Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center Presents 35th Annual Showcase in Brooklyn

By Walter Rutledge

The Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center (THPAC) will present their annual choreographers showcase entitled Souls of Our Feet: People of Color Dance Festival at the Kumble Theater located on the downtown Brooklyn campus of Long Island University. The three-day event will take on Sunday June 17, Tuesday June 19 and Wednesday June 20. The Sunday June 17 opening performance is at 7pm, the June 19 and 20 performances begin at 7:30 pm.

The showcase will highlight the work of seven new, emerging and established choreographers and dance companies. The artists/companies to be presented are Germaul Barnes/Viewsic Expressions Dance, Sidra Bell Dance, DANCE IQUAIL, Danse4Nia, Francesca Harper Project, Jamal Jackson Malcolm Low, and Tony and Emmy Award winner George Faison. This varied and diverse group will offer a program ranging from dance/theatre to abstract narratives.

In Photo: Rachel Neville and Iquail Shaheed Photo Credit: Joseph “Nana” Sargent

This season marks the thirty-six year of arts presenting by THPAC. Larry Phillips founded the organization in 1976 to offer performance opportunities for underserved artists of color. The organization has provided a nurturing environment and much need visibility to many emerging and established artists and companies. Alvin Aley American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Philadanco, Ronald K. Brown and Evidence, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, George Faison, Louis Johnson, Rod Rogers, and Forces of Nature are but a few of the many artists presented by the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center.

Under the direction of Executive Director Alex Smith, Jr. the organization continues its commitment to showcase the next generation of artist and companies. THPAC also prides itself on preserving and educating the public by presenting important/ timeless masterworks by established choreographers. In additions to this series THPAC will present three more events including two PEEKS performances, which presents works in progress and a restaging of the 2010 production Ramp To Paradise. What Is, the work being presented by the Francesca Harper Project in the Souls of Our Feet series was presented as a work in progress at last year at PEEKS.

The organization accomplishes this on an ever-increasingly meager budget; literally taking the financial equivalent of three fish and five loaves and somehow each year feeds the “multitude” of dance enthusiasts. “This is the season of our discontent. It is at both the best of times and worst of times. The arts, and dance in particular find themselves under great financial strains due to scarce and dwindling funding outlets. But THPAC, which has weathered many a storm, has mined the dance community for the best of the best once again to bring to the stage and to our audiences. We just keep going!” says Alex Smith, Jr.

Tickets are now on sale of the Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center’s Souls Of Our Feet. Tickets can be purchased Tickets at the Kumble Theater box office, 718-488-1624, and online at www.kumbletheater.org. Special ticket sale price of $10 before June 17.

Never Settle For A Good Enough Relationship

One of the lessons I've learned from being single for a year is that I never have to settle for a good enough relationship. You know what I'm talking about when I say good enough relationships.

When it comes to being with someone most people are scared to be alone. Some are extremely dependent on being in a relationship. They don't want to live the single life for too long. They really want to be with someone. Due to that, they settle for a good enough relationship. It's a relationship where you know it's not going anywhere, but you choose to stay in it because you don't want to be by yourself.

It's actually much worse than a dysfunctional relationship.

For a dysfunctional relationship, there are everyday problems that will surprise you all the time. However, you will do your best to compromise on a daily basis. A good enough relationship is a relationship that is obviously going nowhere, but you decide to accept it. You've accepted the fact you will never be accepted completely by the other person and vice versa. You've accepted that things are never going to change. You've accepted that you are going to be completely happy.

I remember being absolutely dependent on relationships during my teenage years. I was looking for love because I wasn't getting it from my friends or family. This one particular guy I dated was my obvious guy. He was into the performing arts. He loved sex as much as I do. He never wanted to leave me. I never wanted to leave him.

However, it was never good from the beginning. We were living in different worlds. I was the boy next door who was too focused on work and not partying with a group of people. He was a bad boy who cared less about work and wanted to just party all the time. When it came to the arts, he would leave his talents out the window and just waist it on the party lifestyle. We've had numerous arguments, which led to break ups and make ups for three whole years. It was completely difficult to deal with on an emotional level.


