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MINA'S BLOG
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Contains stories, announcements, rants, anything and everything
arts and entertainment related.
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22 Feb 10
THE ROYAL CROWN REVUE
The Viejas Dreamcatcher Showroom was really jumpin' last night. The "Kings of Gangster
Bop," the Royal Crown Revue, instantly heated things up with their savvy style, sly sass, and swingin' tunes like "Bim Bam," "Stormy Weather,"
"Walkin' Like Brando," and "Misirlou." The master of
ceremonies and producer of the event, Jazz Singer David Patrone, and co-host, swing dancer/instructor Jim Cruzen of 2toGoove were a class act. The bands still keepin'
pretty busy after 20 some years. For their next gig -- the bands off to Egypt. Check out these videos for a taste of the music: "Walkin'
Like Brando" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC5FydBnCcQ
LA Thing "Hey Pachuco" http://www.rcr.com/videos/video03.html
8 Feb 10
WHAT'S UP WITH FM94/9?
After hearing the new Mikey Show during morning
drive on San Diego's 94/9, I was compelled to write the Program Manager Garett Michaels.
--------------------- Hello Garett,
I have to share that
I'm extremely disappointed with 94/9 for introducing such a lame morning talk show program. It's pretty atrocious. I thought
the 91X morning show was annoying, but the Mikey Show..... Mon dieu!
I support the survival of commercial radio,
but when you convert to the same kind of programming as everyone else, you make it impossible for listeners to remain loyal.
Banishing Halloran from the station was another really bad move.
I've heard and read
many many comments from people that feel the same way as I. Do our comments matter at all?
Better get a new tag
line now because it's definitely not "About the Music" anymore.
31 Jan 10
COACHELLA 2010 RIP OFF
The Coachella Music Festival announced last week, to many peoples surprise and disappointment,
that single day passes would not be sold for the April 2010 weekend long event. Only 3-day passes will be sold for $269 per person. A pretty funky situation for many during
this time of recession. The single day passes, which were about $100 per person, were
already expensive. The problems this year are..... ......... On top of the higher
cost of passes, you still have the cost of food, transportation, and accommodations to consider. .........Not everyone wants to or can get away for all three days. .........Even with the layaway plan, you must pay half up front which exceeds the cost of the one day pass. .........Even if you sign up to be a volunteer, they charge you an application
fee, ask you to buy a 3-day pass, and a camping permit, and then..... sometime after the event (probably months later) you
get reimbursed for the 3-day pass and camping permit. Some naive Coachella fans
have made some ridiulous comments like..."You're not a real fan if you don't go
no matter what the cost" and "The cost is justified if you divide up how
much you would pay to see each band individually." Please..... How many people can afford to see every individual band
they like when they come to town?
In
2009, for budget reasons, I had to choose which bands I wanted to see most. I decided on Nine Inch Nails & Jane's Addiction,
Underworld, and Depeche Mode. Would loved to have also seen The Prodigy, Nitzer Ebb,
Morrissey, Green Day, Coldplay, U2, No Doubt, Tiesto, and others, but how can the average
person see all of these shows when they're all scheduled within a few weeks of each other or in consecutive months, and the
average cost is $80 per ticket before tax and service charges? It's ridiculous.
What Coachella has done this year is a brilliant strategy to make more money,
but it's also a blatant and sleazy scheme to take advantage of fans. What I have found even more unfortunate is that some
fans have been brainwashed into thinking the high cost is justified. Most likely those people have never experienced financial
hardship and they can't see the big picture. This year, I have decided
to skip Coachella. Mainly due to the expense, but also out of principle. The only way
Coachella producers will acknowledge how they have wronged their patrons is by loosing money in their ticket sales. I suspect
that if enough people simply hold off on buying 3-day passes until March, Coachella producers will panic and revert
back to selling single day tickets.
