20 to:

bookstore@chelseaartmuseum.org or 212.255.0719 x 0

Looking for something to do on this cold holiday weekend?  Look no further than Parsons Dance Company at The Joyce.  There are currently two programs to choose from.  I attended Program B on Tuesday night and all I can say is "Wow!"  I have seen Parsons perform three times and this was definitely my favorite program to date.   Of course they did Caught which is just pure genius...I have seen this piece three times and it never gets old.  I had the good fortune to see David Parsons perform it himself at Jacob's Pillow. which was definitely the best it has ever been performed so it was a little disappointing Tuesday because the lighting was off a little bit.  However, the brilliance of this piece outweighs the minimal lighting glitches that occurred.I really enjoy the way Parsons uses light and shadows in their choreography.  I also would like to know how those dancers danced in the spotlight with their eyes wide open while I could not see a thing everytime they shone the light into the audience. 

The sold out crowd had the good fortune to see an excerpt from Program A: Ebben- a wonderful "duet" to the East Village Opera Company.  Program A is all EVOC and I initially did not go to that program because I am not a fan of opera...however, I am officially eating my words because based on what I saw Tuesday night, I am now dying to see Program A.  My hesitancy to call this piece a duet was because while there were two people on stage, really only one person was dancing.  I noticed a theme last night of the women doing all the work and the men just standing there.  Could not help but smirk about the metaphors going through my head and relate that to my own personal experiences with the opposite sex lately!  I do wonder why they chose so many pieces in this program with that similar composition but in any case, when the men did dance, they were fantastic. 

This company is so in synch and athletic.  The leaps and turns all are so high, yet the landings so soft it looks like they are floating on stage...timing is impeccable in this company and I have rarely seen unison dancing so perfect!  Lastly, how can you go wrong with a company that dances to Earth, Wind, and Fire.  Come on now!  The audience was dancing in their seats from beginning to the end of that piece.  I know this weekend is going to be miserable and cold but it is worth braving the blustery weather to see Parsons at The Joyce.  Put on the Uggs and down jackets and go see it!!

The Joyce Theater  www.joyce.org

David Parsons Dance Company  www.parsonsdance.org

New York Times critic, Claudia La Rocco recently started a Performance Club. Ms. La Rocco announces Performance Club "happenings" on WNYC's blog.

Her most recent Performance Club blog posting featured two of Destination Chelsea's very own! The Kitchen and Cedar Lake were highlighted for their current shows. 

The Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) annual NYC conference begins today! To learn more about APAP, click here.

Along with many other NYC venues, Destination Chelsea organizations Dance Theater Workshop and Cedar Lake will present artists and their work throughout the entire weekend!

To find out more about these artists and their work, as well as the organizations who present them, please contact Dance Theater Workshop and Cedar Lake directly.

Enjoy a weekend of great art all over the city, especially here in the neighborhood of Chelsea!

For the past two weekends, Lotus Music and Dance had an open house to showcase the various classes they have to offer.  I stopped by Saturday for about an hour and caught an Odissi presentation.  Four young ladies presented the dance, dressed in tradtional costume and make up.  I was very impressed with the talent in that small studio.  Odissi is a storytelling type of dance with poses and very subtle movements.  Each foot needed to be placed a certain way, hands were held in a distinct manner, and the expression on each dancer drew you into the story.  I think the dancers could not have been more than 12 years old but they had such a mature presence on that stage.  Lotus made quite an effort in this open house to expose its clients to all aspects of the various cultures.  There were food and refreshments representative of the various countries and a raffle for several lovely jewelry pieces.  The narrator of the open house explained each dance and what all the poses meant to prepare the audience for the piece.  I wish I could have stayed longer, but I needed to make it to my own dance class at Broadway Dance Center.  There are so many dance studios in NYC.  What really impressed me about Lotus Music and Dance is the art forms they are exposing their students to.  Not only is the artisrty important but also understanding the culture and history behind each dance form.  Students are not only learning a dance technique, they are keeping cultural traditions alive by exposing a new generation to this technique.

Bravo to Lotus Music and Dance.  Check out a class for yourself at

Chelsea Art Museum offers guided tours every Saturday at 3 pm!

FREE with Museum admission.

Now on view: ItaliaArabia 

Arising out of the life-long commitment of Chelsea Art Museum’s founders to foster cross-cultural dialogue, the exhibition ItaliaArabia juxtaposes 80 works by mid-twentieth century Italian and Middle Eastern artists, revealing the impact that each culture has had on the other. An additional collection of manuscripts, textiles, musical instruments, and cartographic documents span an entire millennium of Italian, Ottoman, Safavid and Qajar cultural traditions, creating a historical frame of reference for the visual and thematic convergences of the twentieth century.  

I attended Pure Vision Arts' Modern Primitive show last week. It was a 6th Anniversary Exhibition and Reception featuring work by self-taught artists with autism and other developmental disabilities. The turn out was fantastic and the presented work even more so.

