Things are heating up as we hit our back-to-school stride! This looks groovy as Obie-winning Chocolate factory kicks back into gear:

COMING SOON TO THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY:

An Evening With Djordjevich and Peck
September 9-12, 2009 @ 8PM $15

Can music and dance become indistinguishable? What might it mean for a musician to give an embodied performance? Can a dance be so musical that it is not perceived as a dance? A choreographer and a composer generously engage in a collective endeavor to render such questions irrelevant. Choreographer Milka Djordjevich and composer Chris Peck present a collaborative evening of short works where movement and sound are in dialogue. The pieces attempt to assess, analyze, and question the inherent and/or uninherent relationship between music and dance. Working together and in isolation, the artists address their shared interests in sound and movement. Djordjevich makes a piece that Peck will perform. Peck makes a piece that Djordjevich will perform. Djordjevich and Peck make pieces that Djordjevich and Peck will perform. Djordjevich and Peck make pieces that Djordjevich and Peck will not perform.

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DUMBO comes alive on September 10th for the 1st Thursday gallery walk to launch the season with a bang!

For more info visit the facebook page.

This month’s participants include:

A.I.R. GALLERY 111 Front St.
AMOS ENO GALLERY 111 Front St.
ASWOON GALLERY 14 Jay St.
BOYD DESIGN 81 Front St.
BOSE PACIA 163 Plymouth St.
BROOKLYN ART PROJECT 5 Front St.
CAPTION GALLERY 55 Washington St.
CENTRAL BOOKING 111 Front St.
CONJUNTO GUANTANAMO The Archway
DUMBO ARTS CENTER 30 Washington St.
FARMANI GALLERY 111 Front St.
FLUXCONCERT 111 Front St.
GALAPAGOS 16 Main St.
HENRY GREGG GALLERY 111 Front St.
HUNGRY MARCH BAND The Archway
ILLEGAL ART The Archway & 111 Front St.
JAH PAN The Archway
JAMES J WILLIAMS III
KATE MEJIA 111 Front St.
KIKA NICOLELA

KLOMPCHING GALLERY 111 Front St.
KRIS GRAVES PROJECTS 111 Front St.
MAGASIN TOTALE 10 Jay St.
MEDIASTORM @ Galapagos
MELVILLE HOUSE 145 Plymouth St.
SHEILA PYE & NICK PYE 111 Front St.
NYFA 20 Jay St.
POSSIBLE PROJECTS 68 Jay St.
POWERHOUSE ARENA 37 Main St.
RABBITHOLE STUDIO 33 Washington St.
RANDALL SCOTT GALLERY 111 Front St.
REBAR 147 Front St.
SMACK MELLON 92 Plymouth St.
SPEAK LOW 81 Washington St.
SPRING 126A Front St.
UMBRAGE GALLERY 111 Front St.
VII PHOTO 28 Jay St.
WATERMILL BROOKLYN GALLERY 111 Front St.

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Season ticket art by Chris Burnham

Greetings from Chicagoland. My name is Ellen Ratchye-Foster. Andy & I met in NYC a while back. I’ve since migrated westward & he’s invited me to write some Chicago-based posts on Culturebot (see my post on Tinariwen) What else to set the scene? I grew up in Minnesota, my day job is consumer research, I am a Honda Accord-driving suburban mom, prone to sidebar-ing & for the most part a fangirl

Accordingly & just having seen Funny People, I’m still wondering as I write this how Adam Sandler’s character would write and perform this intro differently (for the record, it’s a really messy flick & mostly the better for it, Manohla Dargis’ peevish review notwithstanding) (yes, I have grown weary of her slapshots, particularly her having completely missed the point of the Reader – a painful movie about not one but two despicable people, and not simply 21st century Holocaust porn, as she so quickly dismissed it)

