Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?"

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

PREMIERING NOW @ THE JOYCE THEATER

NYC

A new choreographic work by Broadway Vet and Emerging Choreographer Ray Mercer

(currently featured in The Lion King on Broadway).

So, Who's Coming to Dinner?

Find out March 29 - April 3 at The Joyce Theater in NYC!

Showtimes:

Tue-Wed @ 7:30PM

Thur-Fri @ 8:00PM

Saturday @ 2 & 8PM

Sunday @ 2 & 7:30PM

Tune in next Wednesday for more

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness with Cornelius Jones Jr.

Stay connected with me:

www.corneliusjonesjr.com

FaceBook: Cornelius Jones Jr.

Twitter: CorneliusJonesJ

FaceBook Fan Page: FlagBoy Official Fan Page of the Actor

www.theblacktraveler.com

Elizabeth Gilbert: A new way to think about creativity

If you are a creative person and pursuing a career in a creative industry and/or field, you should check out Elizabeth Gilbert's lecture on TED Talks.

Elizabeth attended New York University, where she studied political science by day and worked on her short stories by night. After college, she spent several years traveling around the country, working in bars, diners and ranches, collecting experiences to transform into fiction. These explorations eventually formed the basis of her first book - a short story collection calledPILGRIMS, which was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway award. During these early years in New York, she also worked as a journalist for such publications as Spin, GQ and The New York Times Magazine. She was a three-time finalist for The National Magazine work, and an article she wrote in GQ about her experiences bartending on the Lower East Side eventually became the basis for the movie COYOTE UGLY.

In 2000, Elizabeth published her first novel, STERN MEN (a story of brutal territory wars between two remote fishing islands off the coast of Maine) which was a New York Times Notable Book. In 2002, Elizabeth published THE LAST AMERICAN MAN - the true story of the modern day woodsman Eustace Conway. This book, her first work of non-fiction, was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Elizabeth is best known, however for her 2006 memoir EAT PRAY LOVE, which chronicled her journey alone around the world, looking for solace after a difficult divorce. The book was an international bestseller, translated into over thirty languages, with over 10 million copies sold worldwide, and a movie version in the making, starring Julia Roberts. The book became so popular that, in 2008, Time Magazine named Elizabeth as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In 2010, Elizabeth published a follow-up to EAT PRAY LOVE called COMMITTED -- a memoir which explored her ambivalent feelings about the institution of marriage. The book immediately became a number one New York Times bestseller, and was also received with warm critical praise. As Newsweek wrote, COMMITTED "retains plenty of Gilbert's comic ruefulness and wide-eyed wonder", and NPR called the book "a rich brew of newfound insight and wisdom." COMMITTED will be published in paperback in February 2011.

Body of ART

I always love to have the opportunity to admire someone's art and I really love when the art is displayed on a VERY sexy canvas. Ricardo Muniz is a very talented photographer and artist and his latest video has really been creating quite a buzz on the internet. Take a moment to admire his work and contact him to purchase your very own portrait of these sexy specimens. ABOUT Ricardo Muniz:

"Coquíchulo Images was created to provide artistic support of my own Latino community. I was a social worker and teacher working with people with severe issues for over 15 years. Before I decided to pursue my art—photography, puppetry, and body painting—I devoted myself and my work to help foster creativity and success within communities of color. I will say that my greatest work as an artist has been while working as a teacher. No job molds, shapes, creates, supports, directs, inspires and enables young people more than that of being a good and caring teacher. I made it a point to smile often as a teacher and as a social worker. I make it a point now to have fun while doing a shoot. Laughter goes far. At the end of the day, it’s not just a great shot that makes me smile: it’s looking back at the fun all of us had while creating it. For more information on the artist or the models or to volunteer your nekkid skin as a canvas for a body art project, please contact Ricardo Muñiz at coquichuloimages@yahoo.com. You may also see more of Ricardo’s work at http://ricardomuniz.solomodels.com"

Concert: Janet Jackson, Number Ones, Up Close and Personal Tour

By J9 of J9's MusicLife

On March 24, 2011, I went with my girls Kelz, Pico, and Brwners to see Janet Jackson for the first time at her sold out concert at DAR Constitutional Hall in Washington, DC.  This concert was extra special because Janet was on my concert bucket list. . . CHECK!