The showroom, located on the 3rd floor at 114 West 17th Street was crowded with artists and art lovers from all different economic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds. The smorgasbord of attendees fit well with the wide variety of aesthetics presented. The energy reflected the life of the artwork and inspired many to purchase pieces on display, as well as gift items, such as pillows, stationary, and notebooks. 

With a merry mood filling the air, I enjoyed cheese and wine while viewing work by my favorite PVA artist, Jessica Park. Her use of lines and color is absolutely stunning. 

I cannot think of a more genuine and better cause-related organization in the neighborhood of Chelsea. I urge everyone to check out the next PVA exhibit and learn how to support Manhattan's only studio and exhibition space dedicated to this kind of artist and this kind of artwork; click here. 

I took in a show at the Kitchen when I was in the big city two weeks ago on a business trip (see: birthday weekend). I had not seen a show in that space before was so glad to do so. The Kitchen is a truly amazing space with an incredible history: housing one of the nation's first non-profit institutions for visionary work in dance, music, film, and all kinds of experimental theatre. When I learned of its current board of directors including such notables as Phillip Glass and Laurie Anderson, I knew this show couldn't lose.

When Beth Gill's what it looks like, what it feels like began, I thought to myself- "great, another show where absolutley nothing happens." We, the audience, sat in darkness for a minute or maybe five or maybe it was ten while long sheets of light were shone at the back of the stage. And then I realized this was the happening. The tension between us as the audience was heavy, even before the show "begun."  Gill used time as her partner, making the audience palpably aware of every second that passed, while simultaneously getting lost in time.

She applies this same concept to space-turning the entire stage floor at The Kitchen into a grid of mirrors. In Part One, the dancers shuffled back and forth, mirroring each other's movements, at a snail's pace. The dancers' movements were excruciatingly calculated (how could they stay in sync, not facing each other, with no music to count to?!) The starkness of it all forced me to take in all of the space around me, including other audience members. While glancing around at my fellow watchers, I noticed some looking right back at me while others couldn't take their eyes off of the stage. I think we were all waiting for the walls to come crashing down, a dancer to start screaming or something, anything to "happen."  At the end of Part One, Gill gave us a little wink and nod about the role of the audience. The dancers, assisted by stage crew members, took apart the mirrors (one by one) and walked them off the stage. They made sure to face the mirrors toward the audience, giving us a full picture of...ourselves.

Part Two came in much differently with a sound installation piece of wild drumming. You could feel the tension in the audience shift as we had grown accustomed to a much softer atmosphere. I half expected the dancers to come running onto the stage yelling tribal chants, but thought better and was relieved when they shuffled on stage again. This time around all of the dancers were onstage at once and engaged in a routine in sync. The piece ended as it started: simple, somber, and with the attention indirectly on the stage.

For more shows that will make you go hmmm:                                                       http://thekitchen.org/

I don't think I could have picked a better way to end my Thanksgiving holiday weekend then by attending last night's Complexions performance at The Joyce Theater.  I have been a Desmond Richardson fan since I saw him in Ailey and had the opportunity to see him teach a Master Class at Jeanette Neil Dance Studio in Boston, MA several years ago.  This was my first opportunity to see this company and my only negative comment was I was upset it was closing night!  The athleticism and energy on stage was mesemerizing.  The two hour performance did not have one weak moment.  Sure there were times that the unison dancing was not in complete unison, but it so rarely occurred, that any instance was easily forgiveable. 

The first Act- Hissy Fits featured a majority of the company.  While I was not a fan of the costume (come on now, white underwear and black socks...anyone else having images of their grandpa walking around?) the precision and strength of the dancers quickly made me forget about the poor choice in sock color.  What is amazing about Complexions is not the tricks the company does, but the length of their lines, shapes, and purpose of each step they take.  Some of the most amazing moments for me were simply when the dancers moved from a flexed foot, to demi-pointe, and then a full pointed toe.  I have danced for almost 30 years and have never been able to demonstrate such intensity simply by pointing my feet.

The second Act consisted of three pieces, a gospel medley which featured live vocals and dancing to spoken word (very unique and exciting to see S. Epatha Merkerson out of the Law and Order precinct), my favorite piece Surface- a male duet to Debussy- the lighting and choreography were perfection, and finally an intense female trio- while some moments were not as together as I would have liked, the women dancing really were spectacular and committed to the piece.

Complexions ended the night with Rise- a World Premiere piece set to music by U2.  I enjoyed this piece and love when companies try to bridge the old and the new.  Ballet and U2- I never would have put the two together but it totally worked.  The dancers all looked like they were truly enjoying themselves on that stage which made me more invested in the piece, however, I couldn't help feel it was a little too safe.  There were moments in the piece that were really unique and the shapes the dancers created were very striking, but in some ways the piece felt a little commercial and was maybe catering to the crowd that only knows about Desmond and Dwight Rhoden because Katie and Will danced to their piece on SYTYCD. 

