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Join in DCDC’s “In the Spirit of… Abundant Blessings” Holiday Performance

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Dayton’s own world renowned Dayton Contemporary Dance Company is back for a hometown an unforgettable holiday extravaganza with In the Spirit of… Abundant Blessings, a celebration of the African-American church. Performances take place on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30pm or Sunday, December 8 at 4pm at the Victoria Theatre, located at 138 N. Main St. in Dayton.

This holiday performance is a switch up from recent years. The company has been performing the beloved Littlest Angel production traditionally. Although a tradition, this swap up is sure to excite Dayton audiences. Not only is the dance quality tremendous, there is live music too!

Music is provided by a collection of amazing talent including The Jeremy Winston Chorale, the Frederick Douglass Elementary Children’s Choir, Judah Band, Music Director Deron Bell with a mass community choir, and nationally renowned gospel singer – the legendary Shirley Murdock. This performance transports audiences to a higher plane of joy and belonging. It’s a holiday offering the entire family is sure to enjoy!

DCDC will also be paying tribute to Sheri “Sparkle” Williams’ 46th year with the company, as is DCDC’s and one of the nation’s most recognized contemporary dance artists.

“This is a wonderful culminating event for our 50th Anniversary. In the Spirit of .. is one of my favorite offerings because it brings the community together. It is a season for giving and sharing. Stepping into our 51st season is no small feat; if not for our dream of our founder, Jeraldyne Blunden, we would not have this wonderful legacy that lives on throughout Dayton, the nation, and the globe. I’m looking forward to celebrating with you the gifts of our abundant blessings.” – Debbie Blunden-Diggs, DCDC Chief Artistic Administrator and Producing Director.

HOW TO GO?

Saturday, December 7 at 7:30 p.m. or Sunday, December 8 at 4:00pm

Victoria Theatre, located at 138 N. Main St. in Dayton.

Tickets are $28 are available at ticketcenterstage.com (scroll to pick Sunday performance) or by calling 937-228-3630.

Group Tickets available for groups of 10+. For group tickets contact [email protected] Student, Veteran & Senior discounts are also available.

D Funk All-Stars present an Old School Groove Night

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If you’re feeling the biting winds of winter already, there is going to be a reprieve this weekend at the hottest dance party of the season: the legendary D Funk All-Stars present an Old School Groove Night in The Brightside’s Vodvil Ballroom!

Making this show extra special is the fact that it’s also longtime Dayton sound engineer Monika Shroyer‘s birthday party too! What a way to celebrate! The party kicks off with D Funk’s set and then moves into after party mode with DJ Dingo. 

So grab your dancin shoes on and head on over for a truly Funkalious event!

How To Go?

Saturday November 9, 2019
at The Brightside Music & Event Venue (905 E 3rd St)

All ages are welcome!

Doors 8pm. Show 9pm.
$10 advance. $15 day of show.

Tickets available here: https://www.soundvalleydayton.com/events/d-funk-all-stars-with-dj-dingo

 

The Brightside hosts $10 Classical Concert!

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The Rodin Trio performs at The Brightside on October 30, 2019

The Brightside is committed to hosting a variety of events to the Dayton area, including classical music too! Dayton’s own Joshua Halpern (cello) is back home from globe trotting with his group, the Rodin Trio, to perform on Wednesday October 30th in the new venue’s beautiful Vodvil Ballroom. The trio is rounded out with Scott Cuellar (piano – faculty at Oberlin) and Philip Marten (violin – Assistant Concert Master at Cincinnati Symphony).

This particular performance is everything typical classical concerts are not: casual and affordable! Organizers are particularly encouraging students to attend for just $7, and $10 for adults – in advance. Quite the value to see performers of this caliber! Pre-sale tickets are available at SoundValleyDayton.com. Note: Ticket prices raise to $10 / $15 day of show.

When I asked Joshua why this hometown show is so special, he explained: “I got my start in Dayton in every way –– Nan Watson, my orchestra teacher at Oakwood, was the first person to put a cello in my hands. Early on I studied privately with her and a couple of other cellists in the Dayton Philharmonic. Betsey Hofeldt, a violinist in the DPO, was the first to introduce me to chamber music, which totally changed my life. I played for years in the Junior Strings Orchestra and the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. I wouldn’t have pursued music without all of these hometown influences and to be able to finally come back and not only see so many familiar faces but thank them with music, and show them (I hope) how I’ve continued to grow, is a really special kind of full-circle moment that brings me a lot of joy.”

If you’ve ever been curious about experiencing the power and beauty of classical music, this is the perfect opportunity!

