Free Events Thursday

Sizzling Summer Dance

Jun 6, 2014 at 8:30 p.m.

Miller Outdoor Theatre

Kick off your summer with MET Dance at the annual Sizzling Summer Dance Concert! Get a sneak peek of a World Premiere by New York based choreographer Joe Celej and 2014 Emerging choreographer Steven Vaughn. The evening will also include some of the Met’s most celebrated works. A diverse and versatile program bursting with dance, music and spirit, catch MET in their final performance of the season in a show perfect for all ages.

Price: FREE!!! As always, open seating on the hill. This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area.

25th Annual Accordion Kings & Queens

Jun 7, 2014 at 6 p.m.

Miller Outdoor Theatre

Come out for an evening of dancing and roots music and help Texas Folklife celebrate the Accordion Kings & Queens Festival 25th anniversary! It will be a star-studded affair, featuring Mark Halata & Texavia and C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band. Plus, there will be a tribute to Conjunto and Tejano music pioneers with Avizo and many more.

Price: FREE!!! This is a ticketed event for the covered seating area. As always, open seating on the hill.

Favorites and Firsts – Hear and Now!

June 07, 2014

The Church of St. John the Divine

2450 River Oaks Boulevard, Houston, TX 77019

We all have our favorites, but we also enjoy the excitement of something new. Well, in this case there is no need to choose. Both favorites and firsts will be found in this Special Bonus Concert as Houston Chamber sings audience requests and the world premiere of a brilliant new work by McKnight award-winning composer Jocelyn Hagen that the Chamber Choir commissioned just for this occasion. Past commissions by David Ashley White, Christopher Theofanidis, and Dominick DiOrio add to the mix of this spectacular concert.

Price: $25; Student tickets available for $10 with valid student ID.

Following General Sam Houston, 1793-1863 by Bernhardt Wall

June 06, 2014 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

1100 Bagby Street, Houston, TX 77002

Artist and historian, Bernhardt Wall was a producer of fine press books who treated a vast array of subjects, including Texas and the Southwest. Today, Wall’s books are highly collectible and may be found in private collections, libraries and universities around the world. The etchings for this pictorial biography of Sam Houston were made while Wall was in La Porte, Texas in 1935, close to the battlefield of San Jacinto. At the time, Wall had the assistance of Houston’s one surviving son, Andrew Jackson Houston. One of the over seventy etchings in the book features Sam entering the 1850 Nichols-Rice-Cherry House, now located at The Heritage Society in Sam Houston Park. The exhibit will also feature some personal objects from the Houston family from the Permanent Collection of The Heritage Society. The etchings in this exhibition are on loan from The Printing Museum.

Price: FREE!!!

First Saturday Arts Market

(Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday) from 6:00 am -10:00 pm June, July, August

548 W. 19th Street, Houston, TX 77008

First Saturday Arts Market is a monthly outdoor fine arts event featuring the works of dozens of visual artists. Located in the Historic Houston Heights by Gen’s Antiques at 548 W. 19th St. at Lawrence St., the market showcases paintings, sculpture, photography, jewelry and handcrafted items. Bring the entire family and come enjoy the great outdoors, live music and delicious fare from some of the area’s best gourmet food trucks.

Price: FREE!!!

First Saturday Art Crawl

(Recurring monthly on the 1st Saturday)

Houston Socialites Club from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm

On the first Saturday each month, join HSC for a fun, social art crawl around Houston, followed by dinner/drinks. Each month will feature a different art cluster/neighborhood, and includes these old favorites: Gallery Row, Montrose, Rice, Upper Kirby, Heights, to name a few.

This event is free. Houston Socialites Club (HSC) is a members-based social and events club for singles and couples over 30. Members enjoy a variety of social events each month, from art events to group dinners, recreational sports to game night potlucks, wine tasting to unique events, all designed to bring people together for friendship, fun while discovering Houston.

Price: FREE!!!

Garden Architecture Exhibition

Recurring daily

Architecture Center Houston (ArCH)

315 Capitol St., Houston, TX 77002

Garden Architecture will feature images and stories about many of Houston’s historic gardens, a juried presentation of recent significant garden design in both the public and private realm and a showcase of “vignette gardens” installed inside Architecture Center Houston. The exhibit is created for both architecture and landscape architecture design professionals, gardening enthusiasts, and will appeal to anyone interested in the history and growth of Houston as seen through the lens of our local gardens.

Price: FREE!!!