Lastly, I can't say enough about the Joyce Theater as an amazing venue for dance.  Besides Jacob's Pillow, I think it is my favorite place to watch a dance performance. There is not a bad seat in the entire theater.   It is a large enough space to accomodate a nice size audience yet intimate enough to hear the dancers breathe.  Take the time to check out a show at The Joyce, you will not be disappointed

http://www.joyce.org/

And for those of you who think ballet is just pointe shoes and tutus, please buy a ticket to Complexions next performance and expand your horizons.

Create your own New York City experience using our CHOOSE CHELSEA, CHOOSE CULTURE guide that includes a coupon and recommended cultural packages:

Click here for a full list of coupon discounts!

→  Download the CHOOSE CHELSEA, CHOOSE CULTURE guide (PDF)

It was a gift to hear music in St. Peter’s Church last evening, a little-known gem located in the heart of Chelsea on 20^th Street between 8^th and 9^th Avenues. I attended Chelsea Opera’s opening night of “The Scarf,” with music by Lee Hoiby and “The Bear,” with music by William Walton, with a diverse mix of opera enthusiasts filling the Church pews.  Both operas are based on works by Anton Chekhov, a writer known for creating dramatic stories rich with intense characters.

Ominous notes from a bassoon opened “The Scarf,” based on Chekhov’s story titled “The Witch,” foreshadowing the dark drama to come. An unhappy young wife Miriam (played by Caprice Corona) argues with her older husband Reuel (played by Anthony Daino) during a fierce winter blizzard, as Reuel accuses his wife of casting spells to lure young men to their home. A knock on the door reveals a Postman (played by Peter Clark) who has lost his way and needs shelter, much to Reuel’s chagrin.  The Postman and Miriam connect as the husband sleeps, but as the night deepens, Reuel awakes and jealously commands the Postman to leave. When the husband exits to ready the Postman’s horse, Miriam and the Postman embrace. She sends the Postman off with a scarf she cast with a spell to bring him back to her. Unfortunately, the scarf returns around her husband’s neck instead, and enraged, Miriam uses the scarf to strangle him to death.

Daino convincingly portrayed the overbearing husband in this story, with expressive grimaces and angry gestures to make any wife wish for a better life. Clark’s dashing Postman with full baritone was the perfect foil to Daino’s careful and harping tenor.  Corona was at her strongest when alone onstage, casting her vocal spell on the scarf, her gaze frightfully direct and impassioned. The opera ended with a striking picture, as Corona pulls the scarf just used to murder her husband taut across space, in a futile attempt to escape her life of unhappiness.

On a much lighter and more playful note, Luka (played by Lawrence Long) a young widow’s manservant sets a comedic tone with a very audible and exasperated sigh at the top of “The Bear,” based on Chekhov’s work of the same name. Long, has a rich voice and brilliant comedic timing, inviting the audience in from the moment he stepped foot onstage. As the story unfolds, Popova, the young widow in mourning (played by Julie De Vaere) is unwillingly called upon by Smirnov, (played by Chelsea Opera newcomer Daniel Quintana) a rude acquaintance of her late husband’s looking to collect the debt that he is owed. Needless to say, a humorous struggle (both vocal and physical) ensues between the young widow and the cocky debt collector, leading them to fall in love, despite their best efforts.  Quintana delivered a rich baritone in the evening’s melodramatic comedy, and his humorous facial expressions and gestures as the arrogant Smirnov had the audience laughing. De Vaere’s prim and proper Popova handled the challenging timing of the music with grace, and shared great chemistry with Quintana’s conceited Smirnov. “The Bear” was well cast, and was full of energy, both from the performers onstage and the talented members of the Chelsea Opera Chamber Orchestra, passionately led by Conductor Carmine Aufiero.

From the inspired set designs to the passionate performances, it was an enjoyable evening at the opera in a fantastic neighborhood venue.  You can find Chelsea Opera’s upcoming performances online at www.chelseaopera.org

Destination Chelsea INTERNSHIP

Intern will assist in the planning and implementation of a time-sensitive publicity and community outreach initiative; including audience development and grassroots business member acquisition. A huge focus is geared towards combing the Chelsea neighborhood in search of new business members and increasing local visibility. In addition, the Destination Chelsea intern will be integral in maintaining blog activity along with other web based projects.

Destination Chelsea is a coalition of cultural organizations and businesses located in Manhattan’s Chelsea. Its mission is to increase the public’s participation in, and enjoyment of, Chelsea’s rich cultural and entertainment life. Please see www.DestinationChelsea.org. Send resume and brief note to: destinationchelsea@dtw.org

Responsibilities:

• Creation of Destination Chelsea business membership kits
• Work closely with Manager on creation and execution of route designed to inform all Chelsea neighborhood businesses of membership opportunities
• Assist in maintaining blog content, variety, and traffic.

Qualifications:

Strong writing, organization, and interpersonal communication skills and computer literacy are required.

