Music & Concerts
SPRING ARTS 2017: Dance — Meaning in the movement
Burgess, Coyaba, et. al. among region’s spring dance performances


Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, an all-male drag dance outfit, will perform March 21-22 at the Kennedy Center. (Photo by Zoran Jelenic; courtesy Kennedy Center)
Gin Dance Company presents “Spring in Your Step” at Atlas Intersections Festival at the Atlas Performing Arts Center (1333 H St., N.E.) in the Lang Theater on Saturday, March 4 at 8 p.m. The performance features the world premiere of “Burgundy,” a work by Gin Dance Company Executive Director Gary Cuff, and the company’s other works “Solitaire” and “Hello! Goodbye!” Tickets are $30.
Dana Tai Soon Burgess continues its 25th anniversary season with an event on Thursday, March 9 at the Korean Cultural Center’s inaugural “OnStage” showcase at Arena Stage (1101 Sixth St., S.W.). The outfit will perform “Confluence.” It’s at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Visit koreaculturedc.org for details. An open rehearsal will be held as part of its Behind-the-Scenes series at Georgetown Day School (4200 Davenport St., N.W.) on Saturday, March 11 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Admission is free. The rehearsal is in preparation for the company’s New Mexico tour. Burgess is choreographer in residence at the Smithsonian. Several other events are planned throughout the year.
Coyaba Dance Theater celebrates its 20th anniversary with a performance at Dance Place (3225 8th St., N.E.) on Saturday, March 11 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, March 12 at 7 p.m. The performance uses contemporary West African dance and music to showcase the diverse ethnic groups in West Africa using humanitarian themes. General admission tickets are $30. Tickets for Dance Place members, seniors and artists are $25. Tickets for students and children 17 and under are $15.
Joy of Motion presents Studio to Stage: That’s Showbiz! at the Jack Guidone Theater at Joy of Motion Dance Center (5207 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) on Saturday, March 11 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, March 12 at 7 p.m. The show will be a mix of Broadway jazz and tap styles. It concludes Joy of Motion Dance Center’s program Studio to Stage and includes work from jazz choreographers Bob Boross and Matina Phillips and tap choreographers Michelle Michaels and Tamara Henry.
Joy of Motion also presents UPI Dance Project, featuring musicians, dancers, actors and visual artists, at the Jack Guidoine Theater at Joy of Motion Dance Center on Saturday, March 18 at 8 p.m. Regular admission advance tickets are $16 and $14 for seniors and students. Regular admission at the door tickets are $22 and $18 for seniors and students.
The Washington Ballet performs “Aladdin” at THEARC Theater (1901 Mississippi Ave., S.E.) on Saturday, March 18 at 1 and 5 p.m. and Sunday, March 19 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. The show is a ballet adaptation of the classic story. Tickets range from $30-50.
The Kennedy Center (2700 F St., N.W.) presents “Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo,” an all-male drag dance troupe performance, on March 21-22 at 7:30 p.m. The troupe will perform “Swan Lake, Act II: Le Lac des Cygnes,” “Le Corsaire Pas De Deux, “Don Quixote” and more. The dancers will be accompanied by the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. There will be a free post-performance discussion on March 21.Tickets range from $29-99.
Bowen McCauley Dance hosts is eighth annual Move Me Festival at Kenmore Middle School (200 S. Carlin Springs Rd., Arlington, Va.) on Saturday, March 25 from 1-5 p.m. The family festival will have more than 20 groups celebrating the arts for under-served students and their families. Bowen McCauley Dance’s dancers will perform along with the students.Admission is free.
Joy of Motion presents Japanese street dance crew EL Squad at the Kreeger Theater at Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theatre (1101 6th St., S.W.) on Sunday, March 26 at 7 p.m. The crew’s performance blends dance, music and electroluminescent technology. Advance tickets are $25 for regular admission and $20 for seniors and students. Tickets at the door are $30 for regular admission and $25 for seniors and students.
The Cherry Fund hosts its 21 Cherry dance benefit weekend April 20-24 at various locations throughout the city. The party gets started at Cobalt (1639 R St., N.W.) for “Lux” from 10 p.m.-2 a.m. DJ Steve Sidewalk and DJ Alain Jackinsky will spin tracks. Tickets are $20. The weekend wraps up with “Sashay” at DC9 (1940 9th St., N.W.) on Sunday, April 23 from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. DJ Sean Morris and DJ Nacho Chapado will play. Tickets are $20. Proceeds benefit Washington D.C. HIV/AIDS community organizations.
Dissonance Dance Theatre performs “Black to Silver: Still” at Joy of Motion Dance Center (5207 Wisconsin Ave., N.W.) in the Jack Guidone Theater on Saturday, April 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 23 at 7 p.m. The dance performance celebrates black LGBT life and features 15 black LGBT artists. Tickets range from $15-18 online and are $25 at the door.