Posters of Gorbachev Era: The Sunset of Soviet Power

Recurring daily

Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas”

Every Soviet poster no matter the date of creation bears a stamp of expressiveness and graphical quality. The attention to details is awesome. The scope of techniques is endless. And what’s important, every Soviet poster has a historical reference essential for understanding the layers of meanings it carries through time. We present the collection of the posters that have been published in 1987-1990 years. It was very dramatic period in Russian history: Perestroika and the sunset of Soviet power took place then, leading to the new Russian Federation.

Price: FREE!!!

Tuesday Tunes: The Awesome 1980’s

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

The 1980’s saw great social, economic, and general change as wealth and production migrated to newly industrializing economies. The 1980’s saw the development of the modern Internet, cable television and music devices such as the cassette and the CD. Movies and wild music videos on MTV inspired popular dances like the Moonwalk, the Electric Slide, the Thriller dance, the Robot and many others. Check out these awesome dance moves that revolutionized modern dancing.

The Electric Slide

The Moonwalk

Footloose (Nuff Said)

MFA Monday: Little and Big Things

by Lydia MFA Mondays

Happy Monday Framers! Today we kick off a new MFA Monday arc written by the lovely and immensely talented Amanda Jackson!

MFA: Little and Big Things

Part 1 – Penguins, Collaborators, and Community… Oh My!

We’ve all seen him awkwardly permeating the web, penguining around in various social situations. He goes by Socially Awkward Penguin. While in grad school, my colleagues and I turned to the Internet abyss of memes and YouTube a little too often to escape stressful realities and enter other worlds of shock, awe, and wit. These moments of escaping together created bonds between us, albeit strange ones, that filtered into movement and theory classes, rehearsals and feedback sessions, and potlucks that doubled as times for mind-mapping. I would be withholding information if I didn’t tell you that some Internet gems even made appearances in our choreography.

Back to the penguin meme: The poor penguin offers an “Oh God No” reaction to a teacher that states, “Ok class, find a partner.” Although this is quite funny to me now as a teacher, the penguin’s offerings were slightly less relatable during grad school. Our cohort’s unique bonding experiences paired with TWU’s strong focus on Contact Improvisation made finding a partner more exciting than dancing solo.

We learned more about each other, through what I’ll call spontaneous movement puzzles, in extremely rigorous and generous class environments facilitated by our professors. We also learned through witnessing our partners’ thought processes and reactions as well as how they prefer to move and be moved, even beyond a physical sense. This is what drew many of us to the MFA program and to each other.

Back in 2010 a group of ten dancers from TWU, all in various stages of our MFA cycles, came together to form Big Rig Dance Collective – a Denton-based group that is now co-directed by myself, Whitney Boomer, Crysta Caulkins-Clouse, and Lily Sloan. The impetus for our collective was to create more outlets beyond the academic setting to develop a deeper collaborative process. Big Rig was also experimenting with new methods of inviting communities into our process through performances and workshops. We ultimately wanted more of everything and were eager to share with everyone! (As if our graduate work didn’t keep us busy enough.)

I share this with you because I think there is something intriguing about our grad school environment that encouraged our desire to connect communities through dance. Also sprouting from this environment were Muscle Memory, CholoRock, and Simple Sparrow. I am reminded of the energy that we all brought into this environment – It felt electric and contagious, an infinite cycle. In my mind, we fueled the environment just as much as it fueled us.

So in the spirit of community, I’ll leave you with some insights from my friend/colleague/co-director/fellow kitchen improviser:

“After I graduated and began working as an adjunct professor in the community, I was still as driven as ever to work in Big Rig, but I felt the harsh reality of being removed from the community from which Big Rig was born. All of my friends were still in grad school, and I was out. I missed out on the inside jokes, the basement banter, and simply the wonderful treat of moving and dancing with friends on a daily basis. It was very, very hard.

Throughout the continual journey of figuring out what we want Big Rig to be in our lives, I have realized that community is first. This sense of community might mean remembering to see each other as friends first. It means developing a rich and rigorous dance practice with each other, in the midst of our crazy schedules and busy lives. I feel best when I stop and remember the first reason that we ever started collaborating: we liked each other. We liked each other’s ideas, energy, spirit, and creativity. Out of that likeable attraction comes some of our best work.” – Lily Sloan

So as you are researching MFA programs, I think it is equally important to research the MFA students. Are they doing work that interests you? Are they welcoming and supportive of what you can bring to the cohort? Are they people with whom you can spend long nights in the basement watching ridiculous YouTube videos? These MFA students can become some of your strongest supporters and collaborators throughout your time in grad school and beyond.