Compensation:

Free tickets to productions, gallery openings, classes, etc…will be available.

Check out photos of Dana Schmidek and Tyler Ashley with Paul Wylie and Nancy Kerrigan! Such a great event this past Monday. Read more about the gala below in Dana's blog posting titled: 'Definitely not the Ice Capades.'

So Monday night I made my first trip to Chelsea Piers to attend the Fall Ice Theater Gala honoring Nancy Kerrigan.  I am a big fan of watching competitive ice skating, and also being a dancer myself was looking forward to seeing how these two art forms worked together.  I was very glad Moira told me to dress warmly because that was definitely a key factor in enjoying the performance.  I get it...ice, needs to be cold to maintain ice....I am so glad the sweater dress was invented..it was a lifesaver.  The gala performance was a combination of solo and company pieces. My favorite piece was a duet between two women dressed in very plain clothes set to music so quiet you could hear the skate noises as the dancers/skaters weaved and stopped.  It was mesmerizing to watch and something I had never seen in an ice rink...contemporary dancing with no jumps or turns.  Ice skating to me has always been about the tricks and not the artistry but with the Ice Theater, we are seeing skating in a whole new way and I really enjoyed it.  A couple of the pieces at the gala felt like they came right out of Disney on Ice but I am assuming that is because there was an eclectic audience so they wanted to create pieces for all attending.  As I watched, I realized that performing on ice is much more difficult then performing on stage, not because of the skates, but because there is so much more space to have to fill to reach your audience.  The pieces that struck me the most were not the ensemble pieces but the duets where the skaters had to perform with such passion, energy, and emotion (yet not seem over the top) to reach the audience.  They definitely succeeded.  So enough about the performance...What a party!!!!!  The reception was at the Lighthouse, a beautiful space right on the water.  Food- amazing.....drinks continuously flowing, incredible silent auction items up for bid, AND the opportunity to fill up your plate with delectable cheeses and antipasto next to Nancy Kerrigan, Paul Wylie, and Vera Wang.  It was a fantastic party.  I had a mission that night to get a picture with Paul Wylie since a friend from high school was/is obsessed with him and I knew the reaction to seeing the photo would generate some crazy reaction..(which it did, thank you Facebook).  You would think my evening ended there but no, my companion and I left the gala eager for something sweet to end the night...we wound up at Billy's Bakery in search of Red Velvet cupcakes and we were not disappointed.  I have been dreaming about those cupcakes all week now.  But, in true NYC fashion, my night could not end with such a saccharine sweet cupcake,no, no no...I had to have my first fight since I moved to NY where my companion and I were shoved into the counter at Billy's Bakery because someone could not take a joke

Rule #1- boys, whether you are gay or straight---do not hit a girl

Rule #2- if you are seriously going to have a raging fit and threaten bodily harm to someone, please do not make it over a cupcake...no matter how good they are

So in conclusion, The Ice Theater is an exciting combination of two art forms and I look forward to seeing what this season has to offer AND Billy's Bakery has the best cupcakes in NYC, but be forewarned- beware of drama queens when placing your order.

 For more information on the Ice Theatre of New York go to:

http://www.icetheatre.org/

Billy's Bakery:

Check out some snapshots of our Fall 2008 Launch Party! We would like to thank everyone that attended, donated food and beverages, and gave wonderful prizes to our culture raffles. We must also acknowledge Chelsea Art Museum for their gracious help in hosting this event. Cheers!

For more information regarding our party or Destination Chelsea, please email: DestinationCheslea@dtw.org

Braved the monsoon of Saturday night to attend the final peformance of Blue Liz at The Kitchen.  I really am loving the NYC performance spaces.  I grew up coming to NYC to see Broadway shows and marvelling at the theaters, however, I am so impressed with the intimate theater settings around Chelsea.  It is such an exciting way to see a show where you really feel part of the performance.  I have taking dance classes and performed for the last 29 years so I was really excited to see a dance premiere.  Wow!  While I did not understand some of the piece there were moments that were so amazing and the dancers all performed with such conviction that I could not help but be impressed.  The first and last section of the piece was the best part for me.  The speaking sections I frankly did not understand and preferred to just watch the movement and listen to the music.  The lighting was fantastic and really set the tone.  Who would think walking could be so moving but the first section requiring the dancers to continuously walk in sync all the while interchanging each other's clothes was so unique and mezmerizing to watch.  The last section of dancing in and out of the silvery curtain drew me in and the final picture was brilliant.

So now let's talk about the nudity....dancing in the nude...okay, I am trying to be open minded about this....yeah, I think I understand why the nudity was there although for me, I am all about dance and when someone is dancing around me naked (and in such close proximity)I tend to no longer focus on the movement of the dance because I am too busy saying, okay, there is a flacid penis in front of me right now.  Call me immature...but it's the truth. Again, a standing ovation for the performers who were so dedicated and committed to this piece.  Any woman that can dance without a sports bra or a man without a dance belt deserves my ovation.  

