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Catalogue Blog

Around Town: February 25-26

Welcome to the weekend (almost), Greater Washington! We have an awesome variety of events and opportunities, so just follow your interests …

Ready to Volunteer?

Saturday from 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM in Falls Church marks the first day of volunteer training with the Literacy Council of Northern Virginia and you can sign up right here. From 2:00 – 3:30 PM, For Love of Children also welcomes new and returning volunteers to learn about FLOC’s mission, accomplishments, goals, and tutoring programs; email ntorentinos@floc.org for more info. And definitely call Chess Challenge DC (202.560.1467) to learn more about Saturday’s big intramural tournament for all kids enrolled in their program.

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Around Town: February 18-20

TGIF! Why not celebrate this absolutely delicious weather with one of our non-profits?

Joy of Motion Dance Center (at Imagination Stage, 4908 Auburn Avenue, Bethesda)

Where best to leap into the weekend? That would be a free Youth Dance Party with Joy of Motion, Dansez! Dansez! & Imagination Stage Dance Studio from 7:00-9:30 PM on Friday; try out hip-hop, modern, jazz, and tap all in one day. PLUS, at 8:00 PM on Saturday, you can also catch the JOMDC youth company, Urban Impact, performing an exciting fusion of bollywood and hip hop as part of Dance Bethesda.

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In the News … (Part 2)

Good morning, DC region! We dedicated yesterday to the proposed federal budget; so today, we’re featuring some choice non-budget non-profit news items! As always, do let us know if you have anything to share.

It’s Not Candid Camera, It’s Random Culture — We’re just a touch late on sharing this NY Times article, but it’s definitely worth checking out. Funded by a “major initiative undertaken by the Knight Arts Program,” over 160 arts organizations have performed pop-up “random acts of culture” in their local communities. Imagine shopping for shoes and suddenly, an opera company appears to serenade you and the entire shoe-browsing crowd. The concept is simple, but really moving — and a great reminder of how live performance can bring anyone and everyone together. Have you tried this?

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7 Questions – Sara Strehle Duke (Encore Stage & Studio)

It’s spring! Well, not quite. But it certainly feels like it. So welcome to early spring and welcome to “7 Questions” … Sara Strehle Duke, the Executive Director of Encore Stage & Studio. With over 165 full-scale, high-quality plays to its name, Encore is a unique educational community theatre, providing opportunities both onstage and backstage to kids of all ages. Read on to learn more!

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

We just wrapped up our production of Night at the Wax Museum: the Musical. There were awakened wax figures, undercover agents, and high schoolers (!) running all over the stage, stopping every now and then to do a dance number. I particularly enjoyed this production because it allowed our student actors to tackle some pretty interesting historical characters: Henry VIII, Butch Cassidy, Cleopatra, Madame Ching, and Lizzie Borden to name a few. The cast and crew did a wonderful job. I think we all had fun with it and learned a little as well.

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Around Town: February 12-13

Welcome to Friday, Greater Washington! We’ve got great events at our non-profits coming up …

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (545 7th Street SE)

From 5:00-7:00 PM on Saturday, Capitol Hill Arts League will host a free opening reception for its juried all-media show; the juror is Janis Goodman, arts reviewer for PBS/WETA and Professor of Fine Art at the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Can’t make it on Saturday? Check out the gallery hours here.

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Around Town: February 5-6

Happy Friday, Greater Washington! We have a nice bundle of performance coming your way …

Saturday, February 5, Noon-10:30 PM

Takoma Park Middle School, Silver Spring, MD

Washington Revels celebrates nautical song and dance at the The Folklore Society of Greater Washington (FSGW) Midwinter Festival. A family-friendly extravaganza of music, dance, stories, workshops, and crafts, the Mini-Fest provides a wonderful opportunity to beat the winter blues. More info? Call (301) 587-3835.

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Around Town: January 29-30

Good snowy morning, Washington!