28 Jan 10
THE FATE OF DANCER MAGAZINE
The official news about Dancer Magazine transitioning from a monthly print medium to a
strictly online outlet is starting to spread. For writers like yours truly and editors that have fully dedicated themselves
to contributing valuable dance news content to a national audience, it's a maudlin time. Everyone knows that all print media has been suffering for a long time and it's only a matter of time before most
print publications exclusively rely on the web to report their news. Regardless, that doesn't make the reality any easier
for those directly affected. As publishing company goals change, products change, and as
a result some loose their jobs. Sadly, some have been let go and freelance writers
like myself are on hiatus while the dust settles. As a writer for Dancer
Magazine for the last three years, I have been blessed to have worked with such a talented group of professionals and to have
been given so many wonderful opportunities to write on subjects that I find fascinating. Now -- after 20 years in print, Dancer Magazine will embark on a journey into cyber space on route to its new domain -- Dance.com (formerly DancerUniverse.com).
To those loyal readers of Dancer over the last 20 years, it's been a pleasure serving you -- the dance community.
21 Jan 10
VEGAS BABY!
Spending four days and three nights in Vegas earlier this month was just the right amount
of excitement to jump start the new year. Visiting for the sake of writing an article on Late Night Dining in Vegas was one
of the primary points of the trip. The other -- to forget getting older. Four decades will do that to a person.
The overall restaurant experience was positive. Found some great spots worth
returning to and some worthy of trying on the next trip. Details will be outlined in my upcoming article on LasVegasRestaurants.com. Taking advantage of the great hotel rates this time of year was also a major
incentive. With rates from $49 a night at some 3.5 - 4 star hotels and offers to Stay
1 Night and Get the 3rd Night Free, it was hard to resist. My experience at the Monte Carlo was pleasant and worthwhile given
the outstanding rate, good location (in proximity with the NY,NY, MGM, Luxor and Mandalay Bay), the fantastic view of the
strip from the 23rd floor, and the comfortable bed. The pool was closed unfortunately, but I had plenty of other distractions to keep me busy.
Visiting all the popular hotels after several years was a renewing experience. It's
impressive that even with all the new theme hotels going up, Caesars and MGM remain the most popular. I took in a little nostalgia
by visiting the Tropicana for the first time and was glad I went. These days, one never knows if the last remaining Vegas
originals will be there during your next visit. Yes the casino felt somewhat dated, but the vibe was good and it felt more
like the old Vegas. Tasteful and extravagent Vegas for
today's standards are hands down the Bellagio, Palazzo, Wynn, and Encore. Guests can experience these luxurious hotels for
a mere $130+ these days. These rates won't last come March.
I made
it to a different Cirque du Soleil production this trip. Couldn't pass up on the Buy 1, Get 1 offer to see "Ka."
The amazing venue and elaborate sets met expectations, but the production itself fell short in several areas. Too little acrobatics
and far too much mime and pointless theatrics that made no sense made this show flat out dull for the most part. There were
a few impressive highlights, but not enough to justify a $100 ticket. My advise is to pass on this one.
17 Jan 10
LUSCIOUS NOISE TONIGHT
If you live in San Diego and haven't heard what Luscious Noise is all about, here's the
gist: John Stubbs, violinist with the San Diego Symphony and music director/conductor for California Ballet, created a live
classical music production to introduce younger audiences to the music form by having
the event in a cool relaxed setting and by making ticket prices more affordable. To stimulate interest further, Stubbs added
multi-media elements which includes film excerpts and occasional live dance performances. Not only is the show unique, the venue is ideal. Anthology is gorgeous inside and out, every seat
in the house is great, and they have fantastic food. Tonight's show is at 7:30. Don't miss it. You'll be glad you went.
For ticket, call 619.595.0300 or visit, AnthologySD.com.
14 Jan 10
MAJOR BALLET COMPANY AUDITIONS
POINTE MAGAZINE just announced
the following opportunities:
San Francisco Ballet is seeking one tall male soloist/principal. Send resume, photos, and DVD or video to: San Francisco Ballet,
Ricardo Bustamente, Ballet Master, 455 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102. or apply via email: rbustamante@sfballet.org. sfballet.org Staatsballett Berlin is looking for male and female dancers with
strong classical technique. Auditions will be held on January 17, 2010 at the Staatsoper Unter den Linden in Berlin, Germany.