Got it? Where was I? I think Adam Sandler’s alter ego was rewriting my intro, flashing the shiv a little earlier on & certainly swinging a little more dick. I’m going to leave him to it & talk a little bit about one of my favorite things here in Chicago – the House Theatre Company

the first time I went I was enchanted twice over before anyone ever appeared onstage. number one, the production was in the kind of venue where you can bring your drink to your seat & number two, the atmosphere was unlike anything I’d ever encountered in the “arts”. everyone in the audience was kind of happily bouncing in anticipation & unabashedly a fan of the company *

so anyway, by the spring of ’07 they were definitely on the traditional trajectory to the bigger time, complete with a transfer to the Steppenwolf experimental space that was reviewed in the NYT, a benefit with a silent auction & replete with baby boomers, productions in new venues, a customized Nutcracker, etc. and then the economy collapsed. I’m happy to report that they’re still in business, with three all-new productions scheduled for the 2009-2010 season

what I’d like to dig into over the next few months is how they’re doing this. what happens to a “coming of age” story when the circumstances shift radically? I’m especially interested because their central theme is coming of age. their stories tend to focus on teenagers in the crucible or parents considering the price paid & by whom, or both. indeed I’d become a bit annoyed & even a bit sad about the constant stream of teen-age protagonists

now however the stakes are higher for everyone. maybe their response will simply be a variation on a theme, but I’m very curious about how they made it through, how the new challenges may manifest in the new productions & what it feels like

enough twee speculation. the company is the House Theatre (http://www.thehousetheatre.com) Nathan Allen is the AD; Ryan Butts has recently been made MD. Phillip C. Klapperich was the founding ED. mainly the members are SMU grads from the class of ’00 & there seems to be a secondary correlation with Arvada, CO

The original House production “The Sparrow” featuring Carolyn Defrin was a phenomenon here in Chicago in the spring of ’07 (it will have its East Coast premiere outside Boston this fall at the Stoneham Theatre) Anyway, they’re now working from the Chopin Theater, having parted ways with the Viaduct Theater. Peter Sagal, host of NPR’s Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me, is the chairman of their board of directors. my favorite productions have been Hatfield & McCoy and The Magnificents. I want to single out their frequent composer Kevin O’Donnell as a singular talent. the first show of the upcoming season will be “All the Fame of Lofty Deeds”, which title & notes already suggest occupancy – at least temporarily – in a new & differently tempered universe

stay tuned. I appreciate your time

* with apologies to the late lamented Theatre de la Jeune Lune of Minneapolis. the atmosphere there was always sparkling, but never had the pure bouncy excitement I’ve experienced with the House

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caden manson and big art group have started a site – contemporary performance – which looks to be pretty amazing. check it out.

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photo by Tim Summers

I’m a sucker for the psychedelic diva freakout. Mix that with some Amanda Palmer/Dresden Dolls goth, Rob Zombie ghoulish humor, witchy Stevie Nicks magickal womyn energy, Trent Reznor showmanship, underwater archetypal Teutonic mythology, beats, analog loop and sample pedals and some beautiful vocals and you’ve got something approximating the “one-woman wall of sound” created by “electro-sorceress” Faith Helma in Hand2Mouth’s song cycle Undine, currently playing at the Ontological.

Despite the occasional narrative missteps and awkward moments (was that sincere/ironic? sincere/sincere? ironic/sincere? ironic/ironic?) what was obvious was Ms. Helma’s talent and presence.  She’s very engaging and commanding as a performer and shows a lot of promise. There is a change in persona towards the end that is downright creepy and pretty darn cool (the Rob Zombie part). I didn’t mind the lack of overt narrativity – its a song cycle and a surreal one at that – but the show seemed a bit uneven. I found myself wanting a bit more precision in the transitions, a little more character development and a little more rigor. The night I was there the crowd was small and I definitely wondered what it would be like to see the show in a packed club. I think with a really hot audience the show – and Ms. Helma – would really come to life and be the thrill ride it is meant to be.

So go check it out, don’t be afraid to laugh and get into it, she’s a tough cookie and she knows how to handle a microphone.

