08Apr

Guest Post: Review of UniverSoul Circus

universoulcircus

Guest writer Liat Ginsberg is a mother and former journalist for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. She has taught at the Film and Media Department at Hunter College. Most of us know that watching a movie with an African american (black) crowd, or going to a African american church is a different experience. Now you can add to it going to a circus with African american audience and many African american performers. It’s a wild, fun and very interesting experience. Imagine sitting in huge African american church listening to great voices and dancers and add Read More

02Oct

Guest Post: Jenna McCarthy on “7 Steps to a Perfect Marriage”

I have a remarkably happy marriage, and people ask me all the time how I got so lucky. (Not as often as they ask me about autism, vaccines and Jim Carrey, so let’s get something straight before we go any further: Not. Her.) I used to wonder if it had something to do with pheromones or having relatively low expectations, but after eleven years of wedded bliss I am pretty sure the key is some combination of kindness, respect and my ability to read a road map upside down divided by my husband’s skill at tuning out my nagging. Okay, fine. We got Read More

18Mar

Guest Post: Checking in with Education at The New Victory Theater

New Victory Theater

Whether or not they know it, five year olds are not strangers to the art form of dance. They constantly move, play and explore the ways their bodies can travel in space. But how can you challenge a child to express feeling through dance and make artistic decisions in choreographing movement? The answer may lie in colorful pipe cleaners. This past Monday, armed with a bundle of colorful pipe cleaners (or “fuzzy sticks,” as they are referred to in most classrooms), I set out for PS 111 in midtown to lead a pre-show, in-classroom workshop for the Read More

16Mar

Guest Post: Life Is Sweet…If I Abandon My Cynical Outlook

Newspaper

There’s enough going on in the world these days to make even the calmest person’s blood pressure skyrocket. The Japanese earthquakes and tsunami, a collapsing global economy, revolutions in the Middle East, America fighting two wars and more. When I can’t watch the news anymore because it’s just too disturbing, I take a very deep breath and focus on what I have to be thankful for and what I can do to help those in need. Once I became a mom, I struggled to watch the news. It upset me in a way it never had before. I’ve talked with other moms who have Read More

11Feb

Guest Post: Cultural Event General Etiquette Rules (Straight From a Mom’s Mouth)

A few weeks ago I was in New York City for the annual Arts Presenters Conference. As a performing arts professional, this conference is the big national conference drawing presenters, programming directors, artistic ensembles, producers, managers and agents from all over the nation and globe. Besides the business side of things, there is ample opportunity for all delegates to take in full performances and showcases. This year I made it a point to check out as much family/children’s programming as possible. I represent two theater and dance Read More