Bowen McCauley Dance gives its spring performance at the Historic Lansburgh Theatre (450 7th St., N.W.) on May 5-6 at 7:30 p.m. The contemporary dance performance will feature guest artists and live music. Following Saturday’s performance there will be a Spring Soiree and Silent Auction at Carmine’s Restaurant (425 7th St., N.W.). Enjoy food and dessert while chatting with the show’s creator and dancers. For ticket prices and to purchase tickets, call 202-547-1122.
CityDance presents its DREAMscape Performance at The Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.) on Saturday, May 6 at 8 p.m. The performance benefits CityDance’s free after-school performance. Debbie Allen serves as mistress of ceremonies.General admission tickets range from $25-35. VIP tickets start at $250.
Music & Concerts
Here’s everything queer that just happened at the 67th Grammy Awards
LGBTQ megastars among winners, performers

The 67th Grammy Awards featured debut performances by LGBTQ megastars Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter, and Doechii — all of whom also won awards at Sunday’s awards ceremony, making the gay sons and thot daughters of the queer and trans world rejoice.
Though Roan was the only queer artist to take home one of the “Big Four” awards — Best New Artist, Doechii, Carpenter, Charlie XCX, Billie Eilish, and Lady Gaga were also all nominated for one or more of the “Big Four.”
Carpenter, Roan, and Doechii also shocked audiences with their debut performances, showing us what it really means to be out and loud.
Doechii
The self-proclaimed swamp princess from Florida took home a well-deserved win for Best Rap Album (“Alligator Bites Never Heal”).
She stunned audiences with her performance and her speech, dedicating her win to Black women everywhere. Only two other women have won the award — Lauryn Hill and Cardi B since the category was introduced in 1989.
“I know there are so many Black women out there that are watching me right now and I want to tell you: You can do it. Anything is possible,” said Doechii during her acceptance speech.
Chappell Roan
Roan won the Best New Artist award, prompting her to whip out her notebook and deliver a speech about her struggles with the healthcare industry after getting dropped by her first record label radicalized her.
On the carpet, she served looks on the red carpet while delivering Jean Paul Gaultier vintage realness and thanking the trans girlies who made her who she is today.
“Trans people have always existed and they will forever exist. They will never, no matter what happens, take trans joy away and [they] have to be protected more than anything because I would not be here without trans girls,” said Roan on the red carpet.
She also served during her debut Grammys performance, turning Crypto.com Arena into the Pink Pony Club while dedicating the performance to Los Angeles — the city that embraced her when she wanted to break into the industry. She used her acceptance speech as her opportunity to shine a light on her journey toward becoming the icon she is today — and to no one’s surprise, it didn’t come easy to her.
Roan opened up about her struggles with healthcare and being dropped as an artist in L.A., leaving her without health coverage and scrambling for solutions. Seems like the healthcare system has radicalized yet another one.
St. Vincent
St. Vincent revealed that she has a wife and daughter during her acceptance speeches, thanking them after winning three Grammys for Best Alternative Music Album (“All Born Screaming”), Best Alternative Music Performance (“Flea”), and Best Rock Song (“Broken Man”).
During her red carpet interview, reporters asked Clark about the shocking news about her mentioning her wife and daughter, she responded “Most people were [unaware]. It’s young, so we’ve kept it under wraps.” The reporter then continued his line of questioning, meanwhile intrusive thoughts quickly got ahold of Clark, prompting her to interrupt the reporter to clarify that she meant the child is young, not the person in the relationship she’s in.
Girl, you’re good.
Sabrina Carpenter
Though Carpenter didn’t win any of the “Big Four” categories, she did win Best Pop Vocal Album for (“Short n’ Sweet”) and Best Pop Solo Performance for (“Espresso”).
According to E!, Carpenter’s acceptance speech was apparently censored, cutting her off after she said: “Thank you, holy sh*t, bye!”
The pop star was nominated for Record of the Year (“Espresso”), Song of the Year (“Please, Please, Please”), Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album (“Short n’ Sweet”), Album of the Year (“Short n’ Sweet”), Best Remixed Recording (“Espresso – Mark Ronson x FNZ Working Late Remix”), Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical (“Short n’ Sweet”) — all within her first year as a record-releasing musician.
Charli XCX
Charlie XCX truly brought the brat energy to the Grammys with her performance of (“Van Dutch”), also taking home the wins for Best Dance/Pop Recording for (“Van Dutch”) and Best Dance/Electronic Album for (“Brat”).
Lady Gaga
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance went to Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars. Gaga used her acceptance speech to advocate for trans people stating that we all need love and to be uplifted.
