Commentary
R.A.C.E.'S HIP-HOP
NUTCRACKER 
PRESENT 150
HIGH SCHOOL 
DANCERS IN GREAT
SHOW

By Nancy Condit

Last night's performance of R.A.C.E. Dance Company's Hip-Hop Nutcracker, under the direction of R.A.C.E.'s artistic director Hui Cha Poos and the school's dance teachers, brought over 150 dancers
together from seven high schools, one elementary school, R.A.C.E Dance Company, the Men of RACE, Junior and Teen RACE together in a hip-hopping, break dancing, freeze frame, Janet and Michael Jackson style moves, backward somersaulting performance that reverberated through Oklahoma City Community College's Visual and Performing Arts Center. 

The action of bringing so many schools and companies together is quite mind boggling, and speaks to the passion for dance in Oklahoma City, and the hope that we have for future dancers of mature calibre in Oklahoma City.  

Performances continue at 2:00 and 8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 9th at O.C.C.C. located at 7777 S May Ave. in Oklahoma City. Oh, and there were also the more traditional contemporary and jazz  dance moves.

Of particular mention were Daxton Grier Anderson, the grade schooler who danced the part of Carlos, the son being brought up by his single mother, Justyce James - Mom, and Christopher James -- the Nutcracker, his absent father, who takes him through "The Land of Possibilities" after Carlos has fallen asleep.

The schools performing individual dances included Capitol Hill High School, Harding Fine Arts Academy, Northwest Classen High School, Oklahoma Centennial High School, Putnam City North High School, Southeast High School, and U.S. Grant High School, and the elementary students of Prairie Dance Junior Company.

HHN tells the story of a young man who searches for something missing from his life, only to discover that "it,” exists within himself. The take away for the audience is a message of perseverance, family and holiday spirit, writes Hui Cha Poos, following her mission statement for R.A.C.E.

Individual tickets can be purchased for $20 online at tickets.occc.edu or $25 at the door. For more information about HHN, visit: racedance.com.

Commentary

OCU'S HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS 
FROTHY PRECISION BDWY TREAT

By Nancy Condit

Over 130 American Spirit Dancers, directed by Jo Rowan, performed a jazzy, lyrical, tapping - including rhythm, ballet, gospel Broadway style show last night at Oklahoma City University. Favorites like the "March of the Toy Soldiers" and "Parade of the Wooden Soldiers" with "Five More Days til Christmas" - and Chanukah were back, along with the "Baking Cookies" with 
gingerbread people in cookie costumes and the lovely lyrical "Song for a Winter's Night."

The program was was very enjoyable, and the Rockettes style precision dances with up to
four rows deep of dancers were really very good.

"Home for the Holidays" runs Dec. 7 through 10 in Oklahoma City University’s Kirkpatrick Auditorium at 2501 N. Blackwelder Ave.

Show times are 8 p.m. Dec. 8 and 9, and 2 p.m. Dec. 9 and 10. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased by calling 405-208-5227 or visiting okcu.edu/tickets. Group rates are available.

 

ART-FILLED HOLIDAYS AT
OKCMOA WITH VISITORS
17 AND YOUNGER ADMITTED
FREE IN LATE DECEMBER

This holiday season, visitors to the Oklahoma City Museum of Art can see unconventional holiday films - part of the "Christmas for Grown-Ups" film series - create prints to take home with  [Artspace] at Untitled in the Winter Break Printers' Workshop and watch the Opening Night fireworks from the Museum's Roof Terrace. Plus, the Museum will offer free admission for visitors 17 and younger from Dec. 26 through 31.  

"We are thrilled to work with [Artspace] at Untitled to transform our Museum classrooms into an immersive printmaking environment the week after Christmas," said Tracy Truels, director of learning and engagement. "We will have large prints lining the walls for inspiration and multiple printmaking stations available. With free admission for kids and teens, we are excited to offer families an inexpensive opportunity to experience the Museum's galleries and hands-on activities this winter break."

The Winter Break Printers' Workshop will be open Dec. 27 through 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. Museum Teaching Artist Erin Latham and members of the [Artspace] team will be on hand to assist visitors as they create their own print to take home.

Special exhibitions on view include "The Question of Beauty," "The Art of Oklahoma" and "Master Strokes: Dutch and Flemish Drawings from the Golden Age." Ongoing activities include a new mobile guide and app; OKCMOA Discovery Packs, free with admission; and the "Master Strokes" drawing studio where guests can sketch a still life to take home while surrounded by the drawings of artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Sir Anthony van Dyck and Rembrandt van Rijn.

From Dec. 21 through Dec. 31, Museum Films presents "Christmas for Grown-Ups," featuring 12 Christmas cult classics and hidden holiday gems. Of particular interest is a screening of "Die Hard" for those who want a diversion on Christmas Eve. It screens at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 complete with the usual Museum Films fully stocked bar. Museum Films will also be presenting four titles on 35mm film, including "The Thin Man" on Dec. 29.