I've been to DAR thousands of times so when the usher escorted us towards the front of the stage to our seats, we all were confused.  I just knew this lady didn't know her alphabet.  Janet wasn't playing when she called this tour intimate.  She built her stage to come out further making the first row start not at A but row I. . . making our row the 5th!!!!  For 5 mins, I sat in my seat speechless with tears forming in my eyes.  I was in shock that I was moments away from seeing the legendary Janet Jackson this close.

Around 8:00 pm, Janet's opening act, Mindless Behavior came out.  This young boy group reminded me of a B2K or Immature with Omarion, Lil Fizz, and Marques Houston look-a-likes.  I thought it was random to have them open for her but they were cute singing their songs #1 Girl, Ms. Right, Future, and their debut song My Girl.

9:00 pm the lights went off and it was Janet. . Ms. Jackson if ya nasty time!!!  For each city on the tour, she dedicated one of her #1s.  On the jumbo screen with an image of Janet, it said "Tonight, I dedicate the "I Get Lonely" video to the beautiful people of Washington, DC."  The crowd went crazy and the video began to play.  A little bit after it ends. . . Janet appeared on stage to Pleasure Principle.

I couldn't believe I was actually seeing her live!!  At 44, she looked great sporting a skin tight, black, leather bodysuit with mesh accents along with Christian Louboutin leather boats . . .FIERCE!!!

People who have seen her before said this time she even though her performance was great, she wasn't hitting the moves as hard as she did years ago.  But you know what, it didn't matter to me because she still did her thing.  She executed the choreo with so much easy and grace. 

I forgot that Janet's been performing for over 25 years and how many number one hits she has. This time she didn't do her normal routine of pulling a guy on stage or have an elaborate stage.  Instead, her set was very minimal and she was supported by a 5-piece band, 3 backup singers and 6 dancers (one being famous choreographer Gil Duldulao).

Her almost 2 hour performance was broken up by a short intermission where old clips of her from Good Times, Different Strokes, Poetic Justice, The Klumps, and Why I Got Married played.  This sequed to her sitting on a stool singing Nothing.

Janet had 4 costume changes.  Her second outfit was a causal look where Kelz turned to me and said "yo, who wears a collared black wife beater?"  Janet, that's who!  During her last song, Together Again, pictures of her and Michael appeared on the big screen. . . it was a sweet and touching moment.  There were definitely times when she reminded me of MJ with the same mannerisms.


To read more and check out video footage, click here.

Open Casting call for new Tupac movie

An online casting call for the lead role in the recently revived biopic Tupac is underway.

The application process, set to run until April 30, asks individuals who think they embody Shakur’s spirit to submit a five-minute video in which they perform a provided courtroom monologue and their favorite 2Pac song.

“We’re looking for someone with the right mix of raw charm and charisma for the role,” producer David Robinson said in a statement. “At this point, we’re more concerned about finding someone with the ability to give their entire heart into the performance than just looks and personality.”

Tupac, directed by Antoine Fuqua, recently rebounded from a two-year setback in development caused by a series of legal battles. The film will follow Shakur’s controversial career from his rise as a rap artist and actor to his highly publicized 1996 murder. Shooting is slated to begin this summer.

Click here for more information: I Am Tupac

'Oprah Winfrey Show' Ending May 25

The final original episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will air May 25. Winfrey's Chicago-based Harpo Productions confirmed the date Friday. Winfrey announced live on the show in November 2009 that she would end its run after 25 years. She since has launched cable's Oprah Winfrey Network.

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" has been in reruns for the last few weeks. But Winfrey tweeted Thursday that she was "hard at work planning the final shows" and new episodes would begin April 7.

The final episode brings an end to what has been television's top-rated talk show for more than two decades. It airs in 145 countries worldwide.

Can Tops and Bottoms Truly Be Friends?