“Trans people are not invisible. Trans people deserve love. The queer community deserves to be lifted up. Music is love. Thank you,” said Gaga.
No, thank you mother.
Last, but not least
It is also worth noting that our tried and true ally, Alicia Keys used her moment on the Grammys stage to advocate for the restoration of DEI initiatives.
“This is not the time to shut down the diversity of voices,” said Keys. “We’ve seen on this stage talented, hard-working people from different backgrounds, with different points of view, and it changes the game. DEI is not a threat, it’s a gift — and the more voices, the more powerful the sound.”
Music & Concerts
Gay Men’s Chorus starting the year with a cabaret
‘Postcards’ to be performed at CAMP Rehoboth

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington will perform “Postcards,” a cabaret, on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 5:00p.m. and 8:00p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium.
In this performance, the choir will share hilarious and heart-warming stories and songs about the travel adventures they’ve had and hope to have. Songs include “Midnight Train to Georgia,” “Streets of Dublin,” “Magic To Do,” “Home,” and “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” Tickets cost $35 and can be purchased on Camp Rehoboth’s website.
Music & Concerts
WMC’s ‘Comfort and Joy’ fuses drama, well-being, light
Soloist describes production as ‘reverent and beautiful’

‘Comfort and Joy’
Washington Master Chorale
Sunday, Dec. 22, 5 p.m.
Church of the Epiphany
1317 G St., N.W.
washingtonmasterchorale.org
With its warmth and unfettered imagination, it’s no surprise that the Washington Master Chorale’s enduringly popular winter program remains a holiday favorite.
This December the Washington Master Chorale (WMC), helmed by out artistic director Thomas Colohan presents “Comfort and Joy” a selection of British and American works like “Lute-Book Lullaby,” “I Saw Three Ships,” “Puer Natus” by Samuel Scheidt and “Hosanna to the Son of David” by Orlando Gibbons.
In addition to these Christmas classics, WMC will perform 2022 Florence Price Commission Winner Mason Bynes’s “Ephiphanytide” and Ēriks Ešenvalds’ “Northern Lights,” the firsthand accounts of arctic explorers Charles Francis Hall and Fridtjof Nansen and their experiences surrounding the fabled aurora borealis.
Described as “reverent and beautiful” by “Northern Lights” tenor soloist Opal Clyburn-Miller, “Comfort and Joy” fuses drama and well-being, and the import of light.
And as an artist who uses they/them pronouns, Clyburn-Miller says where classical music is concerned, “it seems people are put in their boxes and that’s where they stay.” They add, “there’s been some progress. It’s pretty much a traditional art form.”
With regard to their career, Clyburn-Miller, the Baltimore based Peabody Conservatory student, says the work usually comes through word of mouth: “You show up, you’re a good colleague and people want to work with you again.”
The solo piece, according to Colohan, is perfect for Clyburn-Miller. The soloist says in response: “Maybe I have the imagination to think of what Northern Lights might look like in Eastern Europe. I’ve never been that far north but I can put myself in that sense of wonder and astonishment.”
But the gig hasn’t been entirely without its tests. The lyrics are in Latvian, a new language for the meticulous singer.
“It’s been a bit tricky getting the Latvian down,” they say. “Usually in my singing experience, it’s been German, Italian and French, and I’m familiar with Spanish and some Hungarian and Russian, but this is entirely new.”
A perfect chorale venue requires easy parking; good acoustics; a concert level Steinway, and an excellent organ; a sanctuary wide enough to accommodate a 50-person chorale; and audience friendly loos, says Colohan.
The Church of Epiphany meets most if not all of these requirements.
Raised Catholic in Richmond, Colohan came out at Ohio’s progressive Oberlin Conservatory. Around this time, he remembers visiting Washington for a music educator’s conference and partying at JR.’s, Badlands, and other bars. He says, “I saw that D.C. had a huge population of clean-cut gay boys. That journey which started with me being gay, prompted me to ask questions.”
As WMC artistic director since 2009, Colohan, who lives with his partner in Silver Spring, became increasingly interested in secular poetry and literature, especially the ways in which it intersects with chorale music. For him, that became the heart of the art form.
“My secular approach is wider than some. I’m like the curator of the museum going down to the basement to bring some stuff up. You cannot hear the music if we don’t sing it.”
He’s remained conservative as an aesthetic but not an ethos. “I can wear a blazer and not be crazy right wing. Spiritually speaking, I’m Zen Buddhist now.”
A lot of the concert is about darkness and light. Colohan says, “In ancient times when the world became darker, the days leading to the solstice were scary and then on the 22nd they saw that days were getting longer and it was lighter.”
“Comfort and Joy” closes with a candle lit chorale memorably singing “Silent Night.”
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