To learn more, email info@staatsballett-berlin.de and visit www.staatsballett-berlin.de
14 Dec 09
COACHELLA 2010
In today's music news, the 2010 Coachella Music & Arts Festival dates were announced. The three-day long annual event in Indio, CA is set
for April 16 - 18 and will feature over 150 bands. The line-up is yet to be announced, but inside sources say bands such as
Muse, Devo, and the Rolling Stone's are among the rumored artists' to perform. For more on Coachella, visit: http://www.coachella.com/
2 Dec 09
T'IS "THE NUTCRACKER" SEASON
For some, such as myself, "The Nutcracker" is an annual tradition. No matter
how many times you've seen it, it's always special in some way. "The Nutcracker" has two unique qualities -- it
has mass appeal and it creates a special holiday feeling that lasts beyond the end of Act II. My recommendation is... see "The Nutcracker" this year. During these troubled economic times, the ballet
is the perfect escape from the monotonous. Plus, you'll help support some hard working artists in the community. And that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Also...
spend wisely. Find a "Nutcracker" that fits your budget and do your research on the presenter before you buy your tickets so you
know exactly what you're paying for. There's a lot of misleading Advertising
and Publicity out there! Here's a helpful overview of the most popular San Diego
"Nutcracker" productions: San Diego Ballet All professional dancers. Live Music: Yes. Professional
Orchestra. East County performances only. Cost: Moderate City Ballet Professional and pre-professional dancers. Live Music:
Yes. Youth orchestra. Cost: Moderate
California Ballet Professional
and pre-professional dancers. Live music: Yes. Professional orchestra. Civic
Theatre performances only. Cost: Expensive Moscow Ballet All professional dancers.
Live music:No. Cost: Expensive
San Diego Academy
of Ballet Youth dancers with some professional guest artists. Live music: No. Cost: Moderate
West Coast Ballet Theatre Youth
dancers with some professional guest artists. Live music: Yes. Youth orchestra.
Cost: Moderate Scripps
Performing Arts Academy All student cast.
Live music: No
Cost: Moderate San Diego Civic Youth Ballet
All student cast.
Live music:
No Cost: Inexpensive
23 Nov 09
Nov. 22 Luscious Noise
 Bravo John Stubbs! "Luscious Noise" on Sunday, November 22 was outstanding! Fantastic
turnout, enthusiastic crowd, steller performances, loads of ambiance, and great food. What more could you ask for for an Inaugural
event?!... The staff at Anthology are also very enthusiastic about carrying these events forward.
Januray 17, 2010 is a set date for the next "Luscious Noise" gig at Anthology so promotion efforts are
now full speed ahead. Those who missed the 11/22/09 show yesterday should mark their calendars now for the 1/17/2010 performance.
The same production concept will remain, "An evening of live classical music, film, and dance," but a whole new
program will be presented. Stay up to speed on the latest about the next "Luscious Noise" at Anthology supper club
in Little Italy via the minacommunications.com "Events" page.
Anthology, 1337 India Street, San Diego. (619)
595-0300. AnthologySD.com 
19 Nov 09
TOP CHEF FINAL FOUR
Of all the seasons of Bravo TV's Top Chef, the judges finally got it right. Good goin' Tom
Colicchio! Congratulations to Michael and Bryan Voltaggio, Jennifer Carroll, and Kevin Gillespie for making it to the finals!
It was a tough crowd to please in tonight's episode and personally gratifying to see Chef Thomas Keller among the guests, as
I had the honor of writing about Chef Keller this month for SanFranciscoRestaurants.com.
Next week
on Top Chef, it's ciao Las Veas, hello Napa Valley! Bon chance chefs!