Here in the 21st century of our world, everyone has chosen to be versatile. A large percentage of the LGBT community doesn't talk about their sexual positions. They don't talk about because they are comfortable doing both positions. But for some people, they don't want to tell people if they are a top or a bottom. It is all a secret until they get down in the bedroom and reveal who they really are.

As I get older and meet more new and interesting people, I couldn't help but notice something that has been secretly going on lately. On one end, there are a group of tops. Then on the other end, there are a group of bottoms. It was like a clique that was secretly created. They are not even worrying about being friends with the other positions. The last time they attempted to become friends they couldn't avoid the sexual chemistry and ended becoming a two night stand night on the same night.

Looking at that reminded of the movie When Harry Met Sally. Through Harry's perspective, men and women can't be friends without thinking about having sex first. But yet, he was friends with Sally, a woman throughout the entire movie. Of course, they ended up having sex with each other, but it mostly happened because the other one was feeling comfort for the other person. The majority of us accepted that incident because we all knew that Harry and Sally were meant to be together.

That incident was kind of a reflection of that movie. Just add a little LGBT sexual chemistry and you have the movie right there in front of you. When it comes to two men being together, they can't help but go forward with the special feeling they have lying dormant within them. They don't know the reason on how it was being triggered. Either they are incredibly horny or it's a feeling they have to go for because they never felt that way before. But is there ever a time when the tension can cool down and it will remain as a cool friendship?

When it comes to sex and life can tops and bottoms truly be friends?

Women's History Month: Ella Fitzgerald, First Lady of Song

By J9 of J9's MusicLife

To celebrate Women's History month, throughout March check out a series of features on women who have impacted history as it relates to music.

Ella Jane Fitzgerald (1917-1996) was born in Newport News, Virginia and raised in New York City.  She had a tough upbringing from losing her mom at an early age, being abused by family members and caretakers to living on the streets.  Ella stated those experiences helped her with the emotion in her performances. 

At the age of 17, Ella's name was picked in a weekly drawing at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York where competed in one of the first Amateur Nights.  Originally planning to dance, she choose to sing because she was intimidated by the previous act.  Her performance of Judy by her favorite singer Connee Boswell gave her a standing ovation the first prize of $25.00.

In 1935, she won the chance to perform with the Tiny Bradshaw band at the Harlem Opera House. It was there Ella met bandleader Chick Webb who gave her the opportunity to sing with his band.  In the band, she recorded many hits like Love and Kisses and (If You Can't Sing It) You'll Have to Swing It.  However, her 1938 version of the nursery rhyme, A-Tisket, A-Tasket, which she co-wrote made her famous.  Sidenote:  I remember singing this song in my grade school chorus.

In 1942, Ella left the band to start her solo career and this is when she began to incorporate scat singing in her performances.  She scatted to emulate the sounds of the horns in the band.  Her 1945 song Flying Home was described by the New York Times as "one of the most influential vocal jazz records of the decade....Where other singers, most notably Louis Armstrong, had tried similar improvisation, no one before Miss Fitzgerald employed the technique with such dazzling inventiveness."  Ella's 1947 recording of Oh, Lady be Good! made her one of the leading jazz vocalists.

To read more, click here.

Yolo Akili- "Are We The Kind of Boys We Want?" Docu-Drama Spoken Word Music Video - Thursday, March 24th, 2011 Premiere

THE QUESTION IS…

Would You DATE Yourself?

And check out Yolo's website, too. Go to Amazon.com and downloaded Yolo's new CD Purple Galaxy or on CDBaby.com and iTunes also.

Another "Jumping the Broom" Movie in theaters May 6th

TriStar Pictures film JUMPING THE BROOM, which features an all-star cast of Angela Bassett, Paula Patton, Laz Alonso, Loretta Devine and so many more in theatres May 6, 2011.

Produced by T.D. Jakes and Tracey Edmonds, JUMPING THE BROOM is a romantic comedy depicting the love and laughs that result when two families from different socioeconomic backgrounds meet for a weekend wedding in Martha’s Vineyard.