Then one night, I remember us sitting outside on the balcony at a gay bar. We cuddled with my head on his heart and he said "It's very obvious, don't you think? It's obvious that we are not a good match. You're good enough for me. I'm good enough for you. But we will never be complete as a couple because we are never meant to be a couple. So why not we stay in this relationship, knowing that we will never be truly happy? Be a good enough person for each other."


Obviously, you would walk away from it. However, I was so afraid of being alone, I stayed with him for a couple of more months. Admittingly, we were never happy. I dealt with the fights and arguments. I dealt with the fact that there was never going to be a happy future. It was an ultimate good enough relationship between two teenagers.

Our relationship ended when he left the state and didn't tell me that he left or where he was going. In the beginning, I was incredibly sad. Now that I look back, I'm glad it happened. It was a sign telling me that I didn't have to settle for a good enough relationship. Not only was I was going to be happy as a single man, but when I do get into another relationship, the two of us were going to accept and love one another completely, and never be each other's good enough.

Arts.Advocacy+Wellness: "Peace & Surrender"

PEACE & SURRENDER

Bonjour friends,


I've made it to Paris safe and sound. Taking in the sights and sounds (literally as I type I'm enjoying the chipper voices of young lads playing catch on the street corner.)  Play,  what we did a lot when we were younger, like there was no tomorrow.  Playing in peace and surrendering to the moment, contentment.  


I received a word very prolific, motivating, and wise in meditation on Sunday at Kadampa 
Meditation Center in Silverlake. It went something like this:  "If something can be remedied, why be unhappy with it.  If something can't be remedied, still why be unhappy."  I can use this to assess many situations in my life. I hope it can offer you peace in your surrendering.  Find the joy and go play in peace, just like the kids I'm hearing on the street corner.   

SKINNY the movie Premieres in NYC this weekend

FILMMAKER PATRIK-IAN POLK OF

“PUNKS” AND “NOAH’S ARC”

NEW YORK CITY OPENING OF NEW INDIE FILM

“THE SKINNY” AT THE FAISON FIREHOUSE THEATER ON FRIDAY, JUNE 8TH

The highly anticipated NYC premiere of THE SKINNY, the third feature film from Patrik-Ian Polk (PUNKS, NOAH’S ARC) will be presented during the First Annual Pride Cultural Series at the Faison Firehouse Theater, 6 Hancock Place, Harlem, NY 10027 opening Friday, June 8th with proceeds benefiting GMAD’s (Gay Men of African Decent) Charles Angel Youth Leadership Academy's 'Stop the BS' campaign- an anti gay-bullying and suicide initiative.

A sharply scripted comedy, THE SKINNY tells the story of four young, black, gay men (Magnus, Sebastian, Kyle, Joey) and their lesbian best friend (Langston), who meet up in New York City one year after their graduation from Brown University. Their plans for a weekend of fun start off well, relaxed in each other’s company as only old friends can be. But old tensions quickly resurface.

Drinking, drugs, hidden desire and the demands of promiscuity put friendship, trust and even lives at risk. In between sharp one-liners and a great soundtrack there’s a few important lessons that these pleasure-seekers must learn for themselves. Written with a real sense of the demands of urban living, these bright and believable characters will remind you of someone you know. Remaining true to his past work, Polk addresses issues in THE SKINNY that face the LGBT community such as date-rape, infidelity, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

The film stars Jussie Smollett (the former child actor of “Mighty Ducks” & “North”, and older brother of well-known actress Jurnee Smollett), Blake Young-Fountain, Anthony Burrell, Shanika Warren-Markland and Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman. Supporting cast includes alumnus of Polk’s past features such as Darryl Stephens (“Noah’s Arc”), Jennia Fredrique (“Noah’s Arc”), Wilson Cruz (“Noah’s Arc”) and Seth Gilliam (“Punks”, “The Wire”, “Oz”, “Teen Wolf”). The cast also includes newcomers Dustin Ross and internet sensation B. Scott.

THE SKINNY’s open-ended NYC run begins Friday, June 8th at the Faison Firehouse Theatre in Harlem (6 Hancock Place, New York, NY 10027) as the featured film of the Firehouse's First Annual Pride Cultural Series.

OPENING WEEKEND's Showtime: 3:30pm | 5:30pm | 7:30pm & 9:30pm

Tickets $15.00 purchased in advance online at Smarttix.com.

For additional details & showtimes go to Skinnythemovie.com.