12:00 am pst
30 Sep 09
TOP CHEF
It's Top
Chef night on Bravo. My favorite TV night of the week. Hard to believe Top Chef is in its 6th Season already. The show hasn't
quite topped the first season in my book, but there have been many fine chef contestants along the way. There have also been
a lot of upsets, such as with the winner of last season. The chef who won had a poor track record throughout most of the challenges
and on multiple ocassions, he narrowly escaped from being emilinated. How he made it all the way to the finals still puzzles
me, but somehow he did and somehow he pulled off a winning meal during the finale. I
was very unhappy about that outcome, to the point where I almost stopped watching the show all together. But curiosity got
to me and here I am again -- glued to the TV every Wed. night at 10pm. Season
6 has been an interesting season thus far. Episode 4, when the contestants cooked for leading French chefs from around the
world, has been a personal favorite of mine. It was also nice to see Chef Hubert Keller of Fleur de Lys return after recently
competing in the new Top Chef Masters show. And what a show that was. Every aspect of how Top Chef Masters was shot is the way in
which every regular Top Chef show should be. Less drama, just great cooking,
fascinating stories, and intellectual critiques from leading food experts. This
season, brothers/chef contestants Michael and Bryan Voltaggio have repeatedly demonstrated their superior talent among the
contestants. There's only two other real stand outs this season that have measured
up to the skill and creativity of the two brothers and those two are Jennifer Carroll and Kevin Gillespie. If any of these
four chefs make it to the end, I'll be toasting to their victory.
17 Aug 09
UNDERWORLD CONCERT REVIEW
During week one in August, Underworld
of the UK performed three exclusive West Coast performances in Vegas, Oakland, and LA. Initially Oakland seemed like an unlikely part of the Bay Area for the band to perform,
but come time for the 8/7/09 show, the newly renovated Fox Theatre was an obvious
choice. It was virtually impossible to refrain from falling in love with the theatre's gorgeous Art Deco setting with multiple
tiers of standing areas for dancing, two balconies with outstanding views, bars galore, and cool air ventilation coming through
the floors in all the standing areas. Once
Underworld hit the stage at 9:15pm, the crowds pressed as far forward
as they could get to get a closer look. The stage wasn't huge so the larger
than life British duo managed to take up the
whole thing. The extensive L-shaped keyboard, manned by Rick Smith,
took up half the space and the rest was taken
over by singer Karl
Hyde. The Essex, England native is notorious for bringing a huge
amount of energy to every show, dancing constantly while he sings, so Hyde could have used a stage all his own. Most Underworld shows over the years have been held at big music
festivals around the world where the stages are enormous. Though there's nothing like seeing them perform
on big concert stages at festivals, those shows tend to cut sets short to accommodate the number of bands performing every
few minutes. At the Oakland show, the
band played for a full two hours.
And despite the Fox's small
stage, this show was different. Underworld was the headliner and everyone came just to see them -- the fans knew the music
and that's a special thing when you're seeing a band that's not in the mainstream music scene. It's a lot like being part
of an exclusive club. The band performed
some new music from their latest "Oblivion With Bells" album like the cluby "Crocodile,"
and grooving "Glam Bucket," but surprisingly they also performed several classic Underworld tunes like "Born
Slippy," "King of Snake," "Push Upstairs," "Cowgirl, and "Jumbo" among others.
Throughout the
show, Hyde
and the crowds were in a world of their own, hypnotized by the pulsating rhythms that rarely let up. Even
the theatre staff fell under the spell. If you know Underworld, most of their music is up tempo, so
when you're dancing, there's barely a break in between songs.
It took Underworld over five years to come back and after two consecutive years
of US appearances, most likely this will be the last we see
of them in the states for some time.
If you're a die hard Underworld lover and you missed your chance to see them, better book a trip to Spain, the UK,
Korea, Taiwan, or China before it's too late. They're wrapping up their Oblivion With Bells tour in September. Visit Underworldlive.com
12 Aug 09
CONCERT UPDATE
Today it was announced that Dave Gahan of Depeche Mode will be unable to sing at the concert
scheduled this evening at the Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA. This was the bands only Bay Area appearance and
regretfully they must cancel. Gahan sends his apologies, but must follow doctors orders, as the tightly scheduled tour has
strained his voice.