I appreciate theaters like The Kitchen who foster edgy, unique takes on common art forms.  It was worth the drenched clothes and water logged shoes I had last night from walking there in the hurricane that was Saturday night.  Things are cooking in The Kitchen and I look forward to going back there for another meal! 

www.thekitchen.org 

With the beautiful weather this past weekend I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to check out The Chelsea Project, three public installations designed to enliven the Chelsea area and celebrate the history and culture of the Chelsea neighborhood.  Remember when you had projects in school and you always started with a great idea but it never turned out exactly the way you planned?  I got that same feeling walking around last night.  The concept of The Chelsea Project is fantastic but the execution was not that impressive.  I started at 14th and 9th and worked my way up.  First stop: Sleeping Monter Producted by Reason, a stark white sculpture made up of a variety of heads and body parts of cartoons and real people....in the words of Tom Hanks in Big " I don't get it."  I will admit that I am not a fine arts person so this is just one girls' opinon but I would appreciate someone explaining to me the point of the piece as well as the title.  Next stop was 17th and 10th at the Fulton House Playground: AWGTHTGTTWTA was supposed to be a video installation yet my friend and I walked to every playground in that area (there were three) and could not find it anywhere.  I was actually excited to see this piece and was disappointed that we could not locate it.  Last stop was Neighborhood, a black and white photography spread along 23rd and 10th.  I was really impressed with this piece.   Loved that it was posted along the blue construction walls!  Very unique idea to take old photographs of young people around Chelsea and place current day teens and children holding up signs of what part of the city this picture was shot in.  I really thought it was a great concept and the pictures repeated themselves so if you were a less observant person, eventually the photos would capture your attention as you walked down the block.  

As a new person to NYC (I officially have been living here a year October 10th) I really loved the concept of The Chelsea Project.  I liked that the installations were in parts of the city you would not normally encounter a piece of art and blended into the day to day of the city.  What a great way to explore the neighborhood, see all the great restaurants and shops that are in the area (my friend and I ate at The Park- food was fantastic and the venue was so unique), check out the architecture and salivate over the goregous brownstones you wish you could afford to live in, and just people watch in general.  Despite my disappointment in the art I saw and did not see, I liked that I had a motivation to walk the neighborhoods and appreciated what the artists were trying to do- create a unique visual experience in a place you would never expect to find it.  I hope the Chelsea Project enlists more artists to do installations around the neighborhood. I only explored about seven streets last night and I know there are a lot more blocks of Chelsea to see!

Spain, Really; France, Sort Of

“In Chelsea, a Paean to Paella,” by Frank Bruni

Dining Briefs, by Julia Moskin

Thursday night, straight off a plane from Minnesota I made my way to the Atlantic Theater Company production of "Whats that Smell: The Music of Jacob Sterling." A show about a talk show where an avid theater fan interviews his musical theater idols even if they are completely unknown to the rest of the world and famous in only about two pairs of eyes. So was it worth taking that whiff? Absolutely, although I think if you are not a theater person a lot of the meaning will be lost on you. Let me first say the theater itself is a fantastic venue to see a show. I am a huge fan of intimate theaters where you feel you are a part of the show. The show itself, definitely entertaining and the five actors really embraced their characters, especially David Pittu and Peter Bartlett. As much as I did personally enjoy the show, I do think this is a show for a particular audience. I consider myself an avid theater fan and many of the jokes were over my head and appeared to make many references to industry people and places that I had never heard of. The majority of the audience was laughing out loud so apparently they got the jokes that I was missing. I hate to be boring and use the word clever but that is the best word to describe this show..it makes fun of musical theater at the same time embracing it. David Pittu does a spectacular job of keeping a straight face as he sings some of the most ridiculous songs with true musical theater emotion and Peter Bartlett is the classic musical theater fan in love with everything Broadway (except maybe Andrew Lloyd Webber.) Hey people- I dont care what you say- Phantom of the Opera is still my favorite show of all time and resulted in the worst migraine of my life after crying my eyes out over Michael Crawford disappearing into the night! Now thats a theater experience.

I was surprised at the references to 911 in the show. I guess enough time has passed that art is now incorporating this history, but for me, it is still too soon to chuckle about a woman getting her breasts done the day the towers fell. Just one girls opinion but there are certain subjects that I just dont find remotely funny- the holocaust (sorry Producers) and now 911.

Despite this one storyline thread I left the theater smiliing and was still thinking about aspects of the play the next day. Thought provoking and entertaining and definitely worth smelling! For tickets go to: www.atlantictheater.org

October 3-November 9 on Broadway
SPEED-THE-PLOW
by DAVID MAMET
directed by NEIL PEPE


October 22-November 29 at The Linda Gross Theater
FARRAGUT NORTH
by BEAU WILLIMON
directed by DOUG HUGHES
World Premiere 

Lotus Music & Dance is pleased to announce its Fall 2008 Workshops:

Intro to Hula
Intro to Tahitian
Middle Eastern Dance
Bulgarian Ritual Dances
Bollywood Dance Workshop
Leva Dance Workshop
Trad. Korean Buddhist Ritual Chant & Dance
Indian Fusion
Dances from the Peruvian Andes
Intro to Odissi
Intermediate Odissi
Dance of the Five Elements
Intro to Bharata Natyam
Peruvian Cajon
Afro-Peruvian Dance

For more info, please visit www.lotusmusicanddance.org or call 212-627-1076. 

