Carolinas Best

NC Zoo's Newest Family

2012-01-29T10:19:00.002-05:00

A female hamadryas baboon (left) holds her new baby, which was born Saturday at the North Carolina Zoo, as the father looks on. The mother and her baby, named Babu (which means ancestor), are doing fine. Both can now be seen daily at the park's Africa Pavilion exhibit.
(NC Zoo photo by Jodi Wiley)

The Year of the Dragon

2012-01-20T12:45:00.002-05:00

Plan your Chinese New Year celebrations - all 15 days of them - with help from the Carolina Connoisseur: The Year of the Dragon

Chimp Born Jan.18 at NC Zoo

2012-01-18T11:15:00.000-05:00

Ebi, a chimpanzee born at the N.C. Zoo Monday, checks things out Wednesday. She is the 12th chimp born at the park since 1974. (NC Zoo photo by Jb Minter)

A baby chimpanzee was born at the North Carolina Zoo Monday evening, marking the 12th chimp birth at the park since its opening in 1974 and the second since August 2010.

Ebi, as the infant female has been named, was born to Tammy, a 41-year-old female who had previously given birth to Maki in March 1994.

Both mother and daughter are doing fine, and the mother is caring for the infant without any intervention from zoo staff members. The two are not on exhibit and will not be in the foreseeable future due to the cold weather and the infant-rearing process. According to General Curator Ken Reininger, it will be at least summer before the two will be on exhibit.

Seventeenth-month-old Nori, the zoo's youngest chimp before Ebi's arrival Monday, can be seen on exhibit daily--weather permitting.

Monday's birth brings the number of chimps in the N.C. Zoo to 12 and keeps the zoo's chimp troop as one of the largest in U.S. zoos.

NASCAR Fans Can Meet & Greet with Hall of Famers

2012-01-16T15:21:00.002-05:00

Fans Offered Intimate Meet & Greet with Hall of Famers

NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees to welcome small group tours Saturday, Jan. 21

A tour of the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a must for any race fan, but meeting a NASCAR Hall of Famer on that tour creates a memory that can be shared for generations.

Race fans will have that chance Saturday, Jan. 21 as NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductees meet with small groups before guided tours of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The tours and meet-and-greets with Inductees will be offered at the top of the hour from the main stage at the NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint in the Charlotte Convention Center.

"This is one of the truly special moments for race fans during NASCAR Acceleration Weekend," said Winston Kelley, executive director of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone to speak directly with the legends of our sport. They can talk about the moonshine days with Junior Johnson, ask Bobby Allison about the famous 1979 Daytona 500, debate the 1989 Winston finish with Darrell Waltrip, discover why the name Gentleman Ned is so applicable, ask Bud Moore about D-Day, or experience that famous Richard Petty smile in person."

Each group will be limited to the first 30 guests in line at the Main Stage in the Exhibit Hall. Entry is free to anyone with a NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Preview 2012 ticket. Combo tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance through Ticketmaster or at the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office.

Tours will leave at the top of every hour from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. with the exception of 1 p.m. After a brief on-stage interview, the Inductee will guide the group on a walk through the Convention Center to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Once the meet-and-greet concludes, the group will be given a guided tour of the 150,000-square-foot NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The meet-and-greet and tour schedule is:

10 a.m. Junior Johnson, Class of 2010

11 a.m. Ned Jarrett, Class of 2011

Noon Richard Petty, Class of 2010

1 p.m. Tours will not be given at 1 p.m. due to a DuPont news conference with Jeff Gordon and Richard Petty. Guests are invited to watch the news conference live in the Great Hall inside the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

2 p.m. Bud Moore, Class of 2011

3 p.m. Bobby Allison, Class of 2011

4 p.m. Darrell Waltrip, Class of 2012

*Subject to Change

NASCAR Acceleration Weekend is highlighted by the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2012 Inductees Richie Evans, Dale Inman, Darrell Waltrip, Glen Wood and Cale Yarborough Friday, Jan. 20.

On Saturday, Jan. 21 NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint will offer a festival-like experience for fans that features driver autograph and question-and-answer sessions, show car appearances, simulators, games and more.

The weekend activities will conclude with the unveiling of the Class of 2012 Inductee Tribute exhibit in the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Sunday, Jan. 22.

Combo tickets for NASCAR Hall of Fame and NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint start at $20. NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony tickets start at $40 and include Hall admission. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nascaracceleration2012.com or call 1-800-745-3000.
www.NASCARHall.com.

--
Renee Wright
704-968-3800

Author of Countryman Press' 2008 "Great Destinations: A Complete Guide to NC's Outer Banks and Crystal Coast" and "The Explorer's Guide to Virginia Beach, Richmond and Hampton Roads" released Oct., 2010, and "The Explorer's Guide to Myrtle Beach and the Carolina Beaches" scheduled for publication, Summer 2011.
http://www.countrymanpress.com

Sitatunga Herd Growing at NC Zoo

2012-01-09T11:20:00.000-05:00

Zelda, a sitatunga calf, a shaggy-coated antelope species, is the offspring of the first sitatunga calf born at the zoo after the opening of the Watani Grasslands Reserve exhibit in early 2008.

Considered a medium-sized antelope, sitatungas are highly specialized for spending much of their life in the papyrus swamps of Africa. Elongated hooves and flexible foot joints enable them to stand and walk on mud and floating islands of vegetation that would be almost inaccessible to other animals.

They are excellent swimmers and can dive deep enough to submerge their entire body when escaping and hiding from predators, leaving only their nose exposed at the surface.

Fayetteville Dogwood Festival wins top honors

2011-12-08T14:02:00.000-05:00

Each year, the 100,000+ people who attend the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival provides a wealth of entertainment: a street fair, concerts by major performers, a carnival, arts & crafts and more. Two industry organizations recently honored the festival with major awards.

At its 56^th Annual Convention in Fort Worth, TX, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) awarded the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival Gold awards for Best Social Media Site and Best Promotional Brochure. Additionally, IFEA recognized the festival with a Gold Grand Pinnacle Award as the "Event of the Year."

A month later, at the Southeast Tourism Society's fall meeting in New Orleans, the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival received a Shining Example award as the Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year.

The 2012 Fayetteville Dogwood Festival runs from April 27-29 in Fayetteville. "Experience our History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling while taking in the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival" says John Meroski, CEO of the Fayetteville Area Convention Visitors Bureau. "We invite all to visit the festival and spend time exploring our community."

Plan your visit to greater Fayetteville at www.VisitFayettevilleNC.com

Holiday events at Reynolda House in Winston-Salem

2011-11-30T08:32:00.000-05:00

Candlelight Guided Tours | December 8, 9, 10 Offered every half hour, 4:30-7 p.m.
These hour-long evening tours of the historic house feature period decorations, carols on the Aeolian organ, archival Christmas cards and letters, and new stories about a Reynolds family holiday. You can also take advantage of holiday shopping in the Museum Store. Ticket includes Modern Masters from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Advanced purchase recommended by calling 336.758.5150. Thursday 4:30 and 5 p.m. tours are sold out! Members/students $12, non-members $18

Holiday Pops Concert: Carolina Brass
December 17, 3 p.m.
As a national touring ensemble, Carolina Brass has quickly become the premier brass ensemble in the Southeast. From the elegance and grace of classical pieces to the hard-driving sound of the Big Band era, Carolina Brass takes audiences on a musical sleigh ride through favorites of the season. Their winning combination of virtuosity and humor is a fresh approach to great music of all types, engaging audiences in a vibrant and energizing musical experience.
Members/students $10, non-members $15

Play: A Christmas MemoryDecember 22, 3 p.m.
Truman Capote's much-loved story is performed by Robin Voiers in an original adaptation. The play, a heartwarming view of the holidays in simpler times, will mark its 25th anniversary at Reynolda House this year. Members/students $8, non-members $12

Reynolda House Museum of American Art
2250 Reynolda Road • Winston-Salem, NC 27106
336.758.5150 • 888.663.1149 toll-free
reynoldahouse.org

Charlotte Uptown Tree Lighting Thurs. 12/1 at 5:30pm

2011-11-29T12:59:00.000-05:00

Lights on the Square

Celebrate Holidays in the City

What: Tree Lighting Ceremony

Where: The Square (Trade & Tryon Street)

When: December 1, 2011

5:30-8:00pm

Uptown Charlotte's official Christmas tree will be lit for the season on Thursday evening, December 1^st with a free event. It will feature holiday music, dance, strolling performers and singers, Santa Claus and more! This is part of the Holidays in the City festivities in Uptown Charlotte. Your host is Brendan Croghan from KISS 95.1.

Holiday activities will take place on all four corners of the Square. Details are below.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Corporate Plaza @ Founder's Hall
5:30-6:15pm Nutcracker Performance

6:00pm         "Million Dollar Quartet" Performance
6:20pm         Tree Lighting Ceremony Begins
6:30pm         Tree is Lit!
6:45-8:00pm Charlotte Jazz Orchestra

Disc Plaza
5:30-8:00pm: Radio Music from K104.7 your official Christmas station of Charlotte will play classic holiday music to get everyone in the mood. Also, enter your name into a drawing for a chance to win a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. Visit HolidaysInTheCity.org for the K104.7 Elf Tour schedule, complete rules and continuing chances to win a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. Also, the Charlotte Bobcats will be there to greet you.

Polk Park
5:30-8:00pm: Get your picture with Santa and meet the elves as you wait for your picture to be taken.

Independence Plaza (Outside NEW Northeastern University Campus Location)
5:30-8:00pm: ACC mascots meet & greet!