1:17 pm pdt
31 Jul 09
"GREASE" IS THE WORD
August Movie Mania at Liberty Station in Point Loma returns starting tomorrow -- Saturday 8/1/09. The public is invited to attend a FREE outdoor
presentation of the musical "Grease" with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John at the NTC Landing-Sail Ho Golf Course. The movie starts between 8 and 8:30pm. Stop by to
say hello -- I'll be there at the San Diego Ballet table starting at 5:30pm. Looking forward!
26 Jul 09
BEASTIE BOYS
Sadly, within the last week it has been announced that Adam "MCA"
Yauch of the Beastie Boys, has been diagnosed with treatable throat cancer. This news has been a devastating blow to fans across the world who have made plans to see the band perform at
events such as All Points West in Jersey City on July 31, Lollapalooza in Chicago on August 8, and the Outside Lands Festival
in San Francisco on August 30. The band has responded to fans admirably
by expressing their sincere apologies for canceling these shows. To view a direct message from Yauch, click here.
22 Jul 09
LUCE AUDITORIUM
Great news! The NTC Foundation in Point Loma, San Diego has decided to make LUCE AUDITORIUM
into a 450 seat theatre. Two small theaters for film festivals will also be added behind the theatre. With this plan FINALLY
in place, the resident dance companies at Dance Place San Diego can look forward to putting on all their future productions
right next door to their studios. It will take a couple of years for the project to be completed, but at least the wheels
are now turning.
6:16 pm pdt
17 Jul 09
COMIC-CON NEXT WEEK
July 17, 2009 If you didn't get your
tickets to San Diego Comic-Con International this year, you're S.O.L. And if you think this convention is not your thing and
it's just for a bunch of freaks and geeks, these tid bits may change your mind.
I've
made a point of going for the last few years since I learned how many actors, writers, and directors attend to give panel
discussions about their upcoming projects.
If you enjoy films/movies
such as "Lord of the Rings," "Pirates of the Caribbean," "Underworld," "Knocked Up," "Pineapple Express,""Shaun of the
Dead," "Constantine," "The Incredibles," "Up," and "Wall-E," and TV shows like "The Office, "Heroes," "Lost,"
and the "X Files," you would love this event. Among the most prominent
guests who have attended in recent years are Kevin Spacey, Hugh Jackman, Angelina Jolie, Keanu Reeves, Djimon Hounsou, Bill
Nighy, Kate Beckinsale, David Wenham, Alfred
Molina, Sam Raimi, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, Eva Mendez,Tobey Maguire, Kirsten
Dunst, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church, Bryce Dallas Howard, Brenden Frasier, James
Franco, Seth Rogen, Jack Black, Nick Frost, Margot Kidder, and Elvira. This year, extremely rare appearances by directors Peter Jackson,
Robert Zemeckis, and Tim Burton are scheduled. Actors
Elijah Wood, Anna Paquin, Jim Caviezel, Jennifer Connelly, Sigourney Weaver, and the cast of the show "Fringe" will also be
present.
ADAM 2009
July 4, 2009 The San Diego Dance Community
will come together to perform over one entire weekend; August 21-23, for the 13th Annual Celebrate Dance Festival (CDF) in Balboa Park. Based on the sheer scale of this FREE event, there is nothing else like it in the state of California.
Dance enthusiasts from throughout Southern California should make every effort to attend. Different dance performances by
student and professional dancers/companies will perform on one indoor and one outdoor stage literally every fifteen minutes
during all three days.
