Browsing “Dance”

Everyone has their own idea of what the holiday season is all about. For me, it’s family. I’m so lucky to be able to spend the holidays with my son, my husband, and my mom. Someone else very special to me is on my mind and in my heart. She is with me always, but during the holiday season I find myself thinking of her more than usual. This person is my grandma. She had a way of making the holidays extra special for me when I was growing up. One fuzzy, though very wonderful memory I have is of her taking me to see The Nutcracker.

This past Wednesday I attended opening night in Vancouver of The Alberta Ballet’s The Nutcracker at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. This time I had the pleasure of sharing this experience with my mom. It brought back fond memories and I now have new memories to hold dear. My mom and I both enjoyed ourselves immensely. She loved the music and dancing. She adored the dance of the Sugarplum Fairy. I, of course, enjoyed the music and dancing as well, but my favourite part by far was the costumes and sets. They were designed by Emmy Award-winning designer Zack Brown and they were absolutely amazing! A must see.

Something that makes this production so wonderful is …READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

The Bassment is a weekly article bringing you coverage of the best in Hip Hop and Electronic music from around Vancouver. Weekly interviews, event coverage, album and concert reviews that show how awesome our city’s electronic and hip hop scene really is.If you think there is someone or something that needs coverage in this city in regards to the Hip Hop / Electronic community then get in touch with us.

Summer’s over in case you didn’t notice. 6 weeks of sun this summer was a bummer but seems like there is always tons of action going on this time of year. Olio, VIFF, yada. I checked out the 11th annual New Forms Festival on Sep. 9 and also was at the Concrete Park jam at the Woodwards’ atrium on Wednesday night. New Forms really should be higher on the radar in the city. I think for doing what they do and combining what they combine together they are not worth missing. The media art and electronic music festival has been doing it up for over a decade which of course is no joke in this town. And as we sadly are missing the Livestock block party this year (though they had that thing at Strathcona park earlier this summer), the Hastings Set and W2‘s Concrete Park jam in the Woodward’s atrium could turn out to be a cool replacement. It was in the spirit of the old school hip hop park jams with the soundsystem, bboying and best of all, a free event in a nice public space.

Check out the review and tons of pics below.

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

The Bassment is a weekly article bringing you coverage of the best in Hip Hop and Electronic music from around Vancouver. Weekly interviews, event coverage, album and concert reviews that show how awesome our city’s electronic and hip hop scene really is.  If you think there is someone or something that needs coverage in this city in regards to the Hip Hop / Electronic community then get in touch with us.

On Saturday July 2nd was the 10 year anniversary of the Vancouver breakdance crew Filthee Feet. To celebrate the event Famous Circle, a breakdance event promotion company, decided to host a 4 versus 4 battle at The Russian Hall in Strathcona. As well as the 4 on 4 battle there was a 1 versus 1 IBE qualifier. The IBE qualifier was to see who will go on to be a spectator at the international event in Holland. Canada does not yet have a team that represents them in the IBE competition, hosted every year in Rotterdam, but the attendance of Canadians at this years event will hopefully motivate the hosts to invite a team for future events.

Photos: Joel Levy

The event on Saturday had a preliminary round which decided the final eight teams. By the time the  spectators had arrived the final eight had been chosen and 4 battles of 4v4 could commence. Crews from across the city and as far as the Yukon and Montréal were in attendance. Vancouver notables were members of Now or Never crew, O Mighty and of course Filthee Feet. After 4 battles consisting of 5 rounds each the winners, O’ Mighty, came out on top over co-finalists Dance Moves. O’Mighty’s Reflex also took home the IBE qualifier.

…READ THE REST OF THIS ENTRY>>>

There aren’t many things that go together as well as haggis and dim sum, but CelticFest executive producer Rita Albano thinks she’s found something that comes close: African and Celtic music.

Former Mad Pudding bandmates (l-r) Boris Favre, Amy Stephen and Allan Dionne will be performing with some of Vancouver’s best African musicians at the Edgewater Casino on Friday. (Photo courtesy of CelticFest.)”

Albano said that the AfroCeltic dance party, which goes down Friday night at the Edgewater Casino, was inspired by 2009′s combination of salsa and Celtic music.

“It’s a collaboration that the festival tries to encourage every year, to fuse Celtic music with other ethnocultural communities. In 2009, we did an event called Celtic Salsa,” she said. “We decided based on that success, and based on the fact that people liked it and like to dance, we wanted to find a new prospect this year.”

Amy Stephen, formerly of the Celtic dance band Mad Pudding, helped select the music for the event. She’ll be performing along with former Mad Pudding bandmates Allan Dionne and Boris Favre,  fiddler Stephanie Cadman, African musicians Yoro Noukoussi and Alpha Yaya Diallo and dancer N’ato Camera.