INTERVIEW: SHOES THAT ARE ALIVE

By Robert Cordero

JC Report | Inside Global Fashion Trends

ALIVESHOES is part store, part philosophical community. The company produces Italian-made, environmentally sound shoes, while mastermind Luca Botticelli also seeks to create an online network comprised of people who are interested in interactive art, philanthropy and statement-making footwear. Self-titled “the world’s first shoe-gaming community,” the website is now complemented by a pop up store in Amsterdam, with more locations to follow. JC Report caught up with Botticelli to discuss eco-minded fashion, artistic collaborations and what he means by “fashion 2.0.”

JC Report: What are your main ideas behind being ecologically friendly?

Luca Botticelli: Eco-friendly means that you research new process and materials in order to pollute less, and to make more intelligent products and services. Less is more is a big guide into this.

JCR: The inside tab of the limited edition shoes are designed by contemporary artists. How do you choose who you want to collaborate with?

LB: I gave [New York artist Steven Siegel] 500 pairs of shoes and told him to just create what he wanted. He made Blocks. The inside tabs reflect the installations [artists] make with shoes. It’s their sketches. We collaborate with curators to choose artists. We look for artists that have an open minded approach and are passionate about breaking the rules of art itself (i.e. going away from the museums).

JCR: Where do you see the future of shoes and shoe valley in Italy?

LB: I see the future of the shoe valley in the internet in www.aliveshoes.com. That means that the shoe business must convert to the digital world and must become eco. We are providing IT instruments for that, and research for sustainability to the valley. We are building a big headquarters open to the public in the middle of the valley to stimulate awareness from the core. “Made in Italy” must shift its awareness from total tradition to half tradition/half research and future. We are there for that.

JCR: What is the idea behind fashion 2.0?

LB: Fashion 2.0 goes away from aesthetic, and welcomes games and social interactions. Fashion 2.0 puts an end to the era of designers and stylists, and starts the era of gaming. Fashion 2.0 uses the internet as the medium and doesn’t relate to print press. Fashion 2.0 creates containers that leave space for people to express, and it uses pull communication and interactivity to make people active and entertained.

RAW by C.R. Knight

It's 2011 and no matter how many warnings and campaigns created to protect the world from viruses and STDs, people still enjoy raw sex. I have seen brothers on the internet who advertise that they are only into raw sex, yet their HIV status is negative. Really?  Are we that naïve?  Any fool should know better.  But I guess in some cases, we all are fools for slipping and sliding our lives away in the privacy of our homes and in the darkness of our bedrooms.  We continue to do things that remain unspeakable to our peers.  Privacy is one thing but shit, we talk about everything else.  I think sex should be talked about freely, why must we hide what we do?

Four months into the year and I was starting to have a jones for HIM.  It was a cold December night that left me speechless as he said to me "I guess I will see you next year."  I promised myself that I would never let another man have me so whipped that I would damn near give him my paycheck, but it happened anyway.

It was a mere two hours before quitting time at the office.  The city streets were already bustling with a Friday frenzy that only New Yorkers can produce.  My phone buzzed.  It was a text message from HIM.
"Whassup Court? You miss me?"
My body trembled at the first glance of his name across my Blackberry screen.  It took me twenty minutes to respond, not that I didn't want to, I just knew where the conversation could lead to... my bedroom.   With trepidation, I responded to his random text.
"I see someone has resurfaced."
Immediately he responded asking what time I wanted to see him.  How presumptuous, of him I thought, knowing damn well it was what I'd hoped he would ask.  So, we made plans for nine o'clock.

When he entered my apartment, he smelled like he was fresh from the barber's chair.  The hairy residue on his collar proved my theory.  He sat down on the couch and commenced to rolling a purple haze filled blunt.
"Some things never change," I blurted.
"Don't play.  This is exactly what you like and you know it." He retorted.  I grinned and returned to the kitchen to crack open two Coronas with a twist of lime.

After smoking, we retreated to my bedroom.  We were already naked, leaving our clothes scattered across the couch and living room floor.  He put his arms around my waist and laid me down.  Passionately, we made out until we were both fully erect.  I was there before he was.  The condom covered his hard, pulsating penis.  After several strokes and months of missing it's intrusions and it growing limp in my hand, I opted to rip the condom from the shaft.