The Museum Cafe will again offer holiday meals to-go. The deadline to order meals, designed for two or for eight complete with main course, sides and dessert, is Dec. 20. Meals can be picked up at the Museum Cafe on Dec. 24 from 2 to 4 p.m.

OKCMOA has space for private events and holiday parties this December. From an intimate seated dinner in the Mezzanine, to screening a holiday film in the 250-seat Samuel Roberts Noble Theater, to a cocktail reception in Founders Hall and time in the galleries, OKCMOA has a private event option to fit every budget and interest. Learn more by contacting Elizabeth Roewe at events@okcmoa.com or (405) 278-8286 for details. 

The Museum will close at 3 p.m. Christmas Eve and be closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

There are several ways to enjoy the Museum on New Year's Eve:

• The Museum galleries will be open noon to 5 p.m. and 7 to 11 p.m. 
• Guests looking for additional entertainment options can enjoy Opening Night events, including performances by The House Session and OKC Improv, with an Opening Night wristband. An Opening Night wristband also includes admission to the galleries.
• The Museum will offer a special ticket to the Roof Terrace to view the Opening Night fireworks. The Roof Terrace will be open 11:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m. and a ticket includes a midnight champagne toast (one glass of champagne).
• The Museum Cafe will offer a set menu for New Year's Eve. Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling (405) 235-6262. Dining at the Museum Cafe includes a ticket to the Roof Terrace champagne toast.

For a full list of events visit www.okcmoa.com/holidays-at-okcmoa-2017/ 

THE ART OF OKLAHOMA 
ON EXHIBIT AT OKCMOA

OSCAR JACOBSON'S WORK PART OF THE EXHIBITION ON VIEW AT OKCMOA

"The Art of Oklahoma," opened Nov. 2nd at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art, the 110th anniversary of Oklahoma statehood. It runs through Sept. 2, 2018.

The installation features a selection of paintings, prints and photographs spanning 100 years and ranging in style from Impressionism and documentary photography to geometric abstraction and hyperrealism. Curated from the Museum's permanent collection, the exhibition includes works by Oscar Brousse Jacobson, Nellie Shepherd, David Fitzgerald and Woody Big Bow, among others.

"The Museum has an outstanding collection of art created by or about Oklahomans, and we are excited to showcase these works together," said Dr. Michael J. Anderson, director of curatorial affairs. "While no exhibition about the art of the state can present every option open to Oklahoma artists, we do believe this showcase represents a diversity of artistic voices, subjects, mediums and stylistic strategies. Ultimately it is our belief that there is no single art of Oklahoma. Rather, there is a great variety that models itself on the multi-faceted identity of Oklahoma as a whole."

Featured are artists including Nan Sheets, David Fitzgerald, Otto Duecker, Oscar Brousse Jacobsen and Doel Reed, all of whom helped shape the direction of art in Oklahoma. "Opening on the 110th anniversary of statehood," Anderson added, "is a wonderful way to honor their legacy, and those of the generations that followed them."

"The Art of Oklahoma" also will feature "The Oklahoma Land Rush" by John Steuart Curry, one of the premier American regionalist painters of the last century. This large oil sketch, created in preparation for a larger New Deal mural, is on loan from the General Services Administration in Washington, D.C.

The exhibition, opening on the Museum's second floor, will include 23 works by 19 artists. Many of the artists featured were either born in or studied in Oklahoma. The remaining works feature Oklahoma subjects such as "Soil and Subsoil" by Alexandre Hogue and "Santa Fe Railroad Station as Seen from the Tracks, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma" by Mark Klett.

Guests can view the exhibition beginning at 10 a.m. on Nov. 16 with regular Museum admission and after 5 p.m. for only $5 as part of the Museum's Art After 5 program. The exhibition will be on view through Sept. 2, 2018. 

OKC BALLET PRESENTS
NUTCRACKER DEC. 9-19
AT CIVIC CENTER W/
OKC PHILHARMONIC

Courtesy of Oklahoma City Ballet

Oklahoma City Ballet will stage its holiday performances of The Nutcracker presented by Devon Energy at Civic Center Music Hall, December 9-19, 2017 for an 8-show performance run. This beloved holiday classic choreographed by Artistic Director Robert Mills stays true to the original libretto that premiered in 1892 at the Marinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg. The Oklahoma City Philharmonic, under the direction of Guest Conductor Douglas Droste, which will perform Tchaikovsky’s familiar score live at every performance.  