Visit www.findyourcenter.com for more event information

Talking Turkey at Charlotte Nature Museum

2011-11-16T16:41:00.001-05:00

Talking Turkey
Turkey Trivia and more at Charlotte Nature Museum

Charlotte, NC – Snoods, wattles, beards and spurs? Strut your stuff alongside Thanksgiving's most notable guest, the turkey, and learn about special turkey talents and characteristics during Charlotte Nature Museum November Creature Feature: Turkey Talk on Saturday, November 19, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

It might ruffle your feathers to know that only males display the famous fanlike tail, and tousled feathers commonly associated with domesticated turkeys [Meleagris gallopavo]. Female turkeys lay 4 to 17 eggs and feed their chicks after they hatch—but only for a few days. This noble fowl, domesticated by Native Americans more than 1,500 years before Christopher Columbus and his crew sailed to the New World, has been a favored holiday food for centuries. Did you know that turkeys can dash up to 18 miles per hour – faster than an Olympic runner – and that their gobbles can be heard a mile away?

Several fine feathered friends from partridges (Perdix perdix) to Carolina Waterfowl Rescue's turkey will make a special visit to Charlotte Nature Museum during Turkey Talk for little ones to meet and greet. Turkey trivia will be something to cluck about as you learn funny facts like why female turkeys have beards.

Flock to story time for feathery tales including "Turkey Pox" by Laurie Halse Anderson, "Sometimes it's Turkey – Sometimes it's Feathers" by Lorna Balian and "'Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving" by Dav Pilkey. Make sure to stop by for "The Unloveables" Puppet Show and take the time to give thanks to someone special by making them a thumbprint turkey thank-you note in The Naturalist Lab.

Creature Features, presented by Earth Fare with support from The Guild of Discovery Place and Charlotte Nature Museum, are monthly special events and include crafts, Puppet Shows, storytelling and refreshments (while supplies last). Creature Feature activities are FREE with Museum admission. Admission: $6 ages two and older, younger-than-two and Members are free. Parking is free.

Charlotte Nature Museum is located at 1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte. Hours are: Tuesday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday noon –

5:00 p.m.; and closed on Monday.

Charlotte Nature Museum offers visitors the chance to get close to wildlife and walk among free-flying butterflies in Butterfly Pavilion, observe live animals in Creature Cavern, buzz by Insect Alley or just hang out in Our Big Backyard. Visitors can learn together during workshops, summer camps and more. Daily programming including hands-on activities provide the opportunity for structured learning and informal play for kids of all ages. Charlotte Nature Museum is operated by Discovery Place, Inc.

November Events at museums around North Carolina

2011-11-16T16:32:00.001-05:00

Museum Events From Around the State… October 31, 2011

1). Airborne & Special Operations Museum (http://www.asomf.org/) To celebrate Heroes Homecoming, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation will be hosting many different events beginning Saturday, November 5, and running through Friday, November 14. On November 6 at 8am The Vietnam Moving Wall will be escorted to the museum by the Fayetteville Police Department and NC Rolling Thunder Chapter 1. At 3pm a Salute to Veterans ceremony will officially open the Parade Field, featuring flags representing veterans from all services. The Vietnam Moving Wall will also be open to the public at this time.

2). N.C. Department of Cultural Resources (http://www.ncdcr.gov/) Heroic tales and valiant feats are depicted in images that reflect North Carolina's dedication to the war in the "Freedom, Sacrifice, Memory: Civil War Sesquicentennial Photography Exhibit" (www.nccivilwar150.com). The Onslow County Public Library in Jacksonville and the Transylvania County Public Library in Brevard will host the exhibit from Nov. 1-29, sharing images and stories that capture the history and people of the Civil War (1861-1865).

3). Maria V. Howard Arts Center (www.imperialcentre.org) On November 5, 2011, join artist Catherine Jordan in making an embroidered journal cover. This class introduces fabric painting, a few detail stitches and easy finishing techniques to create a journal for yourself or as a gift. Fabric painting adds depth and beauty as a landscape backdrop for surface embroidery, and a beautiful eyelet band adorns the top of the sampler. The project covers a diminutive journal 3" x 4". The workshop will begin at 9:00 am on November 5^th and end at 4:00pm. The workshop fee is $35 with a $40 material fee paid to the instructor.

4). President James K. Polk State Historic Site (http://www.nchistoricsites.org/polk/polk.htm) Join us Saturday November 5 for the "Polk Birthday Celebration". This living history program will bring back to life the Polk family of Mecklenburg County in November 1795, when James K. Polk was born. Activities will include open hearth cooking, children's toys and games, woodworking, and musket firing demonstrations. Visitors will have a chance to see some of the types of animals found on a 18th century farm. The site will also host the blue grass band the Flat Possum Hoppers who will be playing out on the grounds. Clay artist Rick Crowley will be on site giving demonstrations and selling hand crafted pieces. There will be a craft area for children, and of course birthday cake!

5). N.C. Museum of History (http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/) The "Celebrate NC History Festival" on Saturday, Nov. 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. kicks off the largest exhibit ever at the N.C. Museum of History. "The Story of North Carolina" highlights more than 14,000 years of the state's history. Part One of this permanent exhibit opened in April, and now the entire exhibit will be complete. Admission to the festival and the exhibit is free, and weekend parking is free. Award-winning musicians, storytellers, dance groups, authors, craftspeople, re-enactors and other presenters will capture the flavor and diversity of the Tar Heel State. There will be something for all ages.

6). Waterworks Visual Arts Center (http://www.waterworks.org/) will host gallery guest speaker Dr. Sharon D. Raynor on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 at 7 pm. Dr. Raynor's oral history project "Breaking the Silence: The Unspoken Brotherhood of Vietnam Veterans" is a powerful addendum to the exhibition "Imprints". Her oral history highlights the war experiences of Vietnam veterans of North Carolina. Funded by the NC Humanities Council, her program explores the concepts of trauma, silence, healing, and recovery.

7). Asheville Art Museum (http://www.ashevilleart.org/) will host a symposium and panel discussion on the unique traditions, contemporary issues and future challenges of Southeastern basketry from Friday, November 4 – Sunday, November 6, 2011. Admission for events taking place at the Museum Friday through Saturday is $20 for Museum Members and students (including college students with valid school ID), and $30 for non-Members. Admission for a half-day trip to Cherokee, NC on Sunday, November 4, is $25 for Members and non-Members. Advanced registration for the day trip to Cherokee by Friday, October 28th, is requested.

8). Rockingham County Historical Society (http://www.rockinghamcountyhistory.com/) Wright Tavern's "Restoration Celebration" is being held November 5^th from 10 am to 3pm. Come join us to celebrate this achievement. Get a glimpse of the past. Activities include games, live animals, exhibitors, food, and history. Come trace your family's history with the genealogy folks from "Family Search". Learn to make candles with the Mayodan Moravian Church. Let Frank Bray show you how our ancestors smoked meat and sample some, win homemade desserts in the cake walk, watch quilting, pottery, and hearth cooking demonstrations, pan for gems with the Rockingham County Mineral Club, and much more.

9). SECCA (http://secca.org/) is going to stretch your notions of fashion on Nov. 3. Imagine a dress wrapped around a canoe, models encased in beautifully-tailored pods, unraveled suits - seam by seam, and a wig made of fabric tentacles. SECCA is an affiliate of the N.C. Museum of Art, within the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources. From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday Nov. 3, SECCA is celebrating the opening of three exhibitions which include these works and many others. Enjoy performance art, music, food and friends and mingle with exhibiting artists at this free event.

10). Turchin Center for the Visual Arts (www.tcva.org/) Connect through the Arts by stopping by our November First Friday! This month, we are celebrating two artists and one new exhibition. Visit our website or call 828-262-3017 to learn more about the times and featured artists!

11). NC Digital Heritage Center (http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncdhc/) is pleased to announce a new digital collection at the North Carolina Digital Heritage Center: "North Carolina Samplers", now open for contributions from museums and archives across the state. This new online collection will feature images of historic needlepoint samplers held by cultural heritage organizations in North Carolina. Museums and archival collections are invited to contribute images of samplers from their own collections. You can submit existing digital images, or talk with us about how we can help photograph samplers from your collection.

NC Zoo Elephant Eye Surgery

2011-11-16T11:28:00.000-05:00

Surgical experts from the N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine teamed up with N.C. Zoo veterinary staff and keepers to perform eye surgery on the zoo's male elephant C'sar. N.C. Zoo Photo by Diane Villa.

C'sar, the North Carolina Zoo's oldest male elephant and one of the park's most well-known animals, underwent successful cataract surgery, an unusual procedure for elephants.

The 37-year-old African bull, who has been a N.C. Zoo celebrity since arriving in 1978 at age four, has been suffering from cataracts in both eyes since 2010. As a result, the elephant's sight had deteriorated to the point that he has not been on exhibit since March 2011.

The four-hour surgical procedure was performed in the zoo's elephant barn by a team of specialists from the N.C. State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The team was led by Dr. Richard McMullen and had originally included plans to install a specially created artificial lens. But tissue damaged caused in the left eye by the cataract over the years would not have provided enough support for the replacement lens, McMullen said. If successful, it would have been the first artificial lens transplant ever performed on an elephant, McMullen added.

According to N.C. Zoo Chief Veterinarian Dr. Mike Loomis, removal of the cataract leaves C'sar with improved vision, although the animal will be farsighted without the lens transplant. The opportunity to perform similar surgery on the right eye remains an option for the future after keepers and veterinary staff have time to observe the elephant's recovery and improvement, Loomis said. C'sar's return to exhibit will also depend on his recovery level with no definite timetable, the veterinarian added.

Pachyderm Pumpkin Pounding at the NC Zoo

2011-10-30T16:12:00.001-05:00

The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro is always fun to visit... but do the animals who live there ever get to party?

The answer is yes, thanks to the zookeepers' animal enrichment programs, including the annual "Pachyderm Pumpkin Pounding" held around Halloween every year.

Elephants, baboons and lemurs all get the chance to pound, pulverize and eventually partake of pumpkins in their exhibits

According to zookeepers, the pumpkins provide both mental and physical stimulation for the animals, allowing them to manipulate the giant vegetables and experience their taste and smell.

