Upcoming Grand Center events

Event Highlights:     
•    Neighbourhood Watch Stilts International performance group from Newcastle Upon Tyne, U.K. perform “sculptural ballet on stilts” at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
•    50 Dance Groups on 4 stages
•    The Fox Stage will be dedicated to Tap Dance and members of  The World-Famous Radio City Rockettes will make a special appearance on this stage from 3:30 – 4 p.m.  They will teach the audience some Rockette-style dance steps.
•    Site-specific dance performances throughout the day.
•    Radio Disney’s street team will perform & teach choreography from “High School the Musical”
•    Learn to Salsa during an hour of professional instruction with Tom Obermeier and demonstrations from Grupo Azucar!
•    HOT! HOT! HOT! El Caribe Tropicale performing live latin dance music from 6:30 – 9 p.m. and  fire dance performances from Tribe Ayaka
•    Great food provided by district restaurants: Reggie’s Backstage, The Best Steakhouse, The Bistro on Strauss Park, Wm. Shakespeare’s Gastropub, Triumph Grill And More: Pappy’s Smokehouse, Norton’s Café and People’s Coffee
•    Beer and Wine Gardens
    
Additional District Events:
•    Galleries and Museums will be open to the public various hours; Gallery Walk 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
•    The Fabulous Fox Theatre will hold open house from 12 noon – 4 p.m. with Stan Kann at the Wurlitzer and photo opportunities from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. with The World-Famous Radio City Rockettes in the lobby.
•    EarthWays Center Green Homes and Renewable Energy Festival   10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
•    St. Louis University Parents Weekend & Homecoming Activities on the SLU campus with Fireworks at approx. 8:15 p.m.

Other District Ticketed Events:
•    SLSO concert curtain at 8:00 p.m.
•    Off Ramp’s “The Lieutenant of Inishmore” curtain at 8:00 p.m.
•    Fox Theatre, Comedy Concert  with Jim Gaffigan at 8:00 p.m.
•    Kranzberg Arts Center Black Box: HotCity Theatre at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
•    Jazz at the Bistro: Cedar Walton Trio at 8:30 and 10:15 p.m.
•    Sheldon Concert Hall: David Grisman and John Sebastian at 9:00 p.m.
•    Creep Crawl Concerts staring at 6:00 p.m.

Event Sponsorships:
Edward Jones, Co., Jordan Charitable Trust Foundation, Mary Strauss    
RAC, MAC, Whitaker Foundation        
MEDIA:  FOX 2, KEZK , St. Louis Magazine and AT HOME

Official Beer:
Schlafly    

In-Kind:
Clearbrook Natural Spring Water, an affiliate of Ronnoco Coffee

Schedule of Events:
10:00 a.m.   EarthWays Center Green Homes and Renewable Energy Festival,
10 a.m. – 6 p.m. For more info, www.greenhomesstl.org
12:00 noon    Open House at the Fabulous Fox Theatre until 4 p.m.
1:00 p.m.    District Gallery Walk begins and continues to 4:00 p.m.
                   Fox Tap, Grandel, and Grand stages begin programming
1:30 p.m.    Les Oiseaux de lux
2:00 p.m.    Washington stage begins programming     
3:00 p.m.    NWSI performance #1: Chromorama  
3:30 p.m.    The World-Famous Radio City Rockettes on the Tap Stage until 4 p.m.
4:30 p.m.    Les Oiseaux de lux  
6:00 p.m.    NWSI performance #2: Chromarama
6:30 p.m.    El Caribe Tropicale on the Grand Stage     
7:30 p.m.    Intermission; Tribe Ayaka  fire performances in the beer/wine garden area
7:45 p.m.    El Caribe Tropicale on the Grand Stage;  Les Oiseaux de lux  
8:15 p.m.     Approx. time for SLU Fireworks display off Compton St. garage;
9:00 p.m.    Event Ends        

Parking:
Parking will be available in lots and garages throughout the Grand Center district.
All Lots will offer an early-bird rate of $5 from 11 – 4 p.m.
Limited street parking will also be available. Grand Center encourages the use of Metro.
 