The August Dance Awareness Month (ADAM) campaign/initiative was developed in 2008 to extend dance awareness efforts beyond the CDF weekend. Plans for the
2009 ADAM campaign initially included an Advertising campaign and weekly dance events in August, but due to current economic
conditions, events such as those that were produced last year; the two Dance Film Presentations with
pre-dance performances at the JCC/Garfield Theatre, will be postponed until further notice. Despite these current financial challenges, throughout the month of
August, communication efforts to promote
local dance awareness
issues and events will take place as planned through these media outlets: news releases, web postings, newspaper listings,
and an upcoming arts publication -- Mina's Journal. Dance community mixers will also be held. The purpose is to provide the dance community with an opportunity to pitch
their ideas for consideration in one of the following publications tied to Mina Communications:
Mina's Journal, Dancer Magazine, the Orange County Register, ExploreDance.com, and the AmericanChronicle.com. Mixer events
in August will be held at:
Anthology in Little Italy
Tango Del Rey in Pacific Beach
207 at the San Diego Hard Rock Hotel in the Gaslamp Dates TBA
MICHAEL
June 27, 2009 For
days now, the lyrics to Michael Jackson's "Rock With You" from his Off the Wall album has been running through my mind. I still
can't believe he's gone. I was actually tearful when I heard the news because I recalled from my teen-age years, when MTV
first emerged, how exciting it was to see and hear all the build up around Michael Jackson's upcoming music videos.Couldn't wait to see "Billy
Jean," "Thriller," and "Beat It."
I recall back to my senior year in High School at the San Francisco School of the Arts when one of my Dance Production classmates, Kristine, choreographed a piece to Jackson's song "Bad."
Even after twenty plus years, I can still remember some of the choreography. Though my interest in Jackson's
career tapered off over the years, I
feel compelled to honor his memory for the joy he brought to
my life during my youth.
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June 17, 2009
Recalling back to May 28, when Culture Shock Dance Troupe performed their first production in 2-3 years, "Graffit
Life," written by graffiti artist Pose 2 from New York, not only was the work based on important subject matter that
should be confronted more directly in communities everywhere, it was a refreshing reminder of how lucky San Diego is to have
such a talented company in our city. We don't hear much about Cuture Shock in the local community these days, but they are
keeping busy. Angie Bunch, founder of Culture Shock shares they've been performing regularly at Sea World -- something everyone
should try to check out if they can. I asked Angie
after the performance on May 28, "Why so few performances these days? You guys are fabulous!" She replied, "This
is the way it's always been. We're just always involved in other projects." Glad to know Culture Shock is still thriving
during these tough times. Just hoping that at some point, there will be more shows performed regularly because there's no
other company like them in San Diego. Stay tuned for the REVIEW of Culture Shock's "Graffiti Life" in the September
issue of Dancer Magazine; by yours truly of course.
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June 10, 2009 Just
got back from reviewing the Bolshoi, San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival, and Foreign Cinema restaurant in San Francisco.
Was an amazing weekend. Great food and spectacular performances. The only draw back this trip was coming across how so few
restaurants on Chestnut Street in Cows Hollow and Union Street in Pacific Heights were serving food past 10pm. These are busting
communities with countless restaurants to choose from and not a single cafe, bistro, or fine fining establishment was open.
After seeing the SF Ethnic Dance Festival at the Palace of Fine Arts, it would have been nice to have a simple semi-upscale
meal in one of these two neighborhoods. The only real choices near the Palace were Johnny Rockets and Mel's Diner. Oh and
of course there was the IHOP on Lombard, but that just wasn't going to cut it. Finally, Perry's on Union was our final destination.
Simple American food was offered, but it was nicely presented and satisfying. The service was also excellent. The lesson learned on this night was... know in advance which parts of town
have restaurants serving past 10pm because sometimes even the most happening parts of town have an early bedtime. Sad to come
across this in a city like SF, but the reasons could have a lot to do with our struggling economy; restaurants are probably
just cutting back. Understandable from that standpoint. Next time... we'll head to North Beach or SOMA.