The North Carolina Zoo is located on Zoo Parkway (N.C. 159) six miles southeast of Asheboro off U.S. 220 and U.S. 64. Admission is $12 for adults, $8 for children 2-12 and $10 for seniors 62-and-over and college students. Operating hours through October are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Winter hours of 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. daily begin Nov. 1.

Visit the NC Zoo website for more information.

Annual Boo at the Zoo Halloween Celebration

2011-10-26T10:33:00.000-05:00

The North Carolina Zoo's daytime Halloween celebration, Boo at the Zoo, will feature games, treats and contests each day. (NC Zoo photo)

The North Carolina Zoo concludes its month-long ZooFEST 2011 with Boo at the Zoo, its 21st annual daytime Halloween celebration for kids of all ages.

On both Saturday and Sunday, the zoo will come alive with two magical days of family entertainment featuring games, trick-or-treating and costume contests. The two-day activity runs from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day in the Africa and North America plazas.

All children are encouraged to wear their Halloween best. At the Africa Amphitheater, judges will award prizes each day in three age categories for best costumes: infant through age 3, ages 4-7 and ages 8-12. Costume-contest registration begins at 1 p.m. both days, and contestants take the stage for judges at the Africa Amphitheater at 2 p.m.

Adult costumes, adult masks or adult face painting are not allowed inside the park.

Additional entertainment will include guessing the weight of a pumpkin and kids' face painting, along with African storyteller Fred Motley, Rick Hubbard's Kazoobie Show and Magic by Chaz. Radio Disney will entertain with a booth in the North America Plaza from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. each day. Also this year, Music Emporium will feature drum circles and crafts.

NC Zoo Exhibit Wins Landscape Award

2011-10-25T11:39:00.000-05:00

A five-foot long honey bee is just one of the delights of the N.C. Zoo's award-winning Honey Bee Garden exhibit.(NC Zoo photo)

The North Carolina Zoo's Honey Bee Garden exhibit recently received an Award of Merit from the North Carolina Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (NCASLA) at the society's fall conference in Concord.

Joanna Lelekacs, the landscape designer responsible for the exhibit's site plan, accepted the award for the zoo and the design firm, Swanson & Associates, Carrboro.

The exhibit is designed around a garden setting for the purpose of educating the general public about honey bees and the economic and environmental role these small insects play in the natural and cultivated landscape.

The North Carolina State Beekeepers Association (NCSBA) was instrumental in establishing this exhibit at the N.C. Zoo as an opportunity to reach large numbers of school children and the general public. NCSBA not only raised $243,000 for exhibit construction, but also provided resources and volunteers and participated in the design process, providing valuable insights that assisted the designers in creating an inviting space to both educate and be educated about honey bees.

The exhibit, in a natural forested setting in the central part of the zoo, includes a pavilion building with an instructional and programming area for local beekeepers and zoo educators. The exhibit is surrounded by honey-bee food source plants, predominantly those native to North Carolina.

Zoo Event Highlights Bats

2011-10-19T10:34:00.000-05:00

Bats, like this vampire bat, will be featured Saturday during Batology at ZooFEST 2011 at the N.C. Zoo.(NC Zoo photo)

On Saturday, Oct. 22, zoo visitors can discover the good nature of bats during the park's Batology event at the Sonora Desert exhibit.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 3:30 with a vampire-bat feeding and talk. There will also be educational displays, information about native bats and a children's activity area with games and prizes.

Puppet Extravaganza at NC Zoo

2011-10-05T11:50:00.000-05:00

Giant puppets, puppet parades and puppet-making crafts for children will be featured at the puppet extravaganza at the N.C. Zoo Saturday. (Paperhand Puppet Intervention photo)

On Saturday, Oct. 8, as part of ZooFEST 2011, the group Paperhand Puppet Intervention leads two parades of giant puppets at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the North America bridge. Visitors of all ages are invited to participate in the parades by carrying some of the magnificent puppets.

From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., children can take part in puppet-making crafts in the North America and Africa plazas. The children can then bring their hand-made puppets and march along in the two parades.

Since 1998, Paperhand Puppet Intervention has used cardboard, corn starch, bamboo, old house paints and other assorted junk to create giant puppets, masks, shadow plays and performances for all ages. They tell stories, beat drums, paint cardboard, sew cloth and carry heavy things. Their parades, pageants and shows are "celebrations for everyone to enjoy...expressions of our love, for the earth and its creatures."

NC Zoo Exhibit Wins National Award

2011-09-29T10:35:00.000-05:00

The N.C. Zoo's educational display 'Plug Into the Future' was an award winner at this year's American Graphic Design Awards. (NC Zoo photo)

The North Carolina Zoo's Solar Pointe energy exhibit recently won a Certificate of Excellence in the category of exhibit signage at the 2011 American Graphic Design Awards competition. Located beneath the zoo's three solar panel arrays, this visually exciting exhibit focuses on energy.

The exhibit, entitled "Plug Into the Future," is playfully designed with bright colors, an interactive touch-screen featuring videos and games, and oversized iconic elements to attract attention.

One oversized element, a huge electric plug, comes down from the roof of the solar panel array to convey the idea that our electricity comes from the sun. Touch-screen games guide visitors through better energy decision-making and suggest actions to take to increase energy efficiency. Since the exhibit is located at a popular picnic area for school groups having their lunches, several of the games use the metaphor of food to help convey the ideas.

Nik, a gorilla at the NC Zoo, celebrates his birthday

2011-09-26T10:40:00.000-05:00

-Nik, a male gorilla at the North Carolina Zoo, discovers his frozen-treat birthday cake and presents when he first came outside today on his 20th birthday. The presents were also his favorite frozen treats. Beside the cake was a birthday card signed by dozens of zoo visitors. (NC Zoo photo)

Polar bear exhibit under renovation at NC Zoo

2011-09-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

An Asheboro High School Zoo School student writes a good-bye note to Willie the polar bear at the North Carolina Zoo today (Friday). Nearly 90 other Zoo School students visited the bear later in the day to write their notes. Willie will be taken off exhibit in preparation for his departure to the Milwaukee Zoo for about two years while the zoo's polar-bear exhibit undergoes extensive renovations." (NC Zoo photo)

Plant sale at NC Zoo

2011-09-14T10:37:00.000-05:00

Orchids, along with perennials, shrubs, trees and some tropicals, will be featured at the N.C. Zoo's plant sale Saturday, Sept. 17. (NC Zoo photo)

The North Carolina Zoo's Horticulture Division will hold a public plant sale Saturday, Sept. 17, from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. in the North America Parking lot at the Stedman Education Building.

The sale features bargain prices on hardy perennials, shrubs, orchids, trees and some tropicals.
Proceeds from the sale will go to help the Tooro Botanical Garden in Fort Portal, Uganda. For several years, the N.C. Zoo has partnered with the Tooro Garden in plant conservation and education programs in that African nation.

N.C. Zoo helps Libya's Tripoli Zoo

2011-09-06T10:38:00.000-05:00

The North Carolina Zoo, working with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the World Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and several other international animal welfare organizations, is leading an effort to provide funds to assist animals in the Tripoli Zoo in the capital city of war-torn Libya.

N.C. Zoo Director Dr. David Jones is spearheading the effort to raise up to $100,000 to pay for animal food, the most pressing need for the zoo at this time, according to sources in Libya. Television reports from CNN and MSNBC as well as a number of international print articles last week documented the plight of animals in the Tripoli Zoo where civil war has left the animals short of food and water.

According to information obtained from animal welfare organizations in nearby Egypt and other sources, the water problem had improved by the end of last week. But money for animal food is not readily available and only about a one-week food supply was on hand at the zoo.

Jones is working with the Boston-based International Fund for Animal Welfare, which has recently been successful in providing some funds to Tripoli Zoo officials, to determine the best means for getting funds to the Libyan zoo. In addition, he is in discussions with CNN to enlist help from the cable TV network with news crews in Tripoli to help provide assistance.

Jones worked for many years with zoos in the Middle East during his 25-year tenure with the London Zoo before moving to North Carolina in 1993. He has previously led successful international fundraising efforts for Afghanistan's Kabul Zoo in 2001 and Iraq' s Baghdad Zoo in 2003.

News coverage has indicated that the zoo's buildings and infrastructure remain in fairly good condition, unlike the war damage to zoos in Kabul and Baghdad. Electricity is also reportedly available at the zoo, although service has been lost intermittently. But there are no immediate plans to send personnel into Tripoli due to the remaining concern over security, Jones said.

As it did for the Kabul and Baghdad zoos, the N.C. Zoological Society, the N.C. Zoo's private support organization, will again administer the funds for the Tripoli Zoo effort. Contributions should be marked for the "Tripoli Zoo" and may be sent to: N.C. Zoo Society, 4403 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, N.C. 27205. In addition, donations via credit card can be made beginning Thursday, September 8, on the Zoo Society's website at www.nczoo.com.

Fwd: NC Zoo photo & caption

2011-09-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

Wilhelm, a polar bear at the North Carolina Zoo, stays cool in his chilled pool. He will leave for the Milwaukee Zoo in mid-September while his exhibit goes through a two-year expansion that will nearly triple its size. (NC Zoo photo)

Olympia, a new female gorilla, arrives at NC Zoo

2011-08-29T10:38:00.000-05:00

Olympia, a 16-year-old gorilla newly arrived at the North Carolina Zoo, examines her surroundings on her first day on exhibit. She arrived from Zoo Atlanta and is undergoing routine introductions with the zoo's three other gorillas. (NC Zoo photo)

N.C. Zoo Loses Male Chimpanzee

2011-08-25T10:39:00.000-05:00

"Hondo," a 36-year-old male chimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoo is shown in a photo taken earlier this year with "Nori," a female chimp born at the zoo in August 2010. N.C. Zoo photo by Tom Gillespie.

The North Carolina Zoo lost one of its most senior and well-know residents Thursday afternoon when "Hondo," a 36-year-old male chimpanzee, died in the zoo's BB&T Kitera Forest chimpanzee exhibit.

