BIZARD-”Scotch Crossing Ouagadougou”

There is a new collective in town and it has an unusual name. Armando Lopez-Bircann and Sheldon Scott have partnered up to create a platform in the service of performance art. Animals & Fire will serve what Lopez-Bircann and Scott feel is the under served community of performance artists.  The first artist they are exhibiting is BIZARD who will kick off his residency with a performance on Sunday May 19 at 7pm at Monteserrat House 2016 9th Street, NW in Washington, DC. Beginning on Tuesday May 21st, BIZARD will lead workshop participants through his processes of taping the body, movement, and activating the public realm. The workshop will finish with “Scotch, Washington, DC,” a “live performative exploration” through the streets of DC. When I got wind of this, I had to hit up Sheldon, aka “The Governor of U Street”, with the requisite five questions. Here is what he had to say:

Risikat Okedeyi: What exactly is Animals & Fire?
Sheldon Sctott: Animals & Fire is a platform to support performance artists and performance art literacy in Washington, DC. Through Visiting Artists Residencies, Workshops, and access to public and private performance spaces, Animals & Fire will facilitate conversation, exchange and exposure in support of performance art growth.

RO: The name is interesting. Where did it come from?
SS:  When we asked the internet, “what is performance art?” it returned no definition but instead a list of qualities of performance art with the last line “…….sometimes uses animals and fire…..”. The rest, as they say, is history.

RO: What made you decide to launch this venture?
SS: The selfish answer is that we want to grow as artists and want to build the infrastructure to support that. But for the bigger picture, we also really want to increase performance art literacy in Washington, DC.

RO: What do you think A&F will bring to the DC performance arts arena that is currently missing?
SS: Greater exposure and exchange for performance artists, much like you see in other performing arts communities like poetry and storytelling.

RO: What will the performance residencies entail? How will residents be selected?
SS: There will be performances followed by a five-day workshop by the resident artist that includes an opportunity for critique, culminating in an ensemble performance put on by workshop attendees. Animals & Fire will select and curate the featured resident artists.

BIZARD-”Scotch Crossing Bruxelles”

For more information on Animals & Fire. Contact Sheldon Scott here.

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We all remember that special night. The feeling of anticipation as your date approached your house. The excitement you felt as you added just one more layer of make-up, an extra splash of your mom’s perfume. The mortification that ran through your veins listening to your defenseless date get interrogated by an overprotective parent.

Fixed on the mirror you checked your dress to be sure everything was perfect, just perfect. Suddenly your senior year of high school flashes before your glitter-lashed eyes, you realize it’s all coming to an end and everything was leading up to this night. What you would give to relive that night once more? If you could, who would be your date, what would you wear, and where on earth would you put that ridiculous corsage this time around?

Prom is definitely an event that encourages you to attend as your most extravagant self. Over the top formal is the dress code here, so it’s only right to drench yourself in sequin everything, full skirt dresses inflated with multi-layer tulle slips and gold lamé frocks so reflective your date can check his fade in it. Shoulder bearing strapless gowns while romantic and stunning become playful with an unexpected artsy clutch or strappy sandal.  Pair a fancy jumpsuit with a tailored jacket for your own feminine take on tux. Chandelier earrings in full spectrum of colors and metallic are always a plus. Throw on a funky cocktail hat with a sparkly body conscious mini dress and sport an embellished pair of ballet flats. What could be girlier than that? Wear what you love, have fun with your outfit and put that corsage wherever you like. See you at prom!

P.S. Guys, I haven’t forgotten about you. I will have a style guide up for you tomorrow.

Sharon Cyrus also known as The Silent Stylist, is our fashion and style writer who knows about trends and keeps us up on emerging designers. Got a Pick! for Sharon? Contact her here or on Twitter at @SilentStylist.