Amanda Jackson holds an MFA in Dance from Texas Woman’s University. She is a performer, choreographer, educator, stylist, and avid cooking improviser. Her work has been presented across Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana with a notable experience at Harvard University with collaborator, Matthew Cumbie. Amanda is Co-Director of Big Rig Dance Collective in Denton, TX and Adjunct Professor of Dance at Tarrant County College Northwest. www.ajdance.org

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Latin Beats

Friday, May 30th Downtown Aquarium from 7 pm – 10 pm and Saturday, May 31st, City Center from 7 pm-10 pm

Enjoy a live band (last Friday each month) plus free salsa dance lessons from professional dancers.

Price: FREE!!!

Dance Under the Stars

Friday, May 30th Sugar Land Town Square from 7:30 pm – 9 pm

Grab your dancing shoes and enjoy outdoor dance lessons with Fred Astaire instructors. This month’s dancing features Splash Band, a Motown and Oldies band.

Price: FREE!!!

Breakfast Yoga Club Houston

Sunday, June 1st at Asia Society Texas Center from 9 am – 11 am.

Soothing music and breakfast accompany the yoga.

Price: FREE!!! (with reservations)

Sandcastle Competition

Saturday, May 31, Galveston from 10am- 4:30 pm.

Galveston East Beach, 1923 Boddeker

The 28th year of this friendly competition pitting business teams against each other. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) annual Sandcastle Competition in Galveston is like nothing you’ve seen!

Price: FREE!!! (Parking is $10)

Learn Improv

Friday, May 30th at 7:30 pm.

Station Theater

1230 Houston Ave

Take a free Improv class, thanks to Station Theater’s Intro to Improv. All Intro students are invited to stay to watch Supernova Armando show for free ($6 value), a fast-paced comedy show with a guest monologist.

Price: FREE!!!

Walk the Streets

Sunday, June 1st, Studemont to Milam (Market Square Park) from 11 am – 3 pm.

Closed to vehicles, folks can walk, bike, dance and socialize their way down the road. Market Square Park will have several businesses onsite: Houston B-cycle, Bayou City Outdoors, Bike Barn, Buffalo Bayou Partnership and the Menchie’s Frozen Yogurt food truck!

Price: FREE!!!

Tuesday Tunes: The Funky 1970’s

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

In the 21st century historians have increasingly portrayed the decade as a “pivot of change” in world history focusing especially on the economic upheavals. In the Western world, social progressive values that began in the 1960’s, such as increasing political awareness and political and economic liberty of women, continued to grow. The dance world evolved as well with hip TV shows like Soul Train that kept teens up to date with the latest moves. Discos were popping up around the cities where people grooved to the beats of ABBA, the Bee Gees, KC and the Sunshine Band, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor and of course…The Village People.

That’s Soul Dancing

Do the Hustle!

You didn’t really think I wasn’t going to do this one, did you?

MFA Monday: Amanda Diorio

by Lydia MFA Mondays

Happy Monday and thank you to the soldiers who have protected this country!

We’re back with the final installment by Amanda Diorio. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!

There is not enough time to do everything under the sun.

Entering the MFA program at UNC Greensboro I anticipated having loads of time to take heaps of courses both in and out of the department. At the start 3 years seems like a long time. In the end it went by so fast I remember wishing I could have taken more courses than I had time for. If you come in with all your prerequisites met many programs are only 60 credits total for an MFA intended to be completed in 3 years. That translates to 10 credits a semester, which usually ends up being 3 academic courses and a technique class (this of course depends on your department). When I was registering for fall semester of the third year and looking ahead to the final semester in the spring I was discouraged that I had not had a chance to take every course from every teacher I originally wanted to. I was comforted looking back on how much I was able to do while I was there but there was still a feeling that I could have done more. I came to the realization that even though the time seems to drag when you are working on the 20 page research paper with little sleep in the long run it goes by quickly (if you thought high school and college went fast just wait). Think about this when you start your program. Try to decide what it is you want to your studies to focus on early. This will help you to create space in your academic plan and allow you to touch on the subjects that interest you the most.

Go at your own pace.
I have a bad habit of comparing myself to others. I tell myself I am not doing enough because so and so did so much more in my same position. This is not a good attitude to have in general but certainly not while trying to obtain a terminal degree. Know your own limits in regards to stress, work load and sleep deprivation and respect them. Like every individual candidates deal with the stress and time management in their own way. I was marveled at some of my friends who took on so many projects while pursuing their MFAs both in and out of the department. Some of my colleagues were fostering companies and other artistic ventures outside of school. Some of them had families going into the department while others planned weddings and were pregnant while working on their degrees. I could barely handle taking care of my two cats and myself while balancing the heavy workload. Working outside of the degree also varied, several people found outside employment while a number survived on student loans. Deciding to participate and perform in other student and faculty works is also a decision that affects how much time you have left for yourself and your course load. I found it comforting to live less than a mile away from campus to get that extra bit of sleep, quite a few of my friends found it more stressful to be so close and decided on a small (or not so small) commutes. Your family, tolerance for stress and strategies for time management all play a part in your decisions and individuals have their own set of circumstances that determine how they handle things. Do not compare yourself to others and decide that you are doing too much or not enough. Find what makes you comfortable and be proud of your accomplishments regardless. This is your degree and you should be able to obtain it in a way that makes you proud but also maintains your sanity.