Stage Performance Groups:
Performance Plaza
   
3:00        Neighborhood Watch Stilts International: Chromorama
6:00    Neighborhood Watch Stilts International: Chromorama

Strauss Park

1:00 p.m.    Dawn Karlovsky and Dancers: Sun Clocks
1:30 p.m.    Mary Ann Rund and Dancers: Ode to Terra Mater

Front of the Fox Theatre

1:50    Dawn Karlovsky and Dancers: Wallflower

Roving

Janele Moore, Webster University: Ponder Here
Tango Zone
1:30 & 4:30 & 7:45 p.m.     Les Oiseaux de Lux (Neighborhood Watch Stilts International)
2:45 & 5:45 p.m.    Blackthorn Morris Dancers

Grand Stage (#1) Performance Schedule 
Grand & Lindell
Stage Manager: Lorraine LiCavoli

1:00 p.m.     Hawaiian Polynesian Revue and Dance Instruction
1:45    Break
2:00     Salsa Instruction with Tom Obermeier and Grupo Azucar
2:45    Break
4:00    Radio Disney Road Crew
4:45 p.m.    Break
6:30    El Caribe Tropical, Latin Dance Band
7:15     Band Break;  Tribe Ayaka: Fire Dance       
7:35    El Caribe Tropical
8:15    Band Break; Approx. time for SLU Fireworks display off Compton St. Garage
8:30    El Caribe Tropical
9:00    End
 
Washington Stage (#2) Performance Schedule 
Washington Avenue east of Grand
Stage Manager: Linda Green
Emcee: Brad Graham
 
2:00 p.m.    COCA Dance:  Extreme Senses
    Aalim’s Arabian Silk:  Ancient Sword Dance
    Aalim’s Arabian Silk:  Ancient Echos-New Beat
    aTrek Dance Co.:  Quartet
The DANCE CO. of  St. Charles:  A Suite of English Country Dances
Tango Zone:  untitled
    The Slaughter Project:  Grid
    Midwest Dance Theatre: Grand Pas Classique Variation
    St. Louis Academy of Dance/Pazazz Performers:  Sing, Sing, Sing

2:45    programming Break

3:40    Midwest Dance Theater:  Primitive Truth
    MADCO:  At Last
    Afriky Lolo & Yele:   Diansa

4:00    Afriky Lolo & Yele:   Dunuba
    Afriky Lolo & Yele:   Mendianie
Lindenwood University:  Senza Catene
Metro Dance Co:  Engima
Midwest Dance Theater:  Woodland Glade Fairy
Viva Flamenco!:  Garrotin
COCA Ballet Eclectica:  Through the Lines of Movement
    Alexandra Ballet:  Hora Tango
    The Slaughter Project:  Intersect
    Viva Flamenco!:  Colombianas

5:00 – 5:45    Saint Louis Ballet:  Divertimento
    MADCO:  Tribal Ground   
    COCA Hip Hop Crew:  Miss Understood – A Missy Elliot Tribute

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.  Zydeco Crawdaddies Dance Band

 
Grandel Square Stage (#3) Performance Schedule 
Grandel Square west of Grand
Stage Manager: Ann Dryden

1:00 p.m.    Contra Dancing

2:45    Contra Dancing ends; Programming Break

3:30     Kids Mex
        Ashleyliane Dance Company : Life is a Cabaret
        Dances Of India:  Folk Dance About a Water Pot
Dimensions Dance Center:  Excitement
Kids Mex

4:00    St Louis Cultural Flamenco Society:  Rota Aragonesa
    Dances of India:  Vakra Tunda
    Ashleyliane Dance Co.:  School Lunch Time
    Bulgarian Dancing Group – BG Spirit:  Traciski Dance
    Bulgarian Dancing Group – BG Spirit:  Eleno Mome
    Missouri River Cloggers:  Marry Me/Old Time Rock-n-Roll/Thirty Days
    St Louis Cultural Flamenco Society:  Tanguillos
    Bulgarian Dancing Group – BG Spirit:  Folklori Motivi
    Belly Dance Mirage:  Midnight Magic Veil
        aTrek Dance Company:  Duet for a Boy and Girl
    Metro Dance Company:  Le Can Can Fantastique

