Ballroom dancer Trisha Pérez Kennedy says that “normally, her partner’s touch helps communicate the next step in a dance combination. ‘We use the strength of our bodies to speak to each other,’ she says. ‘It can be as subtle as the pressure of his hand on my back to help me know what will happen next. When you’re dancing on your own, you don’t have that guidance keeping you in check. You have to own all of your technique.'” – Wall Street Journal
Author: ArtsJournal2
How The Appa From Kim’s Convenience Ended Up A Fighter Pilot For The Republic
Sometimes, in Hollywood, or Canadian media even, dreams do come true. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, who plays the father on the excellent Canadian show Kim’s Convenience, has a life outside of theatre and screen. “Lee is an avid cosplayer, known for the intricate costumes and props he creates for characters from Star Wars and Ghostbusters films.” – CBC
Letting The Light In To Harlem’s School Of The Arts
Students can’t return yet, or families either, but when they can: “A glass facade floods the space with morning sunlight, ready to unveil the students’ beehive of activity at the school, on St. Nicholas Avenue near 141st Street. An upper-level corridor doubles as a wood-paneled balcony, reached by a grand switchback staircase. The space has been equipped with sophisticated acoustics, and advanced theater lighting and sound.” – The New York Times
The Shape Of Black (Art) History
“This is what makes Gates such a great and interesting artist: his deep awareness of the history of materials, from fired clay to roofing tar and brick, to paperback books and runs of newsstand magazines, to the malleability of language. His research into Black history and the context in which materials and commonplace products have been used transcends the aesthetic divide between high and low.” – Hyperallergic
How Will Britain’s National Theatre Deal With The Second Shutdown – And Christmas Pantos?
The NT has a lot more plans this time: “It’s radically different from last time. We’ve got a space that’s ready to go and we know what the shows are that we want to do. We’re hoping lockdown will be lifted at least for a time over Christmas so that the panto that’s in rehearsal [Dick Whittington] can take place. If by any chance the lockdown continues, then we’ll capture it and do something with that recording. The other thing that’s in rehearsal is Romeo and Juliet, which is a film.” – The Guardian (UK)
Toni Morrison’s Library Is Available For Purchase
The library can’t be sold piecemeal; only everything together. “Access to this library and the language that mattered most to her could be a key to her brilliant mind. Now, that would knock even Sherlock’s socks off. And, appropriately, The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle sits boldly in her collection.” – Galerie Magazine
Alex Trebek, Host Of Jeopardy, Has Died At 80
“The quick-witted Mr. Trebek, who died on Sunday at age 80 after a battle with cancer that drew legions of fans to rally around him, hosted Jeopardy! for a record-setting 37 years. He was an authoritative and unflappable fixture for millions of Americans who organized their weeknights around the program, shouting out the questions as Mr. Trebek read the answers with his impeccable diction.” – The New York Times
Set Designing For Zoom Theatre Requires Something A Little Different
Kelly Lin Hayes: “For virtual theater I would say it is so different then set design. It taught me a lot about design, and storytelling, technology and the creativity of multimedia production, which is its strength.” – Token Theatre Friends
Dancer And Choreographer Akram Khan Embraces A New Physical Challenge
The world of mixed martial arts is deeply violent – and Khan, who has been dancing for 30 years, wanted to confront his own fears about violence. He ended up choreographing for the fighters. “Once Khan realised that the spectacle surrounding MMA was just as important as the fight itself, he set about creating a dance-based narrative for Brazier’s walk-on to the cage, merging the controlled violence of both practices.” – The Guardian (UK)
Watching Women Who Wallop
Mahnola Dargis: “I looked to Hong Kong (the great Michelle Yeoh), French nonsense (“La Femme Nikita”) and American exploitation flicks (the indelible Pam Grier), where the punches were in service to braless jiggling. Only recently did I grasp that the behind-the-scenes videos I was looking at were showing women kicking and punching their way to different kinds of female representation.” – The New York Times