Amanda Diorio is an adjunct faculty member at UNC-Greensboro and Elon University. She teaches adult classes open to the public at the North Carolina Dance Project where she is also a member of the board of directors. Amanda holds an M.F.A. in Choreography from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a B.F.A. in Dance from Temple University. She has taught, produced, and choreographed dance extensively in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Florida and North Carolina at universities, studios, public and private schools and community centers. Specializing in Contemporary, Jazz and Hip Hop techniques she enjoys spreading peace, love and understanding through her teaching of dance, choreography and culture.

Links We Like Friday

by Lydia Links We Like

Famous Last Words of Famous People

http://www.buzzfeed.com/video/mattpagourgis/12-legendary-last-words

Talent Rally Highlights 2014 (Very Talented Kids…check out MJ!)

You know this popped into your head the first time you heard the song. Don’t deny it!

If You Haven’t Seen This…Shame On YOU!!! 🙂

Free Events Thursday

by Lydia Free Events Thursday

Facing Mars

May 24, 2014 – September 01, 2014

1601 NASA Parkway, Houston, TX 77058

The challenges of a human mission to Mars are as big as any humans have faced. We know that we can get there, but will we be able to survive? How will we solve the many challenges? What will happen when we push our bodies and minds far beyond any place we have been before?

This summer, visitors will be asked these simple questions at Space Center Houston’s new exhibit “Facing Mars.” Focusing on the real-life obstacles of sending humans to Mars, this groundbreaking exhibition, developed and designed by the Ontario Science Centre, shows visitors how the challenges of a Mars mission aren’t limited to technology or money. It asks questions associated with traveling to Mars for which there currently are no known answers. It also engages participants in the physical, psychological and scientific challenges that come with interplanetary travel.

Price: $17.95 (Save $5 per ticket by buying online)!

Break Out Arts

May 26, 2014 from 2pm – 6pm

2521 Holman, Houston, TX 77004

Break Out Arts is a multi dimensional creative event featuring talented music artists, a fashion showcase and visual arts gallery. The show will take place at Our House: The Store Project on Memorial day, Monday May 26th 2014 from 2-6pm. Break Out Arts is an effort to expose and connect the community to the arts in all its forms. In addition to the live music and dance performances, runway showcase and curated art exhibit – the event offers a free music workshop for children, diet consultations with free food samples by Rawbiquitos and functions as a platform for community interaction featuring a variety of vendors with unique products.

Price: FREE!!!

Carnival Houston

May 24, 2014 from Noon – 9:00pm

1500 McKinney Street, Houston, TX 77479

Celebrating carnival from the caribbean, Brazil and New Orleans Mardi Gras. It is an exciting an explosion of music, cuisine, revelry, costume parade and performances. The Premier Annual Carnival Houston show will showcase carnival costumes and performances such as Samba, Merengue, and costume masqueraders, Dance Performances, Calypso, Soca, Salsa, and Samba.

Price: $10

Centennial Exhibition at the Julia Ideson Library

May 24, 2014 from 10:00am-6:00pm

500 McKinney Avenue, Houston, TX 77002

Hermann Park Conservancy is partnering with the Julia Ideson Library downtown to present an exhibition honoring Hermann Park’s centennial year. Having re-opened in 2011 after a $32 million renovation, the historic library is the perfect place to display objects from the Park’s history, including original planning documents, maps, renderings, and historical photos. Objects in the exhibition have been sourced from the archives of Hermann Park Conservancy, the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, and the City of Houston Archives in the Texas Room of the Julia Ideson Library. The exhibition will be on view in the Tudor Gallery through July 26.

Price: FREE!!!

Discover Houston Tours: Rice Village Chocolate Safari

May 24, 2014 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

2365A Rice Boulevard, Houston, TX 77007

Walk along Rice Boulevard on Saturdays, visiting yummy and unique chocolate shops and restaurants on the way. Meet new friends and learn about the history of chocolate.