According to Zoo Chief Veterinarian Dr. Mike Loomis, the cause of Hondo's death was amyloidosis, a condition in which proteins are abnormally deposited in organs squeezing out normal tissues. Hondo had been diagnosed with the disease in 2004, Loomis said, and had nearly been lost several times since then as the illness most prominently affected the chimpanzee's liver. A necropsy, or animal autopsy, conducted Thursday evening at the zoo's Hanes Veterinary Medcial Center confirmed the cause of death.

Keepers sighted Hondo around 4 p.m. Thursday lying down and unresponsive in a grassy moat at the rear of the half-acre chimpanzee habitat, an area where he could not easily be seen from visitor overlooks. After luring the other chimpanzees in the 11-member troop into their off-exhibit holding facilities, keepers were able to enter the exhibit and confirm that Hondo had passed away.

Hondo had been transferred to the N.C. Zoo from the Philadelphia Zoo in April 1978 and was a favorite because of his frequent interactions with visitors, according to keepers. He was the oldest male and the fourth oldest member of the chimpanzee troop behind females Terri (age 42), Ruthie (40) and Maggie (38).

Injured eagle treated at NC Zoo

2011-08-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

Jb Minter, a vet resident at the North Carolina Zoo, checks a bald eagle at the zoo's wildlife rehabilitation center. The injured eagle was brought to the center in late June to be treated for lead poisoning. The eagle, found now to be in good condition, left the zoo today for the Carolina Raptor Center near Charlotte where there is room for it to test its wings. Zoo veterinarians want to eventually bring the eagle back to the zoo, where it will be released into the wild. (NC Zoo photo)

Nori, a chimpanzee at the NC Zoo, turns one

2011-07-28T11:13:00.000-05:00

Nori, a chimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoo, celebrated her first birthday at the park, where she has begun assimilating into the troop of 11 others. Zoo visitors can view her most days, weather permitting. (NC Zoo photo)

Elephants keep cool at the NC Zoo

2011-07-23T10:41:00.000-05:00

An elephant at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro finds a way Friday to beat temperatures expected to reach the high 90s across much of the state. (NC Zoo photo by Tom Gillespie)

Nori and her mother at the NC Zoo

2011-07-06T11:16:00.000-05:00

Nori, a chimpanzee born at the North Carolina Zoo in August, hangs onto her adoptive mother. She can be seen daily, weather permitting, at the zoo. (NC Zoo photo)

July Events at Museums around North Carolina, 2011

2011-07-06T09:26:00.000-05:00

NCMC Events From Around the State… July 5, 2011

1). Greensboro: Weatherspoon Art Museum (http://weatherspoon.uncg.edu/) Marking the sixth year anniversary of the devastation that swept through New Orleans, the Weatherspoon presents a video installation, "A Man Screaming Is Not a Dancing Bear" (2008) by Jennifer Allora and Guillermo Calzadilla. The artistic duo creates metaphors for political and social issues through alternative interpretations of cultural materials, particularly music and musical instruments. "A Man Screaming Is Not a Dancing Bear" integrates film footage shot by the artists in New Orleans and the Mississippi delta, where hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in 2005, with the rhythmic drumming of jazz. Through Sept. 18^th.

2). Wilmington: Cameron Art Museum (http://www.cameronartmuseum.com/) presents "Music in the Courtyard: El Jaye Johnson & The Port City All-Stars", on Thurs. July 7, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm. Program admission: CAM Members and students: $5.00, Non-members: $10.00. El Jaye Johnson & The Port City All-Stars features the drum and percussion section extensively and explore a "mixed bag" of genres, including jazz, blues, funk, R&B, reggae, Latin, Caribbean, and Afro-Cuban all intertwined with simple melodic phrasings and complex syncopation. Simply put, "A mind boggling, toe-tapping, hand-clapping, musical experience." Music held outdoors weather permitting, inside if not.

3). Chapel Hill: North Carolina Collection Gallery (http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/gallery.html) In 1939, world-renowned etcher Louis Orr embarked on what came to be a twelve-year undertaking to produce a set of fifty-one etchings of important North Carolina buildings and sites. Marking the sixtieth anniversary of the set's completion, the NCC Gallery presents an exhibition of 30 of the etchings, with original drawings, etching plates, and letters and photographs documenting the project.

4). Raleigh: N.C. Museum of History (http://ncmuseumofhistory.org/) The N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh launched the online exhibit "A Change Is Gonna Come: Black, Indian and White Voices for Racial Equality" on Friday, July 1. Accessible at www.nccivilrights.org, the exhibit highlights the experiences of courageous Tar Heels in the struggle for equal rights for all North Carolinians. Focusing mainly on the years 1865 to the 1980s, the exhibit gives voice to the individuals and communities who challenged a system of oppression based on race.

5). Winston-Salem: SECCA (http://www.secca.org/) presents "People's Biennial" from July 9 – September 18, 2011. Organized by Independent Curators International (ICI), Curated by Harrell Fletcher and Jens Hoffmann. "People's Biennial" is a bright, lively and irreverent platform to address the question of what being an "outsider" means today as an artist, an institution and a city. Featuring unique artists from five cities across the United States (Portland, OR; Rapid City, SD; Winston-Salem, NC; Scottsdale, AZ; Haverford, PA), this nationally-touring exhibition celebrates creativity that lives vibrantly, but inconspicuously outside the mainstream.

6). Wilmington: Battleship NORTH CAROLINA (http://www.battleshipnc.com/) presents "Navigate: Battleship 101" a NC Dept. of Cultural Resources 2nd Saturday Program on Saturday, July 9, 2011 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Ship volunteers stationed throughout the ship will engage visitors in specific subjects and areas including: gunnery, radar, sickbay, galley, engineering, and daily shipboard life. Free with Battleship admission.

7). Highlands: The Bascom (http://www.thebascom.org/) Photographer Greg Newington returns to The Bascom for "On Assignment: Photographing Local Color" on Friday and Saturday, July 8-9. Student will experience a day in the life of a photojournalist, starting with receiving their assignment in a sealed envelope and returning with the finished photo for the "editor desk". "Grounded in Nature: Paper", a three-dimensional handcrafted sculpture by Charleston based paper artist Jocelyn Chateauvert runs from July 1-September 4. This exhibition in the Loft Gallery, is sponsored by Frances Bunzl.

8). Beaufort: North Carolina Maritime Museum (http://www.ncmaritimemuseum.org/beaufort.html) presents "Shackleford Banks: Horses, Hiking and Heritage". Experience Outer Banks heritage and wildlife with a guided hike on Shackelford Island. Reservations are required. There is a $25 fee.

9). Elizabeth City: Port Discover (http://www.portdiscover.org/) Naturalists with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences bring live animals to Port Discover for "Animal Tracks and Signs," Port Discover's Second Saturday Science program, on Saturday, July 9 at 11:00 am. Learn how to use your senses to uncover the different clues left behind by animals and meet some of the animals you might encounter in your own backyard.

10). Halifax: Historic Halifax State Historic Site (http://www.nchistoricsites.org/halifax/halifax.htm) Since eating good food and visiting friends are two popular North Carolina pastimes, Historic Halifax State Historic Site suggests that families pack a picnic when they come to visit July 9 in the second installment of the popular three-part program "2nd Saturdays." The theme for July is "Market Day." Participants include: local farmers offering produce and food items; James Pender, with handcrafted tin items; Ellis Vaughan, with cane and rush chair seats; and Lynn Boyd, a local author whose book, "The Awakened Heart," is set in Halifax at a market fair.

11). Mount Airy: Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org) presents "Toast and Jam" on Saturday, July 9, 5 – 7 p.m. Good Wine and Good Music all set in the museum's picturesque courtyard. This FREE monthly program sponsored by B & L Custom Jewelers is scheduled for the second Saturday of each month (May-October), from 5-7 p.m. It will showcase a number of the region's wineries as well as local musical talent. The wineries will be offering wine tastings and sales, along with a brief educational program about their wines between musical sets. An added feature this year will be live broadcasts by WSYD. In July, Round Peak Vineyards will be the featured winery with blues music provided by Reggie Johnson.

Reynolda Farm Tours Sundays, July 10 & 17 @ 2 p.m.

2011-07-06T09:15:00.000-05:00

One of Winston-Salem's treasures offer rare tours of its farm heritage the next few Sundays.

In 1917, Reynolda was seen as the experimental farm to which students of agriculture, dairy production, and animal husbandry in this region would look for the newest and best farming methods. Enjoy a two-hour walking tour of the barns, dairy, and staff quarters, and listen to oral histories of the people who lived and worked on the estate.

Tickets are $15; $10 members/students. Tickets are available in person at the Museum starting at 1:30 p.m. on tour days. Call 336.758.5150 for more information.

For a complete list of upcoming events, visit the Calendar of Events.
facebook.com/RHMAA

Reynolda House Museum of American Art

2250 Reynolda Road • Winston-Salem, NC 27106
336.758.5150 • 888.663.1149 toll-free

Affiliated with Wake Forest University
Supported by the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County
reynoldahouse.org

Pilobolus at Durham's American Dance Festival: A Review

2011-07-05T09:23:00.022-05:00

Pilobolus: 40 Years Young

(Friday, July 1, 2011 at DPAC)

For four decades, Pilobolus has wowed audiences at the American Dance Festival, held each summer in Durham, NC.

Since its establishment in 1971, years filled with trend-setting choreography and world-spanning tours, much has changed. The original founders of the company, now approaching retirement age, rarely appear on stage. From being considered "outsider" art, their brand of dance theater has gone mainstream, featured in numerous commercials, and inspiring certain aspects of the sort of performance art popularized by the Blue Man Group and Cirque de Soleil.

As the decades began to add up, many fans wondered how Pilobolus could continue coming up with exciting, fresh ideas and amazing feats of physical prowess.