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The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF)

in partnership with Omnivore

presents

Le Bal NYC

A Free Dance and Picnic Party to Launch Crossing the Line 2009

Featuring leading choreographers and master chefs from New York and France

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 2-6pm

Central Park’s East Meadow

This fall, today’s groundbreaking choreographers and chefs will rendez-vous for Le Bal NYC, a meeting of the dance and culinary worlds in Central Park’s East Meadow. Le Bal NYC is presented by the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) in partnership with Omnivore, to launch FIAF’s Crossing the Line 2009 festival celebrating French and American artists working to transform cultural practices on both sides of the Atlantic.

Le Bal NYC represents a rare chance to dance alongside France’s acclaimed choreographers – and to break bread with top chefs from some of the most wildly popular restaurants in New York and France.

An inventive new twist on the bal populaire, this dance party in the Park unites established and emerging choreographers from France to demystify contemporary dance for picnickers of every age. For Le Bal NYC, each choreographer has been commissioned to create short dances to be taught, section by section, to all in attendance, blurring the line between dancer and choreographer, public and performer. Choreographers include Germaine Acogny, Odile Duboc, Latifa Laâbissi, and Olivier Dubois.

The idea of the pique-nique will also enjoy a delectable new spin, as Omnivore New York’s brigade of top chefs from France and New York join forces to stir up a sampling of innovative picnic fare, packaged in special Crossing the Line Bento Boxes. Participating master chefs include France’s Inaki Aizpitarte, Pascal Barbot, Alexandre Gauthier, and Michel Bras, and New York’s David Chang, and Wylie Dufresne. In addition, a sampling of fare from local farms and producers will punctuate the event.

“Our goal is to make this the most inclusive dance premiere in the city,” said Lili Chopra, Artistic Director of FIAF. “In Le Bal everyone is both audience and performer, and maybe even part choreographer too,” added Simon Dove, Crossing the Line co-curator.

For this free, family-friendly afternoon in Central Park, the public is encouraged to bring picnic baskets and blankets, and settle in with mothers, fathers, kids, and grandparents to sample the latest in the worlds of food and dance.

What to expect…

2-2:45pm – Nora Chipaumire presents choreographer Germaine Acogny’s newly commissioned work to the crowd

2:45-3pm – Free dancing and sampling of local artisan cheeses selected by Anne Saxelby of Saxelby Cheeses, served with bread from Bruno Dinel, award-winning French baker

3-3:45pm – Choreographer Latifa Laâbissi leads the crowd while they learn a newly commissioned work

3:45-4pm – Free dancing and food sampling

4-4:45pm – Choreographer Odile Duboc leads the crowd while they learn a newly commissioned work

4:45-5pm – Distribution of Crossing the Line Bento Boxes prepared by the Omnivore New York brigade

5-5:45pm – Choreographer Olivier Dubois leads the crowd while they learn a newly commissioned work

MORE INFO AFTER THE JUMP

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Normally Culturebot isn’t in the party promoting business. But we’ve got a soft spot for Click and Drag! Back in the 90′s it was quite the party and we’re glad to see that the Jackie 60 and Mother crew are still around and keeping the fun alive. Mark you calendars now for what is sure to be one of the major party events of the Fall Season!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17, 2009
CLICK + DRAG 3.1
“THE SECOND COMING”
SANTOS PARTY HOUSE
100 LAFAYETTE STREET NYC
10 PM-4 AM
$20 ADVANCE, $25 AT DOOR (CASH ONLY AT DOORS)
21 AND OVER, I.D. REQUIRED
CLICKNYC.COM
TICKETS AND INFO

“SURELY SOME REVELATION IS AT HAND” – W.B. Yeats, THE SECOND COMING, 1919

The pioneering “Cyber/Fetish/Gender-Hacking” party CLICK + DRAG, which ushered out the 20th Century in style and returned with a bang last year, announces its second annual Future-Spectacle for October 17. Two of Click’s founding producers – director and visual artist ROB ROTH and nightlife impresario CHI CHI VALENTI of THE JACKIE FACTORY will stage this year’s epic CLICK + DRAG 3.1/ THE SECOND COMING at sympatico venue SANTOS PARTY HOUSE. CLICK 3.1/ THE SECOND COMING is a two floor, evening-length epic, preserving the night’s strict dress code and pansexual mix of fetishists, artists, gender-hackers and “Glam Nerds.”