Price: $30.00

Garden Architecture Exhibition

May 22, 2014 – July 18, 2014 (Recurring daily)

315 Capitol St., Houston, TX 77002

Price: FREE!!!

In Juliet’s Garden AND Ophelia’s Rope & Friends

May 22, 2014 – May 30, 2014 (Recurring daily) at 8pm

Studio 101 (Houston Heights)

Act 1: In Juliet’s Garden (40 minutes) By: Judy Elliot McDonald Juliet Capulet invites four other heroines of Shakespeare’s classics (Katharina, Portia, Ophelia and Desdemona) to lunch in her favorite garden in Verona to discuss issues they all have with their plots. All the ladies have suggestions how these issues might be remedied. Shakespeare has also been invited, but instead sends an envoy, his literary agent and Editor Jacqueline de Boys, who attempts to save the day! Act 2: Ophelia’s Rope & Friends Improv Show (40 minutes) Houston Improv troupes will use audience suggestions to create spontaneous–and often hilarious–once in a lifetime stories!

Price: $15.00

Russian Spring Bazaar

February 03, 2014 – May 30, 2014 (Monday-Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00p.m., Saturday: 11:00a.m. – 3:00p.m.)

Russian Cultural Center “Our Texas”

2337 Bissonnet, Houston TX 77005

Discover unique ethnic souvenirs and gifts that are hard to find anywhere else. – Wooden figures of Father Frost; – Beautiful icons; – Lovely lacquer jewelry boxes; – Famous blue-and –white china – Gzhel; – Golden wooden tableware “Khokhloma”; – Famous Russian Matreshkas or nesting dolls.

Price: FREE!!!

Eat Well Wednesday: Why Hire a Nutrition Coach?

by Lydia Eat Well Wednesday Uncategorized

Let’s be real, we are bombarded with nutrition information ALL.THE. TIME! Eat this, don’t eat that, avoid this, buy this, try this new super food and the list goes on and on. Not only are we confused, but our bodies are as well. It seems like the more we try to balance our diets the more out of balance we become. That’s why a Nutrition Coach can help set you on a path of health and success!

As a Certified Nutrition Coach, they will customize a plan for you tailored to your goals. They will meet with you weekly to share with you applicable nutrition knowledge and help you overcome any obstacles you may be facing along the way. Your goals will become your reality and will teach you the tools you need to maintain your success for the rest of your life.

You will learn the foundations of nutrition, become knowledgeable of how to shop the grocery store, develop healthy and easy meals to prepare for you and your family and gain valuable information about nutrition, health, balance and maintaining your success for years to come.

And I promise they won’t have you eating salads every meal or chugging green smoothies. Life is about balance and getting healthier is about making different choices for what you put in your body. In the amount that you spend on fast food a month, you can have a nutrition coach for 6-12 weeks with meal plans, grocery lists, weekly meetings, support, guidance and knowledge.

Top 5 Reasons You Should Hire a Nutrition Coach

1. You are tired, stressed, overwhelmed and can’t find the energy to get back on track.

2. Your money is being spent on fast food, soda’s and restaurant outings, all of which are putting a dent in your wallet and expanding your waist line.

3. You don’t know where to start. You have tried every diet on the book shelf and you still can’t find a way to eat and enjoy life.

4. You want to make a change. You are willing to see things differently, try something new and open your mind to the possibility that you can be healthy.

5. You deserve to be healthy! You can look good, feel good, and live your best life.

Come check out the many options they have to help you get back on track and live your best life.

Be Well! 🙂

Jill Tarpey is leading us Wednesday by Wednesday into making better food choices and being more healthful. Tune in every Wednesday to get some great recipes and advice from someone who really knows health. In an effort to fuel her passion to serve as well has enhance the lives of others through their nutritional choices, she started Eat Well SA(San Antonio). Her vision is to educate you on how to incorporate a healthy array of foods into your life. Eat Well is not a diet, nor does it embrace any one specific dietary agenda. She also offers customized programs that are educational and teach you the tools you need to maintain healthy, well balanced eating for your busy lives.

Tuesday Tunes: The Groovy 1960’s

by Lydia Tuesday Tunes

The sixties were the age of youth. The movement away from the conservative fifties continued and eventually resulted in revolutionary ways in the cultural fabric of American life. No longer content to be images of the generation ahead of them, young people wanted change. Even dancing changed. Dancing was no longer about keeping the basic steps, instead it was all about how the music moved you. Your own personal dance style. The Watusi, The Twist, The Swim and a slew of others dominated the night clubs and beach parties throughout the decade. Here are just a few dances that made entertainment history.

The Nitty Gritty

Dee Dee Sharp – Mashed Potato Time

The Swim