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David Fogel

Risikat Okedeyi:  What exactly is FORWARD?
David Fogel:  FORWARD is a 5 day celebration of electronic creative culture. It’s our, and when I say “our” I mean approximately 20 of our closest creative colleagues, to annually let loose and flex our inspired muscles in the city that we love and call home.

RO:  Why did you start the festival?
DF:  I was inspired. I felt that the time was right for DC and  that our community deserved something like this…needed something like this. I wanted it.

RO:  How do you select the featured participants?
DF:  We’re really deliberate with our selections. They are all based off on festival’s  theme. This year’s theme is “Balance”, so when you look around at the various digital installations; the number of DJs to live acts ; the increased number of women performers and the way each night is programmed hopefully that theme will be felt and resonate with/through you.

RO:  The graphic  design associated with the festival is always so intricate. What is the process of coming up with the final look?
DF:  Everything visual is also inspired by the theme of the year. This year, the mandala theme just seemed to fit. With the branding of the actual logo, we stick to our core colors – red, black and white. As we branch out to branding the various other aspects of FORWARD – each night, the guide, headers, banners etc. we allow ourselves more artistic freedom.

RO:  What is your hope as far as the attendee experience?
DF:  I only have one hope. Have people say “WoW”.

Tonight, the festival kicks off with a panel discussion and party featuring: Bill Kouligas, R Rose, Beautiful Swimmers and NxNW at Tropicalia | 2001 14th St, NW (Lower Level) | WDC. For more information and a complete schedule log onto FORWARDDC.com.

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‘Homage to Shango and His Bride’ – Bernard Brooks

The expressions of art through architecture, food, sound, and movement are meant to serve as tableaus for thought during this event. Guests are challenged to examine the idea that “to each his own” is a unique and personal mantra that, when brought together with other views, can create harmony or stir up chaos; while both stimulating conversation and building connections. Reception is from 6:00-9:30 pm on Wednesday May 15, 2013. Tickets are $40 and may be purchased in advance at www.taoievent.com , or on-site. A portion of the ticket and art sales will benefit the HUAC-GWDC student scholarship and club programs.

The work of eight artists from the Howard University family inspires this one-night-only exhibition, sale, and silent auction, benefiting Howard University students. The reception, hosted by The Howard University Alumni Club of Greater Washington DC, is held at the Carnegie Library at Mount Vernon Square. TAOI features the work of Bernard and Gwen Aqui-Brooks, Dorian Jay Durrah, Summer Brown, James Jones, Eddie Fontno, and Ronald Waldo Wilson; with DJ Jahsonic on deck providing the soundscape.

Aside from the opportunity to mingle, eat, drink, and be entertained, the purpose for the gathering is very real and immediate. Even as Howard joins countless other American schools in graduating yet another class of students this spring, a recent article in the Washington Post explains why it matters now more than ever to support these undergraduates:

“As of 2011, a more rigorous system of credit checks has denied loans to parents to help with their children’s undergraduate expenses…The changes have had a particularly severe impact on thousands of students at historically black colleges…At Howard alone, 607 students were denied loans.”

Guests, sponsors, and patrons are urged to give via their love of art to create paths forward for our young scholars. We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday. For donations, tickets, artist bios, and detailed event information, please go to www.taoievent.com

Karen Parker is Chair, Event Logistics for The Art of Interpretation. She received her Bachelor of Science from Howard University in 1991. She remains a proud Alumna and supporter of HUAA.

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AXELF TEAMS UP WITH THE HOWARD THEATRE FOR
PROM NIGHT: A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

WASHINGTON, D.C. May 8, 2013–LiL SoSo Productions (LSP), and the Chocolate City Cultural Alliance (CCCA),  in association with The Howard Theatre celebrates a spring rite of passage with a special prom edition of  the ever popular and steady growing AxelF party. Featuring only music that spans 1977-1987, AxelF will take place at the Howard Theatre on Sunday, May 26^th at 10:30 pm. For the first time since its inception, the team will fully integrate a prom theme into their ode to bygone classics in music, fashion, and video. During this ‘Night to Remember’, revelers are encouraged to wear their finest ‘80’s-inspired prom fashions, and a King and Queen will be crowned as part of the festivities. The brothers’ three DJs Jahsonic, Stylus, and Adrian Loving will function as musical ‘chaperones’ for the evening in the midst of clips from AxelF-era televisions and movies, and vintage prom photos all curated by collective member Eddie Smith. Tickets are $10 in advance and higher on the day of the event. Contact http://thehowardtheatre.com/ for more information.