5:00    Blackthorn Morris:  The Rose Tree
    Blackthorn Morris:  Bacca Pipes
    Move/Motion Express:  “Who, Me?”
    Tribe Ayaka:  North African Tray
    Grupo Azucar:  Sun Sun Babae
    Grupo Azucar:  NEW WORK
    Harris-Stowe State University Honeycombs & Drumline:  We Just Can’t Hide that HSSU Pride

5:45     Programming Ends   
 
Fox Tap Stage ( #4) Performance Schedule  
Olive Street west of Grand
Produced by Pat Vogelsang
Stage Manager and Emcee: Gerri Stretz

1:00 – 3:00 p.m.
                       
    The DANCE CO. of St. Charles: Sunday Night at Swing 46
    Performing Arts Centre, Inc.: Happy Feet
    St. Louis Strutters: Little Brown Jug/Le Jazz
Ames Visual & Performing Arts Top Hats: I Got Rhythm
Professional Dance Center: Alexander’s Ragtime Band
Professional Dance Center: Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes
Professional Dance Center: Scat
Professional Dance Center: Swing Bother Swing
Diva La Tap (Leaping Lizards Performing Arts Studios): Linus & Lucy
    Diva La Tap (Leaping Lizards Performing Arts Studios): Turkey in the Straw
    My King Studio of Dance: Heaven’s Joy Awaits
    My King Studio of Dance: Straighten Up & Fly Right
    My King Studio of Dance: Everybody Eats When They Come to My House
    My King Studio of Dance: A Heavenly Rhythm
    My King Studio of Dance: Heaven!
    Lindenwood University Dance Ensemble: Zoot Suit Riot Duet
    Charmette Academy of Dance/Stars of Tomorrow Dance Company: That’s What’s On The Inside
    Charmette Academy of Dance/Stars of Tomorrow Dance Company: Control
    Charmette Academy of Dance/Stars of Tomorrow Dance Company: Drummer Drums
    Charmette Academy of Dance/Stars of Tomorrow Dance Company: Solo
    Lindenwood University Dance Ensemble: Weapon of Choice
    COCA’s Tap: Garage Blues
    COCA’s Tap: Game Time
    COCA’s Tap: Improv
    St. Louis Strutters: Viva Las Vegas/Luck Be A Lady
Professional Dance Center: Big Time
Professional Dance Center: Bourbon Street Rag
Professional Dance Center:Boogie Wonderland

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
    Radio City Music Hall Rockettes     Teaching & Performing:  “Happy Holidays”   
       
4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Fox Tellerettes: That’s Entertainment
Professional Dance Center: A Tisket A Tasket
    Performing Arts Centre, Inc.: Five Guys Name Moe
    Performing Arts Centre, Inc.: In the Pocket
    ADIVA Dance Center: Ain’t Misbehavin’: Steam Heat
L.A. Dance Center: You Can’t Fool Me
Professional Dance Center    : Song of the Heart
Tony Parise          Broadway Tapper, Director& Choreographer, Camp Broadway Artistic Director
will perform Audition from 42nd Street with dancers from the Professional Dance Center.
Open Audition:  On Sunday, September 28th at 1 p.m., Tony will conduct
auditions for dancers ages 10 – 14 for Camp Broadway’s 2008 Macy’s
Thanksgiving Day Parade performance in New York.  Tony needs 300 energetic performers to participate in a 5-day program* in New York City from Nov. 21-27 that culminates in the 82nd Annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade®!   Auditions will be held in Grand Center at the Centene Center for Arts & Education, 3547 Olive Street.  NO street shoes or tap shoes are permitted. Please wear character, jazz or ballet shoes. Visit campbroadway.com for an application.*The program fee is $735 per participant, not including travel or housing.