September is right around the corner and Chelsea is reving up for the fall season. Here are a few highlights to look forward to:

Destination Chelsea Fall Launch Party
Oct 16 at the Chelsea Art Museum

Nepal in Black and White: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski
Now - Oct 13 at The Rubin Museum of Art

and more to come soon!

Leaving many non-Starbucks people thirsty for their daily caffeine fix, Cafe Grumpy at 224 West 20th Street, has closed it's doors until this Saturday, as their blog reports here.

In the meantime, you should check out two new businesses located on the next block South:

Sugar Cookies is a woman's lingerie boutique with everything you need to "decorate your pink parts."

Indulge in a different way at Socarrat Paella bar! 

"It's a really functional neighborhood -- everything you need is close by -- and it's diverse too," said resident Renee Espiau, who has lived in the neighborhood for four years.

"In the late 19th century, Chelsea emerged as a cultural center as well as an industrial one; it was an important site for American theater and the motion picture industry in the years preceding World War One."

"These cultural assets persist today in the form of visual art and performance spaces, as well as in the rich diversity of the neighborhood's occupants."

"Chelsea has never been in higher demand, and it's easy to see why: beautiful tree-lined streets, especially between Seventh and Ninth avenues; a host of ethnic restaurants and fine dining establishments; great cultural and racial diversity; and proximity to both downtown and midtown Manhattan."

READ THE ARTICLE 

As The High Line design plans make more and more progress, a visual learner cannot help but become excited when an animated video is released! Please check out the four-minute fly-through animation of the design for Sections 1 and 2 here!

 The video was made possible by the Trust for Architectural Easements, and produced by Brooklyn Digital Foundry.Follow all The High Line updates here.

"It is not a garden sweetie; it is a terrible place to be" flashes across the screen, as if the words are intentionally inverted to pull the audience into the world of psychological torment that Luis Lara Malvacías assiduously created.  The performance begins with a sudden drop of a cardboard box.  The echoing thump, followed by growls from all four corners of the pure white room, smoothly segues into a war-zone complete with technical and visual explosions.  As the sound effects dwindles, three dancers (Yanko Bakulic, Jeremy Nelson, and Francis A. Stansky) start to run around on the stage in methodological circles, stopping suddenly to transition into robotic movements of disparate arm flings.  Then, without warning, a suicide bomber - played by Mr. Malvacías himself - creeps onto the stage in exaggerated surreptitious strides while the sound of bombing escalates.  He walks off the stage; the three dancers resume their variant circulation; we are back to where we started.  In the end, the performance sends the audience home with a recondite imagery of a dozen animalistically-masked live statues and their esoteric, haunting laughter.

Did you ever want to meet privately with curators to learn about more about contemporary art? How about wanting to attend free opening receptions, concerts, and dance performances at a museum? Now is your chance if you would like to volunteer as a docent at Chelsea Art Museum.

Docents lead tours of the Museum’s exhibitions and permanent collection to groups of all sizes and ages.

The commitment is only 1 day per week for a couple of hours and we will train you and give you talking points so dont worry about not having experience! All you need is a passion for contemporary art or arts education, strong public speaking skills, and comfort working with people of all backgrounds, ages, and levels of familiarity with art. Fluency in one or more foreign languages is preferable.

This is the opportunity youve been waiting for to meet influential people in NYs art scene while making a valuable contribution to a charitable arts organization!

Gallery hop! Just in time for ComicCon this weekend, the cartoonist Ralph Bakshi (“Fritz the Cat;” “Mighty Mouse”) opens an exhibit of his latest work — paintings! — at the Animazing Gallery. He’ll be on hand to sign copies of a new book about his life’s work, including collaborations with R. Crumb and the first adaptation of “The Lord of the Rings.” At the James Cohan Gallery, Yinka Shonibare, a London-born, Nigerian-raised artist “known for wry postcolonialist commentary” has installed a room-size sinking ship, a half-dozen sculptures of Enlightenment figures and a series of photos based on a Goya painting. And Honey Space in Chelsea hosts the first local exhibit by Peter Schumann, a founder and director of the Bread and Puppet Theater. His paintings, “The University of Madj,” tell the true story of an imprisoned Palestinian boy. Schumann will perform during the reception.

We are proud to announce that after being invited to participate in an internationally curated exhibition, Jessica Park and Susan Brown join an illustrious group of autistic painters at the first World Autism Awareness Day being held at the United Nations.