She said that she’s always loved world music.

“It’s always been a love of mine, different grooves from different parts of the world. Especially based in traditional music, because everyone has their own traditional styles that are so rich in themselves, but at the same time, you can put things together with other cultures,” she said. “As long as it’s organic and you find stuff that actually works musically, then it always produces this really fantastically rich kind of mix.”

West African music is based on the same time structure as Celtic music, so Stephen said the two styles were a natural fit.

“Even though it’s not the same feel, they work in the same musical time, so that’s an interesting thing for us to explore. And they’re both dance rhythms,” she said. “There’s a lot of joy, and I think that joy is a huge theme running through the Celtic and the African tunes that we are choosing to play.”

Stephen said that cultural fusion is healthy for musicians and audiences, and she hopes that the performers will be able to share the positive energy that they created in rehearsals with the audience.

Juno Award-winning Guinean musician Alpha Yaya Diallo will be performing at CelticFest Vancouver’s AfroCeltic Dance Party this Friday. (Photo courtesy of CelticFest.)

Alpha Yaya Diallo, who won a Juno for his last album, agreed.

He took inspiration for his Juno-winning album from an English group that fused African and Celtic styles, so, for him, performing at the Celtic fest was “fluid, easy.”

Diallo said that music is all about learning.

“Lots of people, like Peter Gabriel…a lot of western musicians play with African musicians. We like to share,” he said. “We all learn. It’s giving and learning.”

He said that the AfroCeltic dance party is an opportunity to bring two “very exciting styles” of music together.

It’s a great opportunity for Vancouverites to see some of the city’s most talented musicians all on one stage.

“It’s a huge celebration, you can only experience it live when it happens.” Amy Stephen said of the event.

“In a world where there’s so much conflict going on, this really highlights that music and joy are always with us, and it doesn’t matter where we’re from.”

The AfroCeltic Dance party is Friday at the Edgewater Casino. Doors are at 7 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m.  www.celticfestvancouver.com for more info. Check back here for photos and audio from the event!

The Tomahawk BBQ located in North Vancouver, BC, Canada is my favourite place in the world to eat. When I first started to go regularly to the Hawk with my Dad, the servers always recommended for me NOT to order the Skookum Chief Burger because it was “too big” for a little boy such as myself. Of course this made me want it even more, the burger with three meals in one! Sandwiched between two slabs of bun are; bacon and egg, representing breakfast; weiner, representing lunch; and meat and cheese, representing dinner! Add lettuce, tomato, relish, onion, mayonnaise plus a dill pickle and this is what comprises a Skookum Chief Burger! Check out what happened when I took the rock band Southern Culture on the Skids to taste not only the Skookum Chief, but the massive MIxed Grill ( Nine generous slices of Yukon style bacon, two country fresh fried farm eggs, two slices of Klondike toast, hamburger pattie, cheese, weiner, onions and fresh sliced onions, hashbrowns, salad, served on a 14″ platter!):

Nardwuar vs. Southern Culture on the Skids:

Alex Kapranos of Franz Ferdinand , Nardwuar and the Cribs feasting at the Tomahawk BBQ in North Vancouver, BC, Canada!

Stay tuned for another interview next week and if you can’t wait then head over to NARDWUAR.COM, FACEBOOK.COM/NARDWUAR or TWITTER.COM/NARDWUAR!

Tonight at Fortune Sound Club it’s the Back to School edition of Happy Ending Fridays with Hedspin (Eh! Team DJs), Sincerely Hana (Glory Days/Rad Times) and Butter (Livestock) and in the Livestock Room with Connor and Cody for OK Cool! And because we know you spent all your money on school supplies, you can get on the guestlist by emailing guest@fortunesoundclub.com with ‘Your Name +1 SEPT 10′ in the subject. See ya there TGIF!

Tonight! Friday September 3rd we are co-presenting Smalltown DJs at Happy Ending Fridays at Fortune Sound with Brendan Butter and the Easy Now DJs Cherchez La Femme & December Furcoat! And you can download Smalltown DJ’s exclusive Fortune Sound Club mix HERE to get you ready for the night!

Tonight we are co-presenting with Cherchez La Femme the Back To School Vintage Fashion Show with clothing provided by F As In Frank. All of the clothing will be for sale after the show with proceeds going to help send kids back to school. Bring school supplies donations for reduced cover. The show starts at 11pm and is followed by Happy Ending Fridays with DJ Fashen, Rico Uno & Butter and in the Livestock Room with Genie & My!Gay!Husband! for Culture Club. See ya there!