Tammy’s Tumbling & Dance Center: Happy Feet
Tammy’s Tumbling & Dance Center: Bad
Tammy’s Tumbling & Dance Center: Rhinoceros Tap
Tammy’s Tumbling & Dance Center: Grillz
Patzius Performing Arts: Classical Gas
Patzius Performing Arts: House Music
Dayspring School of the Arts Tap Department: Doing the New Lowdown
Dayspring School of the Arts Tap Department: Duelling Violins
Virginia Dance Studio: St. Louis Blues
Virginia Dance Studio: I Got Rhythm
Virginia Dance Studio: Singing in the Rain
Miss Kim’s Dance Class: St. Louis Shuffle
    Miss Kim’s Dance Class: Swing The Mood
Miss Kim’s Dance Class: Canned Heat
American Youth Entertainment:  Sing, Sing, Sing
    ADIVA Dance Center: Americana Tribute
       
6:00         End programming

Grand Center has invited the much celebrated and controversial filmmaker, artist, writer and entertainer John Waters to perform his one- man show titled “This Filthy World” on Monday, October 13, on the stage of the Sheldon Concert Hall at 8 p.m. 

“In keeping with our support of the arts, we wanted to create a distinct event during the 2008 performing arts season in Grand Center celebrating creativity and the art of the film and filmmakers.  John Waters is a perfect fit,” said John Killacky, Grand Center’s Art Director.
The Grand Center collaboration and celebration of Waters’ work, extends to Laumeier Sculpture Park, which is offering several events featuring the artist.  On September 19, Laumeier will present a double feature of two of his most famous films, “Hairspray” at 7 p.m., and “Polyester” at 9 p.m.  The free screenings will take place under the stars at the Park’s Laumeier Outdoor Music Amphitheatre.  On October 11, Laumeier will host a free opening reception for “Artistically Incorrect: The Photographs and Sculpture of John Waters.”  The exhibition, which continues through January 11, 2009, will feature more than 60 photo-based artworks and sculptures by Waters that reflect his quirky, humorous and irreverent style.  Waters will attend the opening reception and the more intimate cocktail party fundraiser that follows, “Socially Incorrect: A Night of Contradictions with John Waters.”

For the last 10 years, Waters has been expanding and updating his one-man show “This Filthy World.”  Waters’ “vaudeville” act celebrates the film career and obsessional tastes of the man William Burroughs once called, “The Pope of Trash.”  Focusing in on Waters’ early negative artistic influences and his fascination with true crime, exploitation films, fashion lunacy, and the extremes of the contemporary art world, this joyously devious monologue elevates all that is trashy in life into a call to arms to “filth followers” everywhere.

The 2008 celebration of film and filmmakers, in Grand Center includes in its performing arts season a challenge to local filmmakers with its “Grand Center Shorts” event.  “Grand Center Shorts” marks Grand Center’s first filmmaking invitational.  Grand Center and KDHX have asked five filmmakers to produce a four-to-seven minute short film that uses the Grand Center Arts District as a backdrop.  Each of the films will be shown first at a screening in the new Kranzberg Arts Center located at Grand and Olive, on October 16, and again during the Cinema St. Louis International Film Festival in November.  

“We want to continue to bring the highest caliber entertainment into Grand Center while at the same time working with the District and its many constituents to support and grow audiences for national and local artists,” said Kelly Weber, Director of Grand Center’s Arts Programming.

Tickets for John Waters’ “This Filthy World” at Grand Center’s Sheldon Concert Hall will go on sale September 2 through Metrotix by calling 314-534-1111 or visiting www.metrotix.com.  Tickets start at $20.   For more information on John Waters and Grand Center go to www.grandcenter.org or call 314-289-1591

First Night Saint Louis 2009 Call to Artists!

It’s not too early to be thinking about how your talent or craft could interpret our theme for this year’s First Night. “Kaleidoscope,” or the continually changing pattern of shapes and colors, is the perfect theme to launch us into the new year. Whether you are a musician, theater troupe, dance company, visual artist, storyteller or just a unique individual with a grand vision, we are already accepting submissions for participation in our event on December 31st, 2008.

Stay tuned for event and schedule updates on First Night 2009, “Kaleidoscope!”