CLICK 3.1 was inspired by the W.B. YEATS poem THE SECOND COMING, and its themes of new gods for (often terrifying) new Ages, “Spiritus Mundi” or universal subconscious, and a post-Christian world. CLICK 3.1 celebrates gender-bending new prophets and prophetesses, and the neo-tribalism that borrows elements from a myriad of religions to create new believers and practices. CLICK + DRAG 3.1 will feature multimedia works directed by Roth and installations and performances by dozens of collaborators.

This year’s highlights will include trans icon and vocalist OUR LADY J, who presents an electric take on her GOSPEL FOR THE GODLESS with piano and choir, original Click DJ SAMMY JO, gender-illuminati cabaret troupe THE PIXIE HARLOTS, DJ JOHNNY DYNELL (who also creates the night’s signature mix for the clicknyc.com website) and Method Go-Go icon FALON. MANY more aspects of this night are still in formation, please check the links below for updates as they are added.

A STRICT CYBER/FETISH/TRIBAL DRESS CODE WILL BE COMPLETELY ENFORCED: WEAR GODDESS OR TRANS-GODDESS, GLAMOUR MARTYR, SPHINX-WEAR, RUBBER NUN, PRIESTESS, SEQUINNED SAINT, CROWN OF THORNS, PAGAN CHIC, SHIVA REALNESS or CYBER, FETISH, TRIBAL, GENDER-HACKING, FAERIE, GOTHIC OR BRILLIANT BLACK. ABSOLUTELY NO STREET CLOTHES OR MUNDANES – NO EXCEPTIONS.

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Some of my colleagues have gotten together to chat and pose some questions. Check it out at Collective Arts Think Tank.

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Hi All – the movie that I’m in is finally screening in NYC!!!! MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!!

In the midst of Michael Bloomberg’s controversial third bid for mayor, The Promise of New York, an award-winning documentary film that combines irreverent humor with thought-provoking political discourse, will be holding 3 special screenings before the September 15th Democratic Primary in what will prove to be a very timely call for citizen involvement in local politics.

The film follows the interlocking stories of three New Yorkers who compete against each other and billionaire incumbent Michael Bloomberg in the 2005 mayoral elections.  As they embark on this journey through the streets of the Big Apple, audiences explore firsthand the meaning of participatory democracy and the role of money and media in American elections.

Upcoming Screening Dates:

*Tuesday September 8th, 8PM; Monkey Town; $10
58 N 3rd ST, Brooklyn, NY
Reservations: 718.384.1369 or www.monkeytownhq.com

*Friday Sept. 11th & Sat. Sept. 12th, 9PM; Dixon Place; $10
161 Chrystie St, New York, NY
Tickets:  www.dixonplace.org

Screenings followed by Q&A with Director Raul Barcelona & Special Guests

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If you can get to it, check out the Ringling International Arts Festival in Sarasota, FL, October 7-11, 2009.  Presented by the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art in association with the Baryshnikov Arts Center, the festival’s inaugural season kicks off on October 7 with an opening night concert led by renowned conductor Robert Spano, featuring the Florida State University Symphony Orchestra and pianist Pedja Muzijevic.

Events at a glance include the U.S. premiere of Peter Brook’s Love is my sin; Ella’s Hickson’s award-winning play Eight; Elevator Repair Service in their new The Sun Also Rises, First Part (a workshop premiere); the extraordinary Meow Meow in Beyond Glamour: The Absinthe Tour; a world premiere by choreographer Aszure Barton; the U.S. premiere of María Pagés’s Flamenco y Poesía; Deganit Shemy & Company; OtherShore; and two chamber concerts, each featuring a new commissioned work by composer Mason Bates.

complete info after the jump…

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