  • The Program:
    • Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 2 in G major, Op 1 No. 2
    • Martinu: Piano Trio No. 2 in D minor, H. 327
      — Intermission–
    • Mendelssohn: Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66

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ABOUT THE PERFORMERS

Since graduating from Oakwood High School in 2012, Josh has earned degrees from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston and from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. Most recently, he completed a chamber music tour of Germany that took him to Berlin, Mecklenburg, and to Beethoven’s former home in Bonn. In June, Josh was guest principal cello with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra for performances in the Netherlands and WHERE, and on tour to Taiwan and China.

Josh first played cello as a fourth grader at Harman Elementary. During high school, he was principal cello for the Oakwood High School Orchestra and the Dayton Philharmonic Youth Orchestra and was a founding member of the Blackbird String Quartet at OHS. As part of the prep program at University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, Josh was a founding member of the Polaris Quartet which won the gold medal in the junior division of the Fischoff International Chamber Music competition in 2011.

The Rodin Trio, established in 2017, also includes Philip Marten, violin, who is assistant concertmaster of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and Scott Cuellar, piano, who is on faculty at Oberlin Conservatory. The three musicians each maintain separate busy schedules, but are excited to be playing together again and bringing their music to Dayton.

GRAMMY award winning jazz comes to The Brightside Sunday October 20th!

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The Brightside Music & Event Venue invites you to another intimate evening of world class jazz-funk-world music from 3x Grammy award winning guitarist Bob Lanzetti, of Snarky Puppy fame!

Bob Lanzetti is a Brooklyn, NY based professional guitarist, composer, producer, and educator. He has performed and recorded with many artists throughout the NYC area as well as played in over 40 countries with the three time Grammy Award Winning jazz/funk collective, Snarky Puppy: Best R&B Performance in 2014 (“Something” featuring Lalah Hathaway), and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album in 2016 and 2017 (“Sylva” with Metropole Orkest and “Culcha Vulcha”, respectively).

Bob Lanzetti’s group consists of a collective of old friends who have been playing together in a variety of settings for over a decade. The band is able to move as one, effortlessly changing styles as well as weaving between composition and improvisation. The group draws inspiration from many genres of music. In a given performance you can hear hints of Americana, jazz, avant-garde, rock, afro-beat, country, and free improvisation, sometimes all within the same tune. Currently the group consists of Jordan Perlson on drums (Adrian Belew, Banda Magda, Becca Stevens Band) and Matt Aronoff on bass (Banda Magda, Fred Hersch, Kenny Werner).

Bob released his debut record as a leader entitled, Whose Feet are These That are Walking, in fall of 2017 to positive reviews and has done a number of US tours in support of the album.

HOW TO GO?

Sunday October 20, 2019

at The Brightside Music & Event Venue – 905 E 3rd St

Doors 7pm. Show 8-10pm

Advance tickets $10 (https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4372687)
Day of show $15

All ages Welcome!

Dixon’s Violin is a mesmerizing performance you don’t want to miss!

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Dixon’s Violin performs at The Brightside Music & Event Venue on Friday October 18, 2019.

Downtown’s newest indoor music venue, The Brightside, is dedicated to providing a true variety of quality music to Dayton’s audiences. This weekend proves that point! On Friday they host Dixon’s Violin, as seen on TED.com, at Electric Forest, at Burning Man, and across North America. This is a rare opportunity to see this mesmerizing music up-close-and-personal in their intimate listening room space!

The world’s premier visionary violinist, Dixon’s life mission is to inspire people – and he has done so across North America, including giving three TED talks/performances, performing for over ten years at Burning Man, plus radio, TV, and film appearances. A former technology leader and symphony violinist, Dixon walked away from a distinguished career to follow his dream full-time, and invented a whole new music genre. Dixon now improvises on a 5-string electric violin with a looping system he developed to create an all-live one-man symphony, guided by his remarkable personal story of life transformation.

Kicking off the show is Dance Furiously, a rock and roll orchestration of funk, electronica, jazz, pop & soul that blends together a compelling sound which tells the story of a thriving music community in Columbus, Ohio. The group emphasizes live improvisation & expression thru their live show and consistently opens up their songs and reinterprets them to make them sound uniquely new, each time.

HOW TO GO?

Friday October 18th

at The Brightside Music & Event Venue
905 E 3rd St
Dayton, OH 45402

7:00 PM Doors Open
8:00 PM Dance Furiously
9:00 PM Dixon’s Violin

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dixons-violin-at-hannahs-tickets-67059632165
$12 advance tickets / $15 day of show

All ages are welcome, children 12 and under are free!