The physical demands of the company's works go well beyond what is normally thought of as dance. Members, male and female, lift and carry each other for extended periods of time with seeming ease. Most of the group's "signature moves" involve impressive physical strength.

Pilobolus has met the physical challenge by recruiting enthusiastic and dedicated young dancers, many of them first exposed to the troop during the annual American Dance Festival residency, and teaching them the unique company style. Judging from the superb physical condition and athletic ability demonstrated by the dancers on the DPAC stage Friday night, this training program is a huge success.

In 2007, the company, always based on creative collaboration, answered the "fresh idea" question by beginning the International Collaborators Project, teaming with artists from many fields to create innovative choreography. Since 2008, Pilobolus has worked with puppeteer Basil Twist, Israeli choreographers Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak, and cartoonist Art Spiegelman.

The 2011 program at ADF continued the series, presenting collaborations with three different groups, creating an evening of amazing diversity.

All Is Not Lost (2011)

All Is Not Lost, the most engaging of the new works, is a collaboration with award-winning video artist Trish Sie (www.bigbadtrish.com) and Ok Go, a band best known for its viral music videos. Sie, whose brother is lead singer with Ok Go (www.okgo.net), choreographed and filmed the band's best known work, the so-called "treadmill dance" video. Titled "Here It Goes Again," the YouTube hit won a 2007 Grammy Award for best short-form music video.

One of Sie's methods includes using a single fixed video camera to capture a dance shot in a single take as the performers move into and out of the frame. First used in "Here It Goes Again," the technique is used to great effect in the collaboration with Pilobolus. A single video camera lies on the stage pointing straight up. Above it, a huge glass table provides a stage where the dancers, dressed in bright blue leotards, crawl, wiggle and squirm across the surface. The resulting video goes straight to the huge screen occupying the left half of the stage.

Which leaves the audience member with a dilemma - what to watch? The screen? Or the stage?

We found the video images mesmerizing: the glass surface gave many of the dancers' movements the appearance of swimming or gliding weightlessly through space. Bodies formed and reformed to create an abstract masterpiece of shifting perspectives.

But frequent glances at the stage revealed the equally fascinating choreography behind the images. Like a close-up lens, the video method revealed new views of many Pilobolus classics such as walking a path of hands or the soles of upturned feet. Other moments recalled the kaleidoscopic choreography, shot from above, found in Busby Berkeley films.

Fun, colorful, and light-hearted, this piece seemed like the audience favorite of the evening - and was ours as well.

Seraph (2010)

Seraph, another collaborative work, this one with engineers from the MIT Distributed Robotics Laboratory, featured an interspecies conversation between a human armed with a flashlight and two airborne robots, seemingly from another world. The conversation takes place largely with colored lights, leading the audience to a fun discovery: We all understand an unspoken language composed of red, blue, green, and other colors.

This piece's main flaw lay in the fact that we didn't become aware that the alien craft were robots - not puppets - until we had a chance to study the program notes. While clever, the concept would get more bang from better set-up.

Korokoro (2011)

Korokoro, the third collaboration presented at ADF this year, is a more serious, not to mention a much longer, work. This is inevitable, perhaps, since the collaborator is Takuya Muramatsu, Japanese Butoh choreographer with the group Dairakudakan. Butoh, a tradition-breaking style of dance theater that developed in post-Hiroshima Japan, is sometimes called "the dance of darkness." Through movements often grotesque and painfully twisted, butoh explores themes of the unconscious, the primordial, the shadow side of existence.

Dairakudakan's first performance at ADF, which we happened to attend back in 1982, included the piece "Sea-Dappled Horse" in which shaved and naked dancers, painted white, with eyes rolled back to show the whites, writhed in piles like so many bleached bones reanimated by evil dreams. Disturbing - and unforgettable.

The marriage of Pilobolus' usually humorous style with the "dance of darkness" seemed to have mixed results in this piece, mostly coming down to a question of process. During the collaboration, Muramatsu gave Pilobolus dancers workshops focused on giving birth to each movement as if it were spontaneous and immediate, a tenant of his butoh method.

Structurally, the piece Korokoro ("rolling" in Japanese), consisted of a series of sounds - beginning with the timeless tolling of a temple bell and progressing through a modern cacophony of railroad crossing warnings and an annoying skipping record. Dancers reacted to the sounds with increasingly frantic and disjointed movements.

The result created a more traditionally "dancey" piece than many in the Pilobolus repertoire, since traditionally one of dance's goals to give physical shape to sounds. Here the dancers approached this goal with varying degrees of spontaneity.

Interludes provided humorous relief, such as a segment with the dancers slipping down a human slide into an imaginary pool, but these, along with a lengthy summing up at the end, seemed removed from the main choreography.

One thing that cannot be doubted is the dancers' all-in commitment to the piece. All were shiny with sweat long before the end was reached. Effective lighting by Neil Peter Jampolis revealed the almost cadaver thin quality of their bodies.

Two classic works from the early Pilobolus repertoire rounded out Friday's program: Untitled, first performed in 1975; and the 1980 Day Two, considered by many to be the company's masterwork.

Day Two (1980)

We've seen Day Two many times over the years, including its 1981 debut at ADF. It has evolved somewhat during this time, with this latest staging directed by original Pilobolus member Moses Pendleton. The choreography retains its power, if not the "shock and awe" it inspired at the first viewing. Many of the troop's signature moves had their origin here, and the new members perform them with admirable ability.

If there is any loss from the earlier versions, it perhaps rises from this same physicality. One of Pilobolus' most wonder-inspiring qualities has always been the ability of the dancers to transform themselves in twos and threes into new and unknown forms of life. The new crop of dancers achieves the same forms, but misses those moments of transformation. These men and women remain (gloriously, unforgettably) human.

Untitled (1975)

The most eye-opening piece on the Pilobolus program, both from an athletic and a creative standpoint, was also the oldest. Untitled (1975) explores the intriguing question "what goes on beneath a lady's skirt?"

Two light-hearted ladies, extra tall and dressed in extra-long dresses, playfully circle the stage. Soon the reason for their height emerges in the form of naked men who have been carrying them around the stage, hidden beneath those long skirts. The symbolism - the naked physicality beneath the proper exterior - is hammered home, making the nudity appropriate as well as visually interesting.

In all, Pilobolus carries its unique power into its fifth decade, presenting shows that still amaze with their combination of athletic, acrobatic, and aesthetic qualities.

You can read more Pilobolus history as well as reviews of earlier collaborations, in the archives of our Carolinas Best Blog.

For more about the American Dance Festival...

For more on Pilobolus...

photos above by John Kane, courtesy of the American Dance Festival.

NC Zoo celebrates bears in June

2011-06-01T10:43:00.000-05:00

Black bears will be the bear species featured at the North Carolina Zoo as part of the 'Bee-a-Bear' celebration throughout June. (NC Zoo photo)

It's all about bears at the North Carolina Zoo during June.

On Saturday, June 4, the park holds the first of four June weekend celebrations of bears. This weekend's bear event, "Polar Paws & Claws," will feature polar bears with keeper talks, information stations and educational displays manned by volunteers at the polar bear exhibit, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

On Saturday, June 11, during "Grizzly Walks & Talks," visitors can again talk to keepers and see educational displays and crafts at the grizzly exhibit. There will also be storytelling and music by author Cynthia Mitchell at the Honey Bee Garden.

On Saturday, June 18, during "Black Bears & Bees," visitors can learn all about "the bears & the bees" through storytelling, crafts and zoo keeper talks at the black bear exhibit and at the Honey Bee Garden. Also on Saturday, kids can make a Father's Day card for their "Papa Bear" at the Honey Bee Garden, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.. On Sunday, June 19, bring dad to the zoo with an online discount and receive $2 off one admission with one paid general admission. Go to www.nczoo.org to print the coupon and to get more information on all the June weekend activities at the zoo.

On Saturday, June 25, the zoo wraps up bear month with the Teddy Bear Fair, when visitors can bring their teddy bears or other stuffed friends for a check-up with zoo veterinary staff.

Additionally, the new ocelot kittens, born in April, are on exhibit at the Sonora Desert.

NC Zoo's Elephant C'sar Gets Helping Hand

2011-05-19T10:44:00.000-05:00

C'sar, the N.C. Zoo's oldest elephant, roams his exhibit. (NC Zoo photo)

C'sar, the oldest elephant at the North Carolina Zoo and one of the park's most popular animals, needed the assistance of keepers and a 70-ton crane from a local Asheboro contractor to get back on his feet after keepers found him this morning on his side, unable to get up.

It was the second time this week that the 37-year-old C'sar needed assistance to stand. Sunday, the Ash-Rand Rescue Squad was called to the zoo to assist elephant keepers in lifting the 13,000-pound pachyderm following a training exercise that morning.

The zoo's electronic hoist system, inside the elephant barn on an I beam that can support the weight of an elephant, was used Sunday. But C'sar was in an outside paddock today, so zoo keepers were unable to use their hoist system and needed the crane to reach and move him.

After C'sar was hoisted to his feet by the crane, he shook off the lifting harness, walked around his enclosure and appeared to be in stable condition.

On Sunday, C'sar was being trained to lie on his side so that zoo veterinarians could perform eye cataract surgery later in the summer. Elephant keepers had been working with C'sar for weeks on the training with no problems. The eye surgery has been delayed indefinitely.

According to the zoo's Senior Veterinarian Dr. Ryan DeVoe, C'sar had shown no signs previously of any problems but that it was likely muscular-skeletal related; however, DeVoe emphasized the limits on any diagnosis.

"Because of his size, we can't do X-rays with any degree of competence." DeVoe said. "We've done blood testing, and all appears normal."

According to Curator of Mammals Guy Lichty, C'sar will be kept off exhibit while the veterinary staff observes C'sar in an effort to better determines the cause of the incidents.