The concept’s originator DJ Jahsonic, christened it with the name of the main character from the hit movie series Beverly Hills Cops starring Eddie Murphy. It began as an online music-sharing group two years ago. 800 members and over twenty nights of raucous fun later, the music is still mindfully curated to embrace the, “best in champagne soul, jheri-curl funk, lazer boogie, and nu-wave music from the past and present”. As LSP founder Risikat “Kat” Okedeyi observes: “I am very proud of what we have been able to do with this concept over the past two years. Prom was the obvious next step in the course of our theme development, and we wanted to make it special. ‘A Night to Remember’ is really a coming together and celebration of the AxelF family who have helped build and continue to support this movement of progressive nightlife culture.”

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LiL SoSo Productions is a woman-owned cultural architecture firm based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded in 2001, LSP is known for its nurturing and highlighting of some of the best local, national and international artists on the forefront of the DC Metropolitan creative scene. The company’s tagline: “We make the abstract tangible” is a mantra played out in the diversity of their events, be they literary, musical, visual, or personal development-centered. Learn more about LiL SoSo Productions at www.lilsoso.com.

Download pdf version here.

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LIL SOSO PRODUCTIONS PRESENTS  ZO!’S ‘MANMADE’ DC ALBUM RELEASE SHOW 

WASHINGTON, D.C. May 8, 2013–LiL SoSo Productions, in association with SoulBounce.com, is proud to present an evening with multi-instrumentalist and producer Lorenzo “ZO!” Ferguson, celebrating the release of his sophomore album: ‘ManMade’. The release party is being held on Wednesday, May 29^th,2013 at 8:00 pm at LIV, 2001 11^th Street, NW Washington, DC.  The evening promises to be music-filled, as extended members of the Foreign Exchange family, including Deborah Bond, and new artist Aaron ‘AB’ Abernathy, perform selected album tracks with ZO!.  In addition, DC notables Jahsonic of  ‘The Main Ingredient’ at Marvin on Monday nights and DJ Stylus of Poem-Cees and Sol Power acclaim will supply the pre-and post-show sonic tapestry.

Tickets for the show are $10 in advance and can be purchased at www.livdc.com. The album which will be released on Tuesday, May 21, 2013 can be pre-ordered online at www.zo3hree5ive.com.

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LiL SoSo Productions is a woman-owned cultural architecture firm based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Founded in 2001, LSP is known for its nurturing and highlighting of some of the best local, national and international artists on the forefront of the DC Metropolitan creative scene. The company’s tagline: “We make the abstract tangible” is a mantra played out in the diversity of their events, be they literary, musical, visual, or personal development-centered. Learn more about LiL SoSo Productions at www.lilsoso.com.

Download the pdf version here.

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When spring turns to summer, we all have memories of a quintessential coming of age ritual, the high school prom. For everyone who remembers it fondly or wish for a do-over, we’re going in grown-up style, in grand AxelF fashion.

That means all the jheri curl funk, champagne soul, lazer boogie goodness you expect from us. We’ll be digging out all the Black ’80s treats that you love and all the ones you missed. And of course, slow jams. ALWAYS slow jams.

You can add your corsages, taffeta dresses, and playertastic tuxes to the mix. Click here to purchase advance tickets.

PROM QUEEN AND KING! Submit your nominations here.

GOT PROM STORIES? Submit your memories and photos here.

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