Perfect Patios for Pups!

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Enjoy the patio at Wheat Penny with your pup!

It doesn’t get much better than quality time outside with man’s best friend and a cold drink in your hand. With the heatwave over and temperatures falling back to normal, some of our most comfortable patio days are ahead of us. Not sure what patios are dog friendly? Have no fear! Listed below are a few of our favorite canine friendly patios in the area. Be sure to check back as our list is sure to grow:

Dayton:

  • The Barrel House – 417 E. 3rd Street, Dayton
  • The Trolley Stop – 530 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • Corner Kitchen – 613 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • Toxic Brew Company – 431 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • Lily’s Bistro – 329 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • Fifth Street Brewpub – 1600 E. 5th Street, Dayton – (Dogs allowed Wednesdays only 6-9PM)
  • CoCo’s Bistro – 250 Warren Street, Dayton
  • Dublin Pub – 300 Wayne Avenue, Dayton

    Libby Ballengee enjoys Lily’s Bistro’s front patio with Stella.

  • South Park Tavern – 1301 Wayne Avenue, Dayton
  • Wheat Penny Oven & Bar – 515 Wayne Avenue, Dayton
  • Milano’s  – 1834 Brown Street, Dayton
  • Dayton Beer Company – 41 Madison Street, Dayton

Suburbs:

  • Archers Tavern- 9496 Dayton Lebanon Pike, Centerville
  • El Meson – 903 E Dixie Dr, West Carrollton
  • Eudora Brewing Company – 3022 Wilmington Pike, Kettering
  • Ray’s Wine and Spirits Grill – 8268 N. Main Street, Dayton
  • Mack’s Tavern – 381 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Centerville
  • Flavors Eatery – 865 E. Franklin Street, Centerville
  • Zink’s Meats & Fine Wines – 409 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Centerville
  • Heather’s Cafe – 505 S. Main Street, Springboro
  • Yellow Springs Brewery – 305 Walnut Street, Yellow Springs
  • Ye Olde Trail Tavern – 228 Xenia Avenue, Yellow Springs

 

 

If you know of other pup friendly patio’s, post them in the comments below so we can add them.

Headstone Cleaning and Restoration Classes at Woodland Cemetery & Arboretum

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Woodland is pleased to partner with gravestone restoration expert Misti Spillman as she conducts a series of workshops for beginners who are interested in headstone cleaning and restoration.

Workshops will be conducted at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays May 11, June 8, August 24 and September 21, 2019.

Cost is $30 per person and includes hands on, one-on-one and group instruction on headstone preservation techniques including: fixing breaks, resetting, cleaning and how to mix proper mortars for stone repair. You will also receive a Headstone Cleaning Starter Kit that will include all of the tools needed for the day. The entire workshop will be spent in the cemetery. A break for lunch will be provided. Please feel free to bring a lunch or visit any of the restaurants on Brown Street.

Misti Spillman has a background in researching and restoring cemeteries. She worked as an AmeriCorps member at the Ohio History Connection and serves as a reference and liaison to numerous museums and historical societies throughout Ohio. Misti is the owner of Reviving Cemeteries, LLC.

Participation is limited to 25 people per class. To register for any or all of the classes, go to http://bit.ly/HeadstoneRestoration

International Tap Dance Sensations Perform Exclusively at The Brightside on Sunday Sept 22nd!

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The Brightside is proud to present, The Tap Factor in “Soul’d Out!” a live music event featuring Tap dance sensations Christopher Erk, Derick K. Grant, Anthony J. Russo, and Jabu Graybeal. They invite you to share an evening with these four globetrotting Tap dancers as they give their only public performance locally after spending a month touring their show ‘Feet Speak” throughout Dayton area public schools on behalf of the Muse Machine. Accompanied by Dayton’s own Premium-Blend Music, this highly energetic and collaborative dose of music and Tap dance is a “don’t miss” event for all ages!