NC Zoo Presents Education Programs on Snakes

2011-05-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

The N.C. Zoo's 'Save Our Snakes' event Saturday will feature discussions on snake identification and the differences between venomous and non-venomous snakes in the state. (NC Zoo photo)

North Carolina Zoo keepers will present programs on the benefits and identification of snakes during a series of special events for park visitors Saturday, May 21.

The event," Save Our Snakes," will feature:

keepers at the Cypress Swamp exhibit talking about the benefits of snakes. Included will be pictures and models of snakes and a Wheel-of-Snake Trivia game. Children with the correct trivia answer will receive a small plastic snake.
keepers at the Streamside exhibit discussing North Carolina snake identification and the differences between venomous and non-venomous snakes here.
a display at the Sonora Desert exhibit featuring the ongoing snake telemetry (tracking) research conducted on zoo grounds.All activities will be held in the North America region and will run from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

All the weekend events take place during regular zoo hours of 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. and are included in the regular zoo admission of $10 for adults, $8 for seniors (62+) and $6 for children (ages 2-12).

Upcoming Events at museums in North Carolina, May 2011

2011-05-16T14:28:00.004-05:00

1). Museum of the Albemarle (http://www.museumofthealbemarle.com/)

Blackbeard's Crew returns to the Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City for the weekend of May 20 & 21 in conjunction with the North Carolina Potato Festival. On Friday, May 20, beginning at 5:00 p.m., visitors can belly up to the table in their finest pirate attire with members of Blackbeard's Crew. After dinner participate in pirate games and listen to sea chanteys from the children's musical duo C-Shells. A $10.00 donation covers each dinner and tickets may be purchased at the Museum of the Albemarle. Reservations are required.

2). Waterworks Visual Arts Center (http://www.waterworks.org/) in Salisbury presents the summer exhibition "In The Details": May 21 – August 13, featuring five solo artists' meticulous approaches to create worlds in their artwork where every inch matters. Featured artists are woodcarver Dan Abernathy (Sparta, NC), fiber artist Nancy Cook (Charlotte, NC), artist Michelle Heinz (New York City), clay artist Holden McCurry (Asheville, NC), and artist Trena McNabb (Bethania, NC). Please join Waterworks in welcoming these artists at the public Opening Reception on Friday, May 27 from 6-8 pm. This event is free and open to all. Light refreshments will be served.

3). Transylvania Heritage Museum (http://www.transylvaniaheritage.org/) presents "Honoring the Sacrifice, 1861-1865", American Legion Building, E. Jordan St., Brevard, Friday, May 20, 7 - 9 pm. An evening of remembrance with a portrayal of Mrs. Anna Jackson, wife of General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson, by Nora Brooks, along with Civil War ballads and songs by Wayne Erbsen. The real Mrs. Jackson visited Brevard in 1911, so this event will commemorate her visit as well. Daryle Hogsed will demonstrate and explain the soldiers' equipment.

4). Eden Preservation Society (http://www.edenpreservation.org/) The Eden Preservation Society presents: "An Afternoon with Rockingham County Author Charles Rodenbough." Charles is the author of many local history books including "History of a Dream Deferred: William Byrd's Land of Eden". There will be books for sale that day. Sunday, May 22 at 2:00 p.m. at Church of the Epiphany, 538 Henry St., Eden. The event is free and open to the public!

5). Port Discover(http://www.portdiscover.org/)

Toddlers in Elizabeth City discover liquids, solids, gases, solutions and mixtures at "Mix It Up,"Port Discover's Toddler Time program, on Thursday, May 19 at 10:00 am. Children learn why measurements are important in science as they put these skills into practice while making play-dough.Toddler Time is a special science program just for preschoolers, ages 3 – 5. Cost for the program is $5 per family and reservations are required. Parents or guardians must accompany the child.

6). NC State Capitol (http://www.nchistoricsites.org/capitol/default.htm)

On May 20, 1861, delegates from across the state met in the House Chamber of the State
Capitol and voted to sever North Carolina's ties with the Union. On Saturday, May 21, 2011, the Capitol will present "North Carolina Secedes," a living history program commemorating the historic vote and a look at the state's early wartime preparations. The free event will take place from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. and is open to the public. It is part of the North Carolina Civil War Sesquicentennial, a commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War in North Carolina
(http://www.nccivilwar150.com/).

7). The Bascom (http://www.thebascom.org/) in Highlands presents "Collective Spirits", a three-day celebration of wine, food and the arts marking the opening of the Summer Season on the Highlands/Cashiers Plateau. From May 19-21, wine and dine throughout the weekend with some of the worlds most revered winemakers and the Southeast's most renowned chefs. All will converge on Highlands and Cashiers among art lovers, community leaders and special guests for Private Home Wine Dinners, the Grand Tasting 'Meet & Greet' Wine Market, benefit wine dinners at local restaurants, the 'Catch the Spirit' Village Sip & Stroll, an exclusive Reserve Wine Tasting and the finale - the Grand Gala Benefit Dinner and Auction at The Bascom.

8). SciWorks (http://www.sciworks.org/) in Winston-Salem presents "Science Café: The Science and Engineering of Dams" on Tuesday, May 17th, 7:00pm at Big Shotz Tavern. Science Cafés are informal talks given by a local expert at a local gathering place. At a café participants can... learn about the latest issues in science, chat with a scientist in plain language, meet new friends, speak your mind, and, talk with your mouth full!

9). Asheville Art Museum (http://www.ashevilleart.org/)

The Asheville Art Museum is pleased to announce "FANATICON2", a free event for fans of comic books, science fiction, fantasy and pop culture, on Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 10:00
a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Headlining the event is acclaimed comic book writer Gail Simone (Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey).

10). Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (www.northcarolinamuseum.org/)
Saturday, May 21: "Beginners Knitting" Class from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Have you always wanted to learn to knit or would you like to just brush up on your skills? The Mount Airy Museum of Regional History will be holding a Beginner's Knitting Class on Saturday May 21 from 10am-2pm. Museum members Free; Non-members $5, Bamboo needles are available for $8 or BYO #10 or larger needles. Call 336-786-4478 to make your reservation.

11). High Point Museum (http://www.highpointmuseum.org/)

Local historian Glenn Chavis will begin offering guided walking tours of historic Washington Street this month. The first one will be Saturday, May 21. They will be offered once a month through September. Washington Street was a thriving business and entertainment district for High Point's black community during the period of segregation. Its prominence declined after integration, but it has drawn a lot of attention in recent years since becoming a focus area for The City Project, which is dedicated to revitalizing High Point's core city area.

12). Preservation Greensboro (http://www.blandwood.org/blandwood.html)
Preservation Greensboro will hold its inaugural Tour of Historic Homes in Fisher Park and Aycock historic districts in Greensboro, NC on May 21, 11am-5pm & May 22, 1pm-5pm. Tickets are $20. For additional information, 336.272.5003 or www.blandwood.org/events.html.

Rocks Rock at Charlotte Nature Museum Saturday May 21

2011-05-16T14:26:00.005-05:00

Saturday, May 21, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Join Charlotte Nature Museum and The Charlotte Gem & Mineral Club for a one-of-a-kind event that celebrates the beauty and magic of rocks, gems and minerals, Saturday, May 21, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Did you know that rocks found on the moon have similar composition to rocks found on Earth? Scientists studying moon rocks have learned much about the moon from these samples. Get to the core of the rock cycle, uncover the ancient history of igneous rocks, and find out why minerals are magical as you crack open the mysteries of rocks and how they play a role in our everyday lives.

The Charlotte Gem and Mineral Club, a non-profit educational organization for people interested in mineralogy, geology, paleontology and lapidary arts, will be on-site to identify rocks and offer information about the rock cycle and properties of minerals, including those that are fluorescent. Little rock hounds can bring their own unearthed beauties to the Museum for identification while polishing their knowledge about the roles that gemstones, rocks and minerals play in science and industry.

Just a stone's throw away gather for a special story time that will include "Stories Read from the Rocks," by Bertha Morris Parker, "Rocks in His Head," by Carol Otis Hurst, and "Julie the Rockhound," by Gail Langer Karwoski. Make sure to catch the puppet show, "Growing Up Wild" and stop by the hotspot The Naturalist Lab to make a miniature volcano.

Creature Features, presented by Earth Fare and supported by The Guild of Discovery Place & Charlotte Nature Museum, are monthly special events and include crafts, puppet shows, storytelling and refreshments. Creature Feature activities are free with Museum admission. Admission: $6 ages two and older, younger-than-two and Members are free. Parking is free.

Charlotte Nature Museum is located at 1658 Sterling Road, Charlotte. Hours are: Tuesday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Saturday 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Sunday noon – 5:00 p.m.; and closed on Monday.

Charlotte Nature Museum offers visitors the chance to get close to wildlife and walk among free-flying butterflies in Butterfly Pavilion, observe live animals in Creature Cavern, buzz by Insect Alley or just hang out in Our Big Backyard. Visitors can learn together during workshops, summer camps and more. Daily programming including hands-on activities provide the opportunity for structured learning and informal play for kids of all ages. Charlotte Nature Museum is operated by Discovery Place, Inc.

NC Zoo Celebrates Migratory Bird Day

2011-05-12T11:40:00.000-05:00

During Saturday's 'Birds & Blooms' event at the N.C. Zoo, visitors can view more than 100 birds at the Forest Aviary exhibit, including this white-headed mousebird, and enjoy the park's many plants and flowers now blooming. (NC Zoo photo)

To mark the arrival of the annual migration of millions of birds from winter habitats to their summer breeding grounds and habitats across North America, the North Carolina Zoo will celebrate International Migratory Bird Day at the park Saturday, May 14, as part of their annual "Birds & Blooms" event.

The zoo joins agencies all across America to motivate people from all walks of life to learn about birds and their habitats, to discover ways in which they can become involved in improving conditions for birds, to raise public awareness of the need for bird conservation and to enjoy watching birds.