____________________________________________________
June 4, 2009 Fantastic
news! Truly... Underworld is coming back to the US this August. Only three cities this year: Las Vegas 8/6, Oakland 8/7, and
Los Angeles 8/8. Last year on 8/8/08, Underworld played at the inaugural All Points West - Arts & Music Festival in Jersey
City, NJ. Since their tours to the US are so rare, I dropped everything and flew to Jersey for the weekend just to see them
last summer. Absolutley worth every effort and penny it took to get there. No other setting could come close after seeing
the show with the Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline as the concert backdrop. Ahh memories....See my pics from last year
CLICK HERE. I'll of course be at one of these upcoming shows in August;
perhaps two... maybe even all three! VISIT UNDERWORLD _________________________________________________________________________________
May 30, 2009 In
recent music news, it was announced that lead singer David Gahan of Depeche Mode underwent surgery earlier this month to remove
a malignant tumor in his bladder. He is expected to make a full recovery and resume the Tour of the Universe as soon as June 8. The band has shown unprecedented commitment to their fans by assuring them that the show will go on. As devout fans, we appreciate Depeche Mode's
eagerness to return to the stage, but we also share the pain in learning this news and just want what's best for Dave -- that
he take all the time he needs to regain his full strength.
Anyone who has ever seen Dave perform live knows no other baritone on the planet can strut
quite like him. When the time arrives
--- and he's ready to showcase that famous Gahan strut we all love, we'll be anxiously awaiting. Reply VISIT DEPECHE HERE
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May 28, 2009 Mina
Communications will be launching a new arts publication this summer and would like to hear from professional dancers in the
San Diego community and beyond. Please share your thoughts/concerns about how the state of
our economy has affected your dance career. Other topics of concern are also encouraged. If you choose to keep your comments anonymous, please specify in your submission. Mina's Journal covers Essential Arts News 4 the Masses; a product designed to fill the communication gap between the arts community and the general public at
large. SUBMIT YOUR COMMENTS ___________________________________________________________________________
May 23, 2009 The Bolshoi Ballet is looking for 20 men to participate in the production
as supernumeraries (sizes 38-42); no ballet experience is necessary. A casting call will be held on Saturday, May 30 from
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at San Francisco Ballet. For more information, please contact Laura Abrams, Cal Performances’
Director of Education & Community Programs, at laura@calperfs.berkeley.edu. CLICK HERE FOR MORE ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE ______________________________________________________________
April 28,
2009 NATIONAL DANCE WEEK 2009 is in progress and
Mina Communications proudly salutes those dance organizations supporting the effort. Here is a list of states honoring the
event along with links to specific organizations celebrating National Dance Week from April 24 - May 3: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Conneticut,
Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. http://www.nationaldanceweek.org/ http://www.bayareandw.org/ http://ndw-nyc.org/ http://www.nationaldanceweekstl.com/ http://www.loyno.edu/news/story/2009/4/9/1777 http://www.chicagoartistsresource.org/dance/node/20469 | |
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April 11, 2009 The Fifth Annual San Diego
Indie Fest in North Park had a fantastic turn out
on March 28. If you missed it this year, better get it together for 2010. Here's a glimpse of 2009. Photos of Juliette
Lewis & the New Romantiques by Rebecca Rios.
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| Juliette Lewis at San Diego Indie Fest V. Photo by Rebecca Rios. |
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| Juliette Lewis looking very Mick Jaggeresque. Photo by Rebecca Rios. |
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| Juliette Lewis performing. Photo by Rebecca Rios. |
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| Juliette Lewis. Photo by Rebecca Rios. |
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March 31, 2009 The $10,000 David Patrone Swing Dance
Competition held from January 11 - March 29, 2009 at Viejas Casino in Alpine was a major boost for the local swing scene. It was promoted everywhere,
even on Free Format radio stations like FM 94/9. Coming from a station that plays a lot of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Radiohead,
promoting swing was a stretch, nonetheless listeners responded to the buzz. Patrone shares, "94/9 had Mike Halloran come out and I think he was well received with the crowd. Many people tell me they heard about our event
so I know it's definitely had an impact."
The local swing community
is all about building the scene so inviting young audiences was a smart move.
"Swing speaks for itself," says Patrone. "There's a certain
romantic nostalgia associated with the dress and the music that speaks to all ages."
