Beyond the Divas: This Pride, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Celebrates Daily Queer Life
“Nine artists, nine composers, nine choreographers, one GMCW” is how Thea Kano, the artistic director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, introduces the group’s almost-Olympic undertaking for its upcoming performance Portraits. The groundbreaking and multidisciplinary project is a nine-movement oratorio, featuring commissioned visual artworks brought to life by original music and dance performances. Timed…
Step Afrika! Celebrates 30 Years of Black Culture and Dance in the District
Butter yellow may be the color of summer, but bright, lemony yellow was the color of Step Afrika!’s 30th Anniversary Gala at Arena Stage on June 4. The invitation called for “elevated, colorful, creative, cocktail attire”—and guests answered in Crayola solids and drapey, multicolored prints. One guest wore a yellow gown with a bejeweled cape…
Dance Institute of Washington Receives $2 Million From MacKenzie Scott
In her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, MacKenzie Scott received a 4 percent stake in the online behemoth. As a result, her net worth ballooned (Forbes estimates its $34.9 billion). Stunningly, she pledged to give the majority of this fortune away to organizations supporting everything from perinatal health to LGBTQIA rights. Her financial gifts…
The Washington Ballet’s Season Announcement Offers Clues to the Company’s Future
Last year, City Paper wondered how the Washington Ballet would fare after artistic director Julie Kent, associate director (and Kent’s husband) Victor Barbee, and five top dancers left for the Houston Ballet. Another left for the Boston Ballet and three other dancers retired. In the span of a few weeks, the company lost a quarter…
April 22 Is Now “Sixth & I Day” Across the District
There are few local cultural spaces as influential as the Sixth & I Historic Synagogue. For the past two decades, the community center and venue has made thought-provoking entertainment accessible to people across the District and this April, it is celebrating 20 years of being a cultural hub. Located in the heart of Chinatown, Sixth…