Activities at the zoo, all centered around the R.J. Reynolds Forest Aviary exhibit, will run from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and will include:

Bird Biofacts: A hands-on station encouraging guests to discover more about bird eggs, beaks and feet.
Birdwatching & Birdsongs: An opportunity for visitors to use binoculars to look for some of the 100 birds found in the Aviary and to experience some of the songs of our local birds.
Flyways & Avoiding Window Strikes: A lot of birds migrate many miles between the seasons along migration flyways--similar to highways in the air for them. This station will tell guests about ways they can help ensure that birds can see our windows.
Bird Feeders & Birdseed: Discusses different types of bird feeders and uncovers what types of seed attract which birds--a fun and easy way to discover more about our local birds.

Throughout the day at the Aviary, there will be giveaways and opportunities for visitors to talk with staff and volunteers.

Additionally, Gary Lewis and the Swing On Band will perform in Junction Plaza, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

NC Zoo Polar Bear Departs for Detroit Zoo

2011-05-10T10:45:00.000-05:00

Aquila, one of two polar bears at the North Carolina Zoo, departed for the Detroit Zoo today while his exhibit undergoes a two-year renovation that will nearly triple its present size. (NC Zoo photo)

Aquila, one of two polar bears at the North Carolina Zoo, was sent to the Detroit Zoo today while his exhibit undergoes a two-year expansion and renovation beginning in the summer. Wilhelm, the zoo's other polar bear, will remain on exhibit until the construction begins and will then be housed in an off- exhibit area during the renovations.

Born in 1992, Aquila arrived at the N.C. Zoo in 1994 with two other cubs who made up the zoo's original polar bear collection. The three cubs, all siblings, came from the Louisville (KY) Zoo and remained together at the N.C. Zoo until Aquila was sent back to the Louisville Zoo in 2002.

Then, after a short stay at the Cleveland Zoo in 2008, Aquila returned to the N.C. Zoo in 2009. He is one of five different polar bears who have called the N.C. Zoo home.

Wilhelm, the remaining polar bear, was one of two polar bears who arrived at the zoo in November 2002 after being confiscated from a traveling circus in Puerto Rico by U.S. Fish & Wildlife Dept. officials. The circus was found to be in violation of the U.S. Marine Mammals Protection Act, related to the bears substandard care.

Current plans are for Aquila and Wilhelm to return in 2013 to an exhibit that will be almost triple the size of the present exhibit.

Ocelot kittens at the NC Zoo

2011-04-29T10:46:00.000-05:00

Two ocelot kittens, born at the North Carolina Zoo on April 12, receive their first physical exams today (April 29). The kittens, one male and one female, can be seen at the zoo's Sonora Desert when the mother opts to bring them out of their holding area.

Eggstravaganza at the NC Zoo

2011-04-21T10:46:00.000-05:00

Elephants, cougars, bears, baboons, gorillas and more hunt for treats inside paper-mache eggs during the N.C. Zoo's 'Eggstravaganza,' (NC Zoo photo)

The "Eggstravaganza," Saturday, April 23, features zoo animals hunting for treats in their exhibits. In keeping with the Easter celebration, the treats will be hidden inside decorative paper-mache` eggs made by zoo volunteers.

The animal "eggsperiences" will include cougars (10:30 a.m.), black bears (11 a.m.), lemurs (11:30 a.m.), sea birds (1:30 p.m.), gorillas (1:30 p.m.), elephants (2:30 p.m.) and baboons (3 p.m.). Activities will also include egg displays at both the Sonora Desert (1:30 - 2:30 p.m.) and Aviary exhibits (2 -3 p.m.) and Radio Disney in the North America Plaza, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., with games and prizes.

Fwd: NC Zoo photo & caption

2011-04-13T10:47:00.000-05:00

A mother ocelot watches her newborn kitten, born April 12 at the North Carolina Zoo. The litter of two appear to be doing well. It was the first ocelot birth ever at the N.C. Zoo.(NC Zoo photo)

Baby chimp at the NC Zoo

2011-04-01T11:52:00.000-05:00

Nori, a baby chimp born at the North Carolina Zoo in August, hides under the arms of one of the adult chimps. She can be seen on exhibit most days, weather permitting. (NC Zoo photo)

High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, NC has a new blog

2011-03-22T13:44:00.006-05:00

The High Hampton Inn, one of the most beautiful and historic in the North Carolina Mountains, now has a new blog – High Hampton Viewpoints (http://highhamptoninn.com/blog/). It has stories about the Inn's history, recipes, and much more. Originally the summer retreat of Confederate general and South Carolina governor Wade Hampton III, the inn occupies a magnificent location set against the face of a mountain. If you have never visited, you really must. It's a wonderful place for a family vacation, with summer camp-type activities for every age. We much enjoyed our visit, finding it a unique, lovely and relaxing getaway.

NC Zoo Director Wins International Award

2011-03-22T13:15:00.000-05:00

The Pan African Association of Zoos and Aquaria (PAAZB) has presented its 2011 Chairman's Award to North Carolina Zoo Director David Jones for assistance to the Association and its objectives.

The award recognizes Jones for initiating work to modernize, refurbish and rebuild the historic Giza Zoo in Cairo--the National Zoo of Egypt. Following similar work assisting zoos in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Baghdad, Iraq, Jones began working in partnership with PAAZB to assist the Giza Zoo in modernizing facilities, upgrading its animal husbandry and improving training for management and staff.

Teams from a number of South African zoos took part in advisory and training sessions in Cairo over the last year. Funding for the project was raised by Jones and the N.C. Zoological Society, the N.C. Zoo's private, nonprofit support organization. PAAZB has ongoing programs aimed at assisting some of Africa's zoos in need of improvement to come up to modern international standards.

Jones serves as Vice-Chairman of the Ethics and Welfare Committee of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums and has taken a long interest in trying to establish ways in which zoos needing improvement can obtain help. Following a long zoo career in England, Jones has served as the N.C. Zoo's director since 1993.

"The issue is that of the roughly 10,000 animal collections around the world that we believe to be in existence, 90 percent do not come up to the standards of the top 10 percent," Jones said. "The public is now far more critical than they used to be about the ways that animals are kept in captivity, and the day is fast-coming where, for most countries, higher standards of animal care and welfare are going to be required for anyone operating a zoological park to continue."

Charlotte Wine and Food Weekend Announces Charities

2011-02-17T09:20:00.003-05:00

For wine enthusiasts, this event - held every other year - is a standout. Mark your calendars and get tickets early.

(CHARLOTTE, NC) – Four Charlotte area charities have been selected as the beneficiaries of Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend 2012. The following organizations were selected for the vital services they provide in nourishing the body and spirit of our community's children by protecting and saving lives. The beneficiaries and designated programs for 2011 and 2012 are:
Council for Children's Rights – As the leading voice for children's rights in Charlotte, the Council works to provide long-term solutions to chronic problems affecting children in our community. Funds from Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend will be used in the Individual Advocacy Program to assist abused and neglected children.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina- Serving 14 counties in North and South Carolina with its innovative Backpack for Kids Project, Second Harvest provides underprivileged children with nutritious food over weekends. Funds raised during Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend will be used to provide hundreds of backpacks with food to children in need for a school year.
Charlotte Community Health Clinic – Providing quality health care to the county's low income, uninsured population for a decade, Charlotte Community Health Clinic is opening a pediatric clinic to serve uninsured children, especially children with chronic health conditions. Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend funds will pay for basic expenses including medicine and medical supplies.
Pat's Place Child Advocacy Center–Serving Mecklenburg County children in a child-friendly setting, Pat's Place's skilled team of professionals, in partnership with the police, district attorney's office and health care providers, work together under one roof to evaluate sexual abuse allegations, provide family support and assist in all stages of investigations and prosecutions. Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend will partially fund the Family Advocates who provide direct assistance to the children and who also offer after-hours emergency response for families in critical need.

"The four charities were selected based on the critical services they provide to Charlotte's families that are in need of food, health care and children's rights. We value their role in our community and want to recognize them for their ongoing services and endless contributions," said Chuck Richards, executive director of Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend.

Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend's official Kick-Off Event for the 2012 season is Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. The evening celebration will include exquisite wine and food, exciting live and silent auction items, and an opportunity to experience the Race Day Simulator. The special guest will be racing and vintner legend, Randy Lewis, founder of Lewis Cellars and a Formula Race Car champion. In addition, there will be a Randy Lewis Vintner Dinner at Zebra restaurant on Friday, April 15, 2011. Tickets are available at http://www.charlottewineandfood.org/.

Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend partners include Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, Lewis Cellars, Robert Foley Vineyards, The Ritz-Carlton Charlotte, Morrison Smith Jewelers, Professional Consultant Group Inc., Womble Carlyle, Zebra Restaurant, Chehalem, Aria, Premium Port Wines, Spectrum Creative Graphics, Haley Jeter Photography and Charlotte Living Magazine.
Since its inception in 1989, the Charlotte Wine & Food Weekend has grown into one of the Southeast's largest wine events and has raised more than $3.2 million for local charities. Held in the spring of every even-numbered year, the weekend draws notable winemakers from around the world and pairs them with Charlotte's top chefs for three days of fun and educational events. For more information, visit them on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @CLTWineandFood. Check the web site for tickets at http://www.charlottewineandfood.org/ or call (704) 338-9463 (WINE).

IN THE HEIGHTS: Review and video

2011-02-17T08:48:00.006-05:00

Catch this behind-the-scenes video of the IN THE HEIGHTS cast visiting Charlotte media outlets on Wednesday.

Tony award winning musical comes to Charlotte's Belk Theatre through Feb. 20.

Joyous 'Heights' carries us away - to America
Review by Lawrence Toppman in The Charlotte Observer

With an amazing cast, incredible Tony® Award-winning dancing and a thrilling Tony® Award-winning score, IN THE HEIGHTS is an exhilarating journey into a vibrant Manhattan community - a place where the coffee is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music.