In my most vulnerable state of naked, I surrendered to further exposing myself to his deadliness. I had been forewarned several times before.  But as my mama used to say, "a hard head makes a soft behind."

Hmmm.  All I can say is squeeze the Charmin.

Until next time...

Good Knight!

Read more: Jennifer Hudson says "I do" to Target when Lady Gaga wouldn't

by Ed Stych

Pop star Lady Gaga may not want to form an exclusive arrangement with Target Corp., but other music stars aren't following her lead.

Target announced Monday that Grammy Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson had signed an exclusive deal with the Minneapolis-based retailer for a deluxe edition of her new album, "I Remember Me."

The deluxe edition, which includes four additional songs and bonus video material, will only be available at Target starting Tuesday, the company said in a news release.

It was widely reported earlier this month that Lady Gaga had ended her deal with Target for exclusively selling a deluxe version of her new album, "Born This Way." Lady Gaga said Target wasn't doing enough to help gay and lesbian causes.

Target was still offering customers the opportunity to pre-order the deluxe version on its website on Monday. But so were other retailers, such as Amazon.com. The album will be available May 23.

MCNY Adds a Second Day to 2nd Annual Short Film Festival April 7th and 8th 2011

Moviemakers and MBA students collaborate once again for the Metropolitan College of New York’s 2^nd Annual Media Management Short Film Festival from 6-9 p.m., April 7^th and 8^th in the school’s Conference Center at 431 Canal Street, New York, NY.

“Telling Stories – Shaping Dreams” is the theme for this year’s festival, which includes a moderated movie industry panel and a filmmakers roundtable on April 7^th, followed by the screening of the selected short films on April 8^th. The festival, which grew out a classroom project, has crystallized into a platform for burgeoning filmmakers, and provides real time project management experience for the school’s media management students. The event is a win-win situation for the featured filmmakers and the school says Dr.Tilokie Depoo, Professor & Director of Business Programs for MCNY.

“I am looking forward to this year’s festival and it’s maturation into an established annual industry event,” Depoo says. “This event represents an opportunity for the concretization of theoretical MBA competencies by our students, from the demonstration of their leadership skills, to their ability to work as a team, to their use of organizational and fiscal management skills, while it showcases the wonderful collaborative efforts of our students and the media industry.”

The event is free and open to the public. For more information please contact George Kevin Jordan at 917-701-5540. Information is also available on our Facebook page for “Metropolitan College of New York 2nd Annual Short Film Festival.”

ABOUT MCNY

Founded in 1964 by educational pioneer Audrey Cohen, Metropolitan College of New York has been dedicated to helping students achieve their academic dreams for over 46 years. The only one of its kind in the country, the one-year Master of Business Administration in Media Management at MCNY is a unique Purpose Centered Education program geared towards achievement-oriented, media professionals. The curriculum balances traditional MBA competencies with those particular to the media industry. To accommodate working professionals, classes meet on evenings and weekends. For more information about the school or the Media Management program visit us at www.mcny.edu or call 1-800-33-THINK.

BASIC INTERMEDIATE YOGA SERIES CLASS STARTING March 29th, 2011 - SIGN-UP TODAY!!!!

Summer is coming!!!

YOGA is great for strengthening, toning, sculpting and flexibility

If you missed Torrance Smith Intro to Yoga Series, then this is the class for you!!!

Basic Intermediate Yoga Series Starting Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

Black River Dance Studios

345 Lenox Ave., (NW Corner of 127th), NY, NY 10027

Pre-registration is required, $75 per person for the series

Classes will meet for 5 consecutive Tuesdays, 7pm – 8:30pm

Yoga mats for those who may need one will be available for use at the studio.

All participants will receive orientation information for the series once you’ve signed up.

PLEASE CONTACT TORRANCE AT (773) 793-3310 to Sign Up Today

Next level class from our Intro to Yoga Series where students will further learn basic and enhanced fundamentals of postures in an effort to become more comfortable and familiar with various types of yoga practice and class structure.

We will learn how to link postures to obtain more fluid movements, intro to Vinyasa flow as well as intermediate extensions - $75 Registration fee for Series.