Single tickets start at $15 and are available through OKC Ballet and Civic Center Box offices. They are also available online at  http.//www.okcballet.org./performance/the-nutcracker/

This classic tale tells the story of Clara, who receives a beautiful handmade wooden Nutcracker from the quirky Herr Drosselmeyer at a Christmas Eve party. That night, Clara sneaks downstairs to play with her new Nutcracker and is swept away to a fantasyland of toy soldiers, giant mice and dancing snowflakes. After saving her beloved Nutcracker from the Evil Mouse King, she is whisked away to the enchanted Kingdom of Sweets and Toys, where she is treated to performances by fanciful dancing confections and toys, including the Sugar Plum Fairy.  

As an added treat, children are invited to make a craft as a keepsake, sponsored and provided by Oklahoma Contemporary. Following each 2:00 pm matinee performance, dancers from The Nutcracker will be available in the main lobby for photos and autographs, while patrons can enjoy refreshments courtesy of Braum’s.  

For the second year, the “Nutcracker Tea in the Kingdom of Sweets” will be held in Meinders Hall of Mirrors in Civic Center Music Hall on Sunday December 16, 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. This event will take place between the matinee and evening performances, so that audience members from either performance may attend. The tickets to “Nutcracker Tea” are $30 per person and sold separately from performance tickets. For more information call 405-843-9898.  

Performances take place on Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 16 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m.; Monday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m.; and Tuesday Dec. 19 at 7:00 pm. Single tickets may be purchased by calling Oklahoma City Ballet 405-848-TOES (8637) or online at  http://www.okcballet.org/performance/the-nutcracker or by calling the Civic Center Box office at 405-297-2264. All performances take place at the Civic Center Music Hall, 201 North Walker, Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma City Ballet Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is located at 6800 North Classen, Oklahoma City.  

For a more information, tickets and list of available performances, call 405-838-TOES (8637) or visit http://www.okcballet.org/performance/the-nutcracker.  

STUDENTS AND RACE
DANCE CO. PRESENT
HIP HOP NUTCRACKER
DEC. 8 AND DEC. 9

RACE Dance Company mentors 90 students from dance programs in seven Oklahoma City Public Schools for the sixth annual production of the Hip Hop Nutcracker (HHN). Show performances are set for 8:00 p.m., Friday, December 8th and 2:00 and 8:00 p.m., Saturday, December 9th at Oklahoma City Community College Visual and Performing Arts Center located at 7777 S May Ave. in Oklahoma City.

“We've extended the invitation to elementary schools involved with Prairie Dance Youth Company. Attendees will be blown away by the talent these young kids possess,” said Hui Cha Poos, Executive Director of RACE Dance Company.

In addition, students enrolled at Southeast High School, Harding Fine Arts Academy John Marshall High School, Northwest Classen High School, Capitol Hill High School, Oklahoma Centennial Mid-High School, and U.S. Grant High School will perform in the show. RACE Dance members meet with the kids once-to-twice a week leading up to the show.

“We go to teach them the choreography and fundamentals of hip-hop, but we leave knowing we’ve impacted these kids way beyond the dance floor,” Hui Cha Poos, Artistic Director for RACE Dance Company. “For many of these kids, this is life changing – being able to perform in a professional setting is something they never dreamt would be possible.”

Poos says HHN also advances RACE's mission to bring social awareness and change through dance performances and education.

“We bring kids together from different schools and different backgrounds in a non-competitive environment where it’s all about collaboration and inclusion. The result is truly magical – not just for the kids, the audience can see and feel it throughout the performance,” said Poos.

Set to high-energy music, and contemporary, hip hop and jazz moves, HHN tells the story of a young man, who searches for something missing from his life, only to discover that "it”, exists within himself. The take away for the audience is a message of perseverance, family and holiday spirit.

Individual tickets can be purchased for $20 online at tickets.occc.edu or $25 at the door. For more information about HHN, visit: racedance.com.

OCU'S HOME FOR THE
HOLIDAYS DANCE
PERFORMANCE DEC. 7-10

The American Spirit Dance Company's Home for the Holidays
	Thursday December 7, 2017 to Sunday December 10, 2017 Bring the whole family to Oklahoma City’s Broadway-style holiday dance extravaganza! Celebrate the holiday season with the renowned American Spirit Dance Company, directed by Jo Rowan. With a mix of new dances and audience favorites, this fast-paced and stunningly beautiful production is sure to put you and your family in the holiday spirit! Have your picture taken with Santa or one of the American Spirit Christmas Elves during the show’s intermission! This year’s Home for the Holidays will be particularly joyful as the Ann Lacy School of American Dance and Entertainment has been recognized as the #1 BFA Dance Program in the Nation by OnStage media. ONE WEEKEND ONLY! Don’t miss this holiday tradition! Show Times: Thursday (12/7) 8:00pm | Friday (12/8) 8:00pm | Saturday (12/9) 2:00pm & 8:00pm | Sunday (12/10) 2:00pm  Performance at 250l N. Blackwelder. General Admission: $29.85 Group Discount (8 or more - not available online): $18.85

Or buy tickets at 405.208.5227