This exhibition has been assembled especially for UN delegates and ambassadors and is closed to the public.  

The exchange goes two ways: after the Sardinian teens visit NYC in late April, New York City participants (12 from Clinton Middle School in Chelsea, and 12 from the Millennium High School in the Financial District) will travel to Sardinia, in June and July, for two weeks of learning about the crafts that are native to the island.

More Art has arranged for the 24 Italian students and their 24 American hosts to participate in special projects at MoMA and the Guggenheim Museum, join in on an printmaking lab at the School of Visual Arts, check out the Planetarium and the American  Museum of Natural History, visit the Statue of Liberty, go to a Broadway show, and much more. Stay tuned for more details.

Tenor Luigi Boccia has been named a 2008 first prize winner in the prestigious Gerda Lissner Foundation’s International Vocal Competition to which there were 280 applicants. On Saturday, March 29 at 7pm, Mr. Boccia will present an all-Italian song recital -- A TOAST TO TOSTI -- on behalf of Chelsea Opera, where he made his opera debut in May 2007 as Don Ottavio in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. He will be accompanied by Carmine Aufiero, Music Director/Conductor of Chelsea Opera. The recital and wine reception which follows, hosted by Wine Cellar Sorbet, will be at The New Church (114 East 35th Street, between Park and Lexington Avenues). The church is wheelchair accessible. Admission at the door is $20 ($15 for students and seniors). Discounted tickets may be purchased in advance by visiting www.ChelseaOpera.org. Proceeds from this recital benefit Chelsea Operas Production Fund for its May 15-18 presentation of The Ballad of Baby Doe -- celebrating the operas New York City premiere 50 years ago.

Mrs. Gerda Lissner established a foundation in 1994 with one purpose: to help greatly-gifted singers develop their talent into art. The Foundations annual vocal competition is open to men and women regardless of nationality, professional experience, and musical education. Winners demonstrate the greatest potential, due to a good voice, stage presence, and personality to have an international career. The grants are used for coaching, travel, language study, or whatever the grantees determine will best help them to advance their careers.

Chelsea Opera presents fully staged operas with orchestra in the intimate space at St. Peter’s in the Chelsea district of NYC, providing an important venue for professional singers to advance their artistry. With low ticket prices, opera becomes appealing, affordable and accessible to a broad spectrum of the community. Founded in 2004 by singers Lynne Hayden-Findlay and Leonarda Priore, the companys productions have included its inaugural Suor Angelica, Cavalleria Rusticana, and Gianni Schicchi. Of Chelsea Opera, New York Times reviewer, Anthony Tommasini, singled out the company’s May 2007 production of Don Giovanni: “…there are benefits to seeing opera in such an intimate space.” He was also impressed by the company’s May 2006 production of Pagliacci: “The palpable involvement of the entire cast was winning.”

For further information on A Toast to Tosti, or to add your name to the mailing list, call 212-260-1796 or email ChelseaOpera@aol.com. 

RMA is pleased to present two exhibitions focused on Nepal, From the Land of the Gods: Art of the Kathmandu Valley and Nepal in Black and White: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski.  Both exhibitions open to the public on Friday, March 14 and run through Monday, October 13, 2008.  Taken together, the exhibitions offer a nuanced exploration of Nepal – its art, culture, religious belief systems, people and politics – spanning from 1200 to the late 1980s. 

From the Land of the Gods: Art of the Kathmandu Valley draws from RMA’s permanent collection, exhibiting more than 50 of the museum’s finest examples of Nepalese sculpture, painting, and ritual objects.  Emphasis is on highlighting the variety of forms and subjects, techniques and media, which emerged from Nepal’s creative matrix.  The exhibition also touches on the main religious traditions of the Kathmandu Valley, Hinduism (Shaiva, Vaishnava, and Shakta) and Buddhism, which have been integral in the artistic and culturally rich environment.

Nepal in Black and White: Photographs by Kevin Bubriski presents more than 30 of Kevin Bubriski’s photographs, selected from his large body of work produced over the last 35 years of his visits to Nepal, beginning in 1975.  The exhibition is composed of his black and white photographs, taken in the mid-1970s and mid-1980s.  In addition, four of Kevin Bubriski’s color photographs will be on view in the lobby near RMA’s spiral staircase.

Saturday, May 3rd, 2008
11:00am - 6:00pm
Inwood Hill Park, Northern Manhattan

Free Admission!

(here is a video of last year's event!)

PRESS RELEASE

Moscow – New York = Parallel Play
Selections from the Kolodzei Art Foundation Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art.
Curated by Natalia Kolodzei

Thaw: Russian Art From Glasnost to the Present
Selections from the Guelman Collection 15G exhibition at the Russian Museum, Marble Palace, Saint Petersburg 2007.
Curated by Marat Guelman and Juan Puntes

Friday February 22-Saturday May 17, 2008.

Opening Reception Wednesday, February 27, 2008. 6-9 pm.