3 ticket options available for this show:
$20 General Admission advance ticket ($25 day of show)
$40 ticket plus Meet & Greet
$50 ticket plus Tap class and Meet & Greet

Schedule:
4:30-5:15 – All-inclusive Tap dance class – no experience necessary ($50 ticket option – includes all below too)
5:15-6:00 – Sound Check + Meet & Greet / Photo Op ($40 ticket option – includes performance too)
6:00-6:30 – General Admission Doors
6:30-8:00 – Performance ($20 ticket adv / $25 day of show)

More about performers and The Tap Factor:
– Christopher Erk (New York City/Los Angeles) – Performed in the Off-Broadway touring production of Tap Dogs; Founding Artistic Director of the Tap Factor; Absinthe, Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas; Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox

– Derick K. Grant (Boston/New York City) – Performed in Broadway’s original cast, Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk; Creator of Imagine Tap

– Anthony J. Russo (St. Louis/New York City) – performed in Off-Broadway touring production of Tap Dogs; Cirque du Soliel; Founder of Tapademics; Absinthe, Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas

– Jabu Graybeal – Recipient of the Young Arts Award; Member of the North Carolina Youth Ensemble; Highlight in Dance Spirit Magazine as one of “Tap’s Next Generation of Stars”

The Tap Factor is performing on Sunday September 22, 2019 at The Brightside in downtown Dayton. PHOTO BY SARAH BABCOCK

– The Tap Factor was founded in Dayton by former resident Christopher Erk over ten years ago. While teaching at Wright State University, Sinclair Community College, Dayton Dance Conservatory and beyond, participants would meet weekly at the Tap Factor’s Front Street studio where donation-based Tap classes evolved into a local community of dancers that could be found sharing their joy for Tap at city events throughout the year. Since then, they have taken to the stage collaborating with organizations such as Best Buddies, the Boys and Girls Club of America, with performances at Carnegie Hall and more. Check out the Tap Factor’s journey online by visiting www.thetapfactor.com

World Class Jazz-Funk Duo performs at The Brightside on Wed Sept 18th!

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The Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo makes their Dayton debut on Wednesday September 18, 2019 at The Brightside.

The world-class jazz-funk fusion duo Jennifer Hartswick and Nick Cassarino, set out on a limited engagement tour this fall, and have picked The Brightside Music & Event Venue in downtown Dayton, to be one of the featured and exclusive performances on this debut tour! You can sit in on this intimate set this upcoming Wednesday September 18, 2019.

Trumpeter and vocalist, Jennifer Hartswick is one of the most exciting performers in music today. She exudes confidence and joy and brings her own refreshing spirit to the stage every time she performs. Jennifer’s music is honest, soulful and comes with a maturity far beyond her years. She is joined by Nick Cassarino, an incredible guitarist from Brooklyn, who blew Dayton audiences away earlier this spring with his powerhouse band The Nth Power. This duo is doing a limited engagement fall tour, and have made a special stop to downtown’s newest listening room!

Bonus! Dayton’s own guitar virtuoso, Chris Houser (from The Werks) kicks off this dynamic evening that jazz , funk, and jam fans alike won’t want to miss! Music runs from 8-11pm, which is ideal for a week night out. Pre-sale tickets are available here.

Making it extra special? This show is presented by Venus Child Productions – and is doubling as a birthday party for the Venus Child herself – Libby Ballengee!

How to go?

Wednesday September 18, 2019
The Brightside Music & Event Venue – 905 E 3rd St Dayton OH 45402

Doors 7pm. Music 8pm – 11pm.
Chris Houser at 8pm / Jennifer Hartswick & Nick Cassarino Duo 9-11pm
All ages welcome!

Pre-sales just $15! Day of show $18.
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4299698

Moonlight Madness Tour at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum

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A twist on our regular History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder Tour. This tour will be given on the full moon of the month!

Who confessed on their deathbed of murdering pretty 18 year old Christine Kett? Did Rose Shafor really dress up as a man to help her lover commit a crime? Who killed Julius Kruse? And was the “Cincinnati Ripper” living in Dayton? These stories and more are told in this walk to the grave sites of a victim or perpetrator of a crime. Please note that the tour relates the actual accounts of murders that took place in Dayton. Graphic details are given and may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Please note that this 2 hour tour may be deemed strenuous by some and is not recommended for children or elderly patrons or those who may have trouble walking long distances through hilly and uneven grassy areas.

Woodland depends on you to keep its 200 acres of green-space, monuments, buildings, and collections well-cared for and thriving, as well as to support its robust roster of educational and informational programming. To that end, we are requesting a minimal donation to attend our guided tours.

Walking tours will be limited to 40 people in attendance so please register online today.

Tours are held rain or shine, though we will cancel an event in the case of severe weather or extreme heat. If in doubt, please call the office before 5 p.m. on the day of your scheduled tour.

All funds received will go to the Woodland Arboretum Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization. Funds raised go toward the the development, preservation, protection and promotion of Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum.

You can get your ticket at: http://bit.ly/Woodlandmoonlightmadness

 

Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and until 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum website.