That was an exciting bit of weather. But according to our friends at WUSA9, we are looking at a relatively warmer weekend. So do check out these great performances at our non-profits!

District of Columbia Arts Center

Last chance! A Cre@tion Story for Naomi, Bright Alchemy Theatre’s tale of a teenager’s search for direction and purpose in the realms of cyberspace, closes this weekend! So head to DCAC tonight or Saturday at 7:30 PM. Stay until 10:00 PM, you can catch Shawn Mikael’s Theater — a sketch comedy featuring DC’s established and newer comic talents.

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Around Town: January 22-23

Good morning, Greater Washington! Hope you are all enjoying this strange bout of balmy weather … prior to (predictions) of further snow. So what are you up to this weekend?

Looking to Volunteer?

Definitely stop by Byte Back’s information session this Saturday at noon. Based in DC, Byte Back has a great core of volunteer tutors who offer computer literacy instruction to low-income individuals — in everything from surfing the web to composing an email to using a mouse. To learn more about joining up, call (202) 529-3395.

At 1:00 PM on Saturday, For Love of Children invites new and returning volunteers to learn more about their mission, goals, and tutoring programs for kids in the Shaw and Columbia Heights neighborhoods. Call (202) 349-3509 for more info!

Looking for Dance and Music?

On Saturday at 8:00 PM and Sunday at 4:00 PM, Dance Place will welcome TAKE Dance and a showcase of Artistic Director Takehiro “Take” Ueyama’s repertory of powerful athletic movement contrasted with delicate gesture. Nab your tickets here.

You can still catch The In Series‘ double-bill of “pocket operas:” new English adaptations of the iconic Cuban musical, Maria la O, and the clown tale I Pagliacci are back at the Source Theatre on 14th Street on Saturday at 8:00 PM. (And the reviews have been great!)

Looking for Theater?

DCAC is busy again this weekend! Bright Alchemy Theater’s A Cre@tion Story for Naomi, the tale of a teenager in search of direction and purpose in the realms of cyberspace, returns at 7:30 on Saturday and Sunday. Then at 10:00 PM on Saturday, the lively Capital City Showcase (a variety show that will feature any and all things DC) will take the stage. Lean more here.

… Are you looking to perform?

Skipping ahead to next week, Washington Revels will kick off its next round of awesome children’s classes. Monday marks the first day of How Deep is the Snow? A Blizzard of Fun! For students in grades 2-3, these workshops will celebrates the coldest months through crafts, stories, song, and dance, while developing skills in collaboration and performance. You can register online!

And at 7:00 PM on Monday, singers and non-singers alike can head to CHAW to learn all about the oral tradition and singing rhythms, chants, traditional songs from Africa and the Diaspora. Reservations are definitely encouraged and all the info is here.

Quote for the Day

Courtesy of Tactical Philanthropy Blog:

Not everything is art. Art has meaning and value. Not everything is philanthropy. Philanthropy has meaning and value.

But with the White Painting we see the ultimate stripped down attempt at art and amazingly we find that it has meaning. I think we should take the same approach to thinking about philanthropy as we contemplate the value and meaning (or lack thereof) in new efforts to create social impact that stray far outside the familiar realm of donating and volunteering.

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Around Town: January 15-16

Welcome to mid-January, Greater Washington.

First, to skip to the end of the long weekend … both Heart of America Foundation and Joe’s Movement Emporium are offering great Martin Luther King Jr. Day programming. HOA Foundation invites young students and their families to an annual MLK Day of Service Literacy Celebration at 11:00 at Howard University — striving to make this a great day “on” rather than a day “off.” And in Mount Rainier starting at 10:00, Joe’s will offer service projects, guest speakers, and featured performers, including the Buffalo Baptist Church Choir and students in their Arts Education programs.

Throughout the weekend, we also have a bundle of exciting performances at our non-profits. So read on and enjoy!

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