Arts & Entertainment
Year in review: Getting in on the action
D.C. LGBT sports leagues boast bounty of 2012 activities, triumphs
The CAPS in action. (Photo courtesy Billy Richardson)
This year was another incredible one for the LGBT sports community of Washington. There was an abundance of tournament play, leagues and national recognition.
Also, the continuing support of straight sports allies was bolstered by the creation of the You Can Play Project. The project was founded within the National Hockey League by Patrick Burke of the Philadelphia Flyers and has crossed over into other sports. They seek to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills and not his or her sexual identity. More info is at youcanplayproject.org.
Team D.C., the local LGBT sports connection, continued to set the standards for all LGBT sports communities. In 2012, its members awarded college scholarships to six local LGBT student athletes. Their popular United Night OUT series now includes events with seven Washington professional sports franchises.
Their efforts were also recognized nationally this year by the Compete Sports Network. The organization is at teamdc.org.
The Federal Triangles Soccer Club hosted the Women’s Winter Wrap-Up Indoor Cup in March and the Rehoboth Beach Classic in August. Along with play in various local leagues, members also hosted the Summer of Freedom League. They can be found at federaltriangles.org.
The District of Columbia Aquatics Club traveled to Reykjavik, Iceland in May where members captured second place in the large team category at the International Gay and Lesbian Aquatics Championships. In July they hosted the 21st annual Swim for Life, a fundraiser for HIV/AIDS as well as local watershed organizations. They are on the web at swimdcac.org.
Puck Buddys, the D.C.-based nationally recognized ice hockey blog, continues to entertain with their banter throughout the mess of the National Hockey League lockout. The blog is located at puckbuddys.com.
The Stonewall Kickball league maxed out on their league cap of 480 players in both of their seasons in 2012. Look for continued success in 2013. They can be found at stonewallsports.org.
The D.C. Sentinels basketball team traveled to three national tournaments in 2012 winning the Upper B-Division at the Hurricane Classic in Fort Lauderdale.
In January, they will launch the first season of the Washington D.C. Gay Basketball League. More information on the group is at teamdcbasketball.org.
The D.C. Gay Flag Football League had another stellar year hosting their spring season and growing to 270 players in their fall season. All the league action including videos is at dcgffl.org.
Charm City Volleyball hosted the Charm City Invitational 28 in April with one of their squads winning the BB Division. Their information is at volleybaltimore.org.
The Capital Area Rainbowlers Association continues to offer multiple bowling leagues and in October hosted the annual Capital Halloween Invitational Tournament.
On Monday they will be hosting New Year’s Bowling Eve from 9 p.m.-1 a.m. at Bowl America Shirley in Alexandria. More info is at carabowling.org.
The D.C. Strokes Rowing Club hosted Stonewall Regatta XIX in June. At the end of August, their Men’s Heavyweight B 8+ team brought home the gold at the US Rowing Master National Championships in Worcester, Mass. The Strokes are at dcstrokes.org.
The Chesapeake and Potomac Softball League (CAPS) completed a successful 2012 softball season. In October they hosted their annual tournament, the Mid-Atlantic Gay Invitational Classic.
In August of 2013, the CAPS will be hosting the 37th annual North American Gay Amateur Athlete Alliance Gay Softball World Series in Washington. The CAPS can be found at capssoftball.org.
The Washington Renegades Rugby Football Club wrapped up two successful seasons of league play this year with both squads having winning records. The Renegades compete in Division III of the Potomac Rugby Union and their Reds squad and won Hellfest in Dallas for the second year in a row. More info is at dcrugby.com.
The Adventuring outdoors group continues their summer bike series and weekly year round hikes. This is the “go to” group for anyone wanting to get outside and learn about the rich history of D.C. area. Their schedule is at adventuring.org.
All the local LGBT sports teams and clubs can be found at teamdc.org. Thanks to all of them for a great year.
Celebrity News
Madonna announces release date for new album
‘Confessions II’ marks return to the dance floor
Pop icon Madonna on Wednesday announced that her 15th studio album will be released on July 3.
Titled “Confessions II,” the new album is a sequel to 2005’s “Confessions on a Dance Floor,” an Abba and disco-infused hit.
The new album reunites Madonna with producer Stuart Price, who also helmed the original “Confessions” album. It’s her first album of new material since 2019’s “Madame X.”
“We must dance, celebrate, and pray with our bodies,” Madonna said in a press release. “These are things that we’ve been doing for thousands of years — they really are spiritual practices. After all, the dance floor is a ritualistic space. It’s a place where you connect — with your wounds, with your fragility. To rave is an art. It’s about pushing your limits and connecting to a community of like-minded people,” continued the statement. “Sound, light, and vibration reshape our perceptions. Pulling us into a trance-like state. The repetition of the bass, we don’t just hear it but we feel it. Altering our consciousness and dissolving ego and time.”
Denali (@denalifoxx) of “RuPaul’s Drag Race” performed at Pitchers DC on April 9 for the Thirst Trap Thursday drag show. Other performers included Cake Pop!, Brooke N Hymen, Stacy Monique-Max and Silver Ware Sidora.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Arts & Entertainment
In an act of artistic defiance, Baltimore Center Stage stays focused on DEI
‘Maybe it’s a triple-down’
By LESLIE GRAY STREETER | I’m always tickled when people complain about artists “going political.” The inherent nature of art, of creation and free expression, is political. This becomes obvious when entire governments try to threaten it out of existence, like in 2025, when the brand-new presidential administration demanded organizations halt so-called diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming or risk federal funding.
Baltimore Center Stage’s response? A resounding and hearty “Nah.” A year later, they’re still doubling down on diversity.
“Maybe it’s a triple-down,” said Ken-Matt Martin, the theater’s producing director, chuckling.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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