Walter’s World: Weekend And Beyond Picks Dance, Jazz, Theatre and Auditions

By Walter Rutledge

This weekend is just the beginning of a week of diverse arts activities. We have dance downtown, jazz on the Westside, and auditions for a new dance/theatre production in Brooklyn and in Harlem at the house “where stars are born and legends are made.”

Here are a few of the many arts events happening around the city and in our community.

Toots Thielemans: Celebrating 90 Years at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater on Friday September 28 and Saturday September 29; 8pm. Jean “Toots” Thielemans plays harmonica with a sound once described as “haunting and arresting and warm” by none other than Herbie Hancock, who will be joining Thielemans as a special guest on his long-awaited return to Jazz At Lincoln Center. Still going strong at 90, Thielemans will observe the milestone with a cohort of all-star friends, including Kenny Werner, Oscar Castro-Neves, Eliane Elias, Dori Caymmi, and more. There will be a free pre-concert discussion nightly at 7pm.

The Rose Theatre, Jazz At Lincoln Center is located at Broadway and 60th Street. Tickets can be purchased at the box office, online at www.jalc.org/events and at CENTERCHARGE by calling (212) 721-6500.

The world-famous Apollo Theater will hold auditions for its 2013 Amateur Night season on Saturday, September 29^th, from 10am to 6pm. The adult contestants will have a chance to compete for the $10,000 grand prize while child contestants compete for a $2000 grand prize. Singers, dancers, musicians, actors, spoken word poets and comedians are all encouraged to try out for the show “where stars are born and legends are made.”

Judges will only see the first 300 acts, so please arrive early.The Apollo Theater is located at 253 West 125^th Street. For more information including a complete list of audition guidelines and more information, visit www.apollotheater.org.

The Thelma Hill Performing Arts Center is auditioning for it’s upcoming new dance/theatre production, A Ramp To Paradise 2 on Tuesday October 2 and Wednesday October 3 from 5 to 8pm at the Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts, Long Island University downtown Brooklyn campus. The performance will celebrate the legendary underground dance club the Paradise Garage. The production is looking for a diverse cast including, traditionally trained dancers (ballet, modern, jazz, pointe and partnering), “Old Way” Vogue artists, couples who Hustle, Transsexual girls who walk runway and face, “boyz” with bodies, and a Grace Jones impersonator.

All are welcome to audition. Dancers come ready to dance. All others come prepared to show your talent(s). Kumble Theater for the Performing Arts is located at One University Plaza, on Flatbush Avenue between DeKalb Avenue and Willoughby Street. For more info contact Walter Rutledge at 917 744 2601 or by email at walt_rutledge@yahoo.com.

Philadanco, the Philadelphia based world-renowned modern dance company returns to the Joyce Theater for seven performances Tuesday October 2 thru Sunday October 7.  The New York 2012 season includes: the World premiere of Moan choreographed by Matthew Rushing ; the New York premiere of Wake Up by North Philadelphia native Rennie Harris, a revival of Ronald K. Brown’s Gatekeepers and the restaging of the iconic work Suite Otis by Tony and Emmy Award winner George Faison.

The performance schedule is as follows Tue-Wed 7:30pm; Thu-Fri 8pm; Sat 2pm & 8pm; Sun 2pm & 7:30pm. There will be a Dance Chat: Wed, Oct 3, a Joyce Pre-Show: Thu, Oct 4, led by Melissa Croushorn and a Family Matinee: Sat, Oct 6. Tickets start at $10 and can be purchased by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800, at the box office and online at www.joyce.org.

As always thank you for letting me share my world with you.

In Photo: 1) Rosita Adamo 2) Jean “Toots” Thielemans 3) A Ramp To Paradise 4) Tommie Waheed Evans

Photo Credit: 1&4) Lois Greenfield  2) Carol Friedman3) Alex Smith, Paradise Garage logo courtesy of GMHC