The Chelsea Art Museum – Home of the Miotte Foundation - is proud to bring together two seminal collections of Russian art.

The Kolodzei Collection, founded by Tatiana Kolodzei in Moscow during the height of the Cold War and continued today with her daughter, Natalia, is one of world’s largest private collections of Russian and Eastern European Art, with over 7,000 pieces by more than 300 artists from Russia and the former Soviet Union, chronicling four decades of nonconformist art from the post-Stalinist era to the present. The Kolodzei Collection is a living, open entity, which continues to grow, and reflect changes in culture, while reacting to the variable nature of contemporary art.

The exhibition Moscow-New York=Parallel Play: Selections from the Kolodzei Art Foundation Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art was first shown at the National Centre for Contemporary Arts (NCCA) in Moscow in 2007. The exhibition highlights the artistic axis of the two cities, representing Russian artists living or working in these two art capitals and creating with their art an international context and distinctive intellectual plastic Russian "rhyme" in the international art community.

The works reflect the major current of Russian alternative culture and describe the history of independent, or “non-conformist,” art processes and movements from the 1960s to the present.

Artists in the exhibition include: Vagrich Bakhchanyan, Petr Belenok, Eric Bulatov, Ivan Chuikov, Rimma Gerlovina and Valeriy Gerlovin, Francisco Infante, Ilya Kabakov, Vyacheslav Koleichuk, Vitaly Komar and Alex Melamid, Dmitri Krasnopevtsev, Leonid Lamm, Ernst Neizvestny, Vladimir Nemukhin, Dmitri Plavinsky, Oscar Rabin, Leonid Sokov, Eduard Shteinberg, Oleg Vassiliev, and Vladimir Yankilevsky, as well as artists of the younger generation.

Undoubtedly, politics have influenced the arts in Russia, and Marat Guelman, founder of the M+J Guelman Gallery in Moscow, has become something of a legend in his lifetime for both his support of the arts and his often provocative political stance.

The title THAW is based on a real experienced situation by the people and the art world in Russia from the 1960s onwards, a period of slow, gradual but real thaw, a defrost of three quarters of a century’s cultural freeze that happened not in a single decade, but over several decades, culminating in the period of the 1990s known as Glasnost.

The 15 G of the subtitle refers to the first 15 years of Marat Guelmans art gallery activities and how the events that took place there changed the artistic panorama of Russia and helped create a real, tangible art scene in Moscow. Radical people who frequented the gallery as audience, supporters, sympathisers and as participating artists were coined "Guelmanites" - even to this day. Artists in this exhibition include:AES+F, Blue Noses, Vladimir Dubosarsky& Alexander Vinogradov, Gor Chahal, Olga&Alexander Florenskie , Georgy Ostretsov, Juri Shabelnikov, Vasili Tsagolov, Arsen Savadov,Valery Koshlyakov, Dmitry Gutov, Alexander Kosolapov, Dmitry Vrubel & Viktoria Timofeeva, Oleg Kulik, Erbol Meldibekov, Alexey Kallima, Avdei Ter-Oganian.

The Chelsea Art Museum

556 West 22^nd Street (at 11^th Avenue) Tel: 212.255.0719

For further information, please contact:

Nicollette Ramirez

212.255.0719 x108

nicollette@chelseaartmuseum.org

The Chelsea Art Museum - Home of the Miotte Foundation - (CAM) is dedicated to showing art from an international standpoint and provides an intimate platform for individual artists and thematic group shows that may not find a home in larger art institutions. In addition, CAM does exchange programs with other organizations around the world. This concept of providing a platform for artists and ideas that are not addressed elsewhere in the U.S. originates from the Jean Miotte Foundation (housed at CAM and dedicated to archiving, preserving, presenting and making available for exhibitions the work of Jean Miotte). Miottes work is very much influenced by dance and music, and the Chelsea Art Museum also supports this integration of the arts, understanding that they work together and often influence each other. For more information visit http://www.chelseaartmuseum.org

The Kolodzei Art Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public foundation started in 1991, organizes exhibitions and cultural exchanges in museums and cultural centers in the United States, Russia and other countries, often utilizing the considerable resources of the Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art, publishes books on Russian art, and provides art supplies to Russian artists. The Kolodzei Collection of Russian and Eastern European Art consists of over 7,000 art works, including paintings, drawings and sculptures, by more than 300 artists from Russia and the former Soviet Union. For additional information visit http://www.KolodzeiArt.org or email Kolodzei@KolodzeiArt.org

The Marat Guelman Gallery is one of the first and most famous galleries to appear in the Post-Soviet Russia. It was founded in 1990, a year before the Soviet Union collapsed. Just as a few other forward-thinking institutions that emerged in the 90s, the Gallery not only provided exhibition space, but also presented itself as an intellectual workshop, developing ideas and concepts for the art of todays Russia. For further information visit http://www.guelman.ru/eng/gallery/

Media Sponsor of the Exhibition: http://readrussia.com/