Non-competitors
also showed up for the great live music and free one-hour class for beginners before each weekly
competition. If you didn't make it in 2009, make the effort in 2010. Viejas and
David Patrone have plans to keep this party going indefinitley!
http://www.davidpatrone.com/
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March 10, 2009 The San Diego
Film Commission & Hollywood Reporter "Made in San Diego" event last week, at the swank new San Diego Hard Rock
Hotel, was a great excuse to get out on a Tuesday night. SD Film Commissioner/CEO Cathy Anderson
invited me to cover the event and I was happy to oblige. "The
Edge" reception hall on the second floor, overlooking the Gaslamp, was buzzing with behind the scenes film people, local
politicians such as Mayor Jerry Sanders, Supervisor Ron Roberts, and Councilman Kevin Faulconer, along with corporate execs.,
and members of the media (myself among them). After some mingling
with local filmmaker, Tim Ryan, and members of the SD Asian Film Festival/Foundation, which included founder Lee Ann Kim,
Marketing Coor. Daniel Matthews, and Operations Dir. Phillip Luque, the official business of the evening commenced. Several
speakers took the stage including all attendees from the political community and Cathy Anderson among others, to share their
gratitude to the Hollywood Reporter for producing the "Made in San Diego" Feb. 26 special issue about why filmmakers
should consider San Diego for their upcoming film projects. The event also celebrated the recent California Production Incentive
approved by Governor Schwarzenegger which will go into effect on July 1 (http://www.film.ca.gov/Incentives/). The
standout reminder of how exciting it is in San Diego when film has a strong local presence were the great film moments shown
on the giant screen next to the stage. The San Diego filmography is pretty impressive. Among the films shot here are Citizen
Kane, Some Like It Hot, Top Gun, Almost Famous, Traffic, Babel, the Lords of Dogtown,
A Day Without A Mexican, Anchor Man, Bruce Almighty, Antwone Fisher, Pearl Harbor, Bring It On... and on and on and on....
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June 26, 2008
There's always a lot of significant dance
news in San Diego that the general public doesn't hear about. Two amazing young male dancers from San Diego, Kiril Kulish
and David Alvarez have made it to Broadway at the age of 13 and no one is reporting this in the local media. The two dancers are
alternating the lead role of "Billy Elliot" at the Imperial Theatre in NYC beginning Oct. 1, 2008. Check it
out ....
http://www.playbill.com/events/event_detail/10974.html
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May 10, 2008 ON THE SUBJECT OF "SEEKING
A HEALTHY DANCE COMMUNITY"... my two articles in the February & March '08 issues of Dancer Magazine provided
an opportunity for dance artists to voice their concerns on the many shortcomings in medical treatment for dance injuries
and affordable health insurance options. Various medical treatment, health care,
and arts advocacy sources were listed in the March article and I am pleased to share that since this article was published,
several artists in the dance community have pursued these service providers and have yielded some encouraging results.
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January
1, 2008
To most people, Luce Auditorium at the NTC Promenade
may be just another vacant structure pending development like so many other buildings inside the new arts district of Liberty
Station. The dance companies that reside next door to Luce Auditorium, at Dance Place San Diego, understand its value and
have long envisioned its potential. This historical structure, Luce Auditorium is a symbol of longevity. Thousands of World
War II navy veterans have frequented this building to view some of the nations leading entertainers of our time such as Bob Hope and
Nat King Cole. But a majority of the San Diego community is unaware of this.
The resident dance companies at
Dance Place San Diego would like to pay tribute to this historically significant site by carrying on the tradition of
bringing great entertainment to San Diego audiences.
Some interest groups are suggesting to transform the historic site into
conference room space or even a multi-plex theatre. New conference room space can be developed in any part
of the NTC at Liberty Station and a multi-plex theatre would dimish all plans of creating a thriving arts district.
Both financial support and community involvement is necessary to restore Luce Auditorium for the arts. If you'd like
to help, please click on the following link.
http://www.ntcfoundation.org/donate.php#luce
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