130 N. Tryon Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
Box Office: 704.372.1000
BlumenthalArts.org
Call 704.372.1000 and request this special offer if you experience any difficulty purchasing on-line

Nori, a chimpanzee born at the NC Zoo

2011-02-15T12:16:00.005-05:00

Nori, a baby chimpanzee born at the North Carolina Zoo in August.

"Nori hangs on to Terry, one of the older females in the chimp troop. Nori was hand-reared by zoo staff through her early months and is now being introduced to the zoo's chimp troop and allowed to go outside for short periods, when weather permits. It will be at least spring before she will be on exhibit full-time."

(NC Zoo photo by Trina Boggs)
North Carolina Zoo, 4401 Zoo Parkway, Asheboro, NC 27205
http://www.nczoo.org/

First Nights around NC feature culture and fun

2010-12-29T13:30:00.011-05:00

First Night, a world-wide movement that promotes family friendly (i.e. alcohol-free) New Year's Eve celebrations, provides more than just an alternative way to spend New Year's Eve. It also celebrates and showcases the many performance artists, musicians and dancers that live and work in the community, as well as terrific downtown venues that you may not have visited yet.

The original First Night was held in Boston, some 35 years ago, and is still going strong. To find other First Night celebrations in cities around the country, visit First Night USA.
Several North Carolina communities will host First Night Celebrations this year.

Returning for another family friendly year, First Night Charlotte features a Kid's Countdown at 7 pm, followed by cultural programs at 10 venues up and down South Tryon St.
Children's activities, sponsored by McDonald's, begin at 3 pm and center on ImaginOn, the Levine Museum of the New South, and Discovery Place.
The Countdown to Midnight takes place at the Duke Energy Stage on Tryon at the Levine Avenue of the Arts (formerly West First Street) outside the Bechtler and Mint Museums. A free stage performance by the band Simply Irresistible begins at 10 pm.
Wristbands that provide admission to all the indoor venues are $10.00 for adults, kids 7-12 are $5.00, and kids 6 and under are FREE with an adult. You can also get discount tickets to the 3pm Bobcats/Golden State Warriors game by showing your wristband. If you attend the Meinke Car Care Bowl, show your ticket stub for 50% off on the wristband price.
Visit First Night Charlotte for a complete schedule.

First Night Raleigh also includes a Children's Celebration from 2-6 pm on the Bicentennial Plaza at the NC Museum of History and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, followed by the People's Procession down Fayetteville Street, an Early Countdown at 7:00 and Evening Performances of music, dance, comedy, interactive activities and more in two dozen venues throughout downtown Raleigh.
2011 admission buttons cost $9 in advance and are on sale from December 1 through 31 at many Triangle area retailers. Check the website for a list. Or buy online from Etix. Buttons purchased on site the night of the event are Adults $12, Children (ages 6-12) $10. Children under 5 are free when accompanied by a button-wearing adult.

First Night Encore New Bern
The historic city of New Bern hosts an encore of last year's First Night celebration which kicked off the 300th anniversary celebration for one of North Carolina's oldest towns. The event runs from 3-9 pm. Everyone is invited to Union Point Park to start the event at 3 p.m. with a community “Portrait of New Bern,” with a photographer shooting a photo from a lift, followed by the dedication of the 300th time capsule. The “Meet Me on Middle” celebration on Middle Street, from 4 to 8 pm, recreates the outdoor Christmas markets of old Europe. Special events, including music, crafts, and a film festival, will be held at Tryon Palace's new History Center from 1-7:30 pm. Admission to the New Bern events is free.

For more New Year's Eve traditions around the Carolinas, visit our Carolina Connoisseur page of New Year's traditions.

New zebra at NC Zoo

2010-11-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

The NC Zoo's newest zebra, a 3-year-old that arrived recently from Busch Gardens in Tampa, checks out his new giraffe exhibit mates. All five animals can be seen daily in the zoo's Africa region." (NC Zoo photo)

Outer Banks Restaurant Week begins this weekend

2010-10-29T10:28:00.004-05:00

More than a dozen of the Outer Banks' top restaurants will offer special prices on three-course lunch and dinner menus all next week, Oct. 30-Nov. 7. Prices range from $20 to $35.

The restaurants participating include venues from Duck to Roanoke Island.

Some of our favorites:

Blue Point and the Lifesaving Station, part of the Sanderling Resort, in Duck.

Ocean Boulevard Bistro in Kitty Hawk.

Jolly Roger and the Outer Banks Brewing Company in Kill Devil Hills.

Sugar Creek and Kelly's in Nag's Head.

Big Al's Soda Fountain and Stripers in Manteo.

For a full listing of restaurants and menus, plus maps and more, visit:

http://www.outerbanksrestaurantweek.com/

New lioness at the NC Zoo

2010-10-28T10:53:00.000-05:00

This year-old lioness, who arrived at the North Carolina Zoo recently from the Columbus (OH) Zoo & Aquarium, is scheduled to go on exhibit in December following the routine 30-day quarantine for all new arrivals into the zoo's animal collection. (NC Zoo photo)

African violet show at NC Zoo

2010-10-12T10:56:00.000-05:00

Sue Baltes, a horticulturist at the North Carolina Zoo, straightens some of the more than 1,000 violet plants that make up the violet 'waterfall,' part of the African violet show running throughout October at the park. (NC Zoo photo)

Baboon born at NC Zoo

2010-10-07T10:56:00.000-05:00

A mother baboon cradles her new-born at the North Carolina Zoo. The baby, born Oct. 1 at the zoo, is now on exhibit and joins the park's troop of 16 adults and adolescents." (NC Zoo photo by Aaron Jesue)

Fwd: NC Zoo photo & caption

2010-08-30T10:54:00.000-05:00

Nori, a month-old chimpanzee at the North Carolina Zoo, bottle feeds as part of her hand-rearing at the park. The baby was pulled from her first-time mother after it became apparent that the mother could not adequately feed and care for her. Her formula is the same as that given to human infants. The goal for the infant is to get her back into the chimpanzee troop as soon as possible.

Gorillas cool off at the NC Zoee

2010-08-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

A gorilla at the North Carolina Zoo cools off with an ice treat during last year's ZooCOOL at the park. This year's event, will feature cold treats for the animals Radio Disney during both days. In addition, park guests can enjoy 'snow' in the Africa Plaza. (NC Zoo photo)

Strawberry season in North Carolina

2010-04-12T16:25:00.003-05:00

NC grown strawberries will arrive early in markets this year, thanks to recent warmer than normal weather.

“This year’s crop looks fantastic, and we expect to see ample supplies at farmers markets, roadside stands and grocery stores this season,” said NC Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We have already seen a few early berries at the Raleigh Farmers Market, but we expect the pace of the season to pick around April 15 for eastern and central North Carolina. In Western North Carolina, shoppers should start seeing good supplies of North Carolina berries around May 1.”

Strawberry season in North Carolina is short, typically running mid-to-late April through May, making their arrival an eagerly anticipated event.

North Carolina ranks fourth in the nation in strawberry production.

To help consumers find locally grown strawberries, North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is publishing a directory of pick-your-own farms across the state. It can be found online at www.NCFarmFresh.com, or you can call (919) 733-7887, ext. 234, to have a copy mailed. In stores, look for the Got to Be NC and Goodness Grows in North Carolina logos to identify North Carolina berries and other locally grown commodities.

Special strawberry events and festivals are planned across the state for April and May:

April 24 -- Strawberry Day at the Southeastern N.C. Farmers Market in Lumberton, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
April 24 -- Cleveland Community Strawberry Festival, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 29 -- Strawberry Day at the State Farmers Market in Raleigh, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
May 1 -- N.C. Strawberry Festival in Chadbourn, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
May 7 -- Strawberry Day at the Charlotte Farmers Market, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
May 14 -- Strawberry Day at the Piedmont Triad Farmers Market in Colfax, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

It's an elephant's life at the NC Zoo

2010-04-05T16:46:00.005-05:00

Life in the new elephant habitat at the NC Zoo isn't all eating hay and swimming in the pond. For Easter, there are brightly decorated eggs, which the curious elephants just can't resist.

Although paper eggs filled with food treats have become a yearly Easter-time enrichment item for many of the park's animals, this year marked the first time the elephants have received them. (NC Zoo photo)

Visit www.nczoo.org for information to help plan your visit.

Exhibit on the Three Gorges Dam opens at Nasher

2010-03-23T17:47:00.005-05:00

The latest exhibit at the Nasher Museum of Art in Durham, Displacement: The Three Gorges Dam and Contemporary Chinese Art, features the work of four Chinese artists exploring the cultural effects of the huge dam on the Yangzi River. The world's largest generator of hydro-electric power, the dam displaced more than one million people and submerged more than 1,200 towns.

The exhibit runs March 25 - July 25, 2010, with many special events, including artist talks, musical performances, a free film series, and free family day.

April 1 Artist Talk, 7 PM Chen Qiulin
April 6 "Displacement" Roundtable on the Three Gorges Dam, 7 PM with Duke faculty across disciplines
April 18 Free Family Day, 12-4 PM
April 22 "Sounds. Distant" 7 PM musical performance with violin and guzheng

Displacement Film Series, co-sponsored by Duke's Program in the Arts of the Moving Image and Duke University Libraries, Thursdays, 7 PM
April 15 "Rainclouds Over Wushan" (Wushan Yunyu), (Zhang Ming, 1996, 96 minutes)
April 29 "Still Life (Sanzia Haoren)" (Jia Zhangke, 2006, 108 minutes)
May 13 "Bing Ai" (Feng Yan, 2007, 114 minutes)
May 27 "Up the Yangtze" (Yung Chang, 2007, 93 minutes)

Every Thursday night the museum is free and open to the public, 5-9 PM, courtesy of SunTrust Bank and The Independent Weekly.

For more information on hours, admission, and current exhibits, visit the Nasher website.

Salvador Dali exhibit in Fayetteville

2010-02-08T16:30:00.004-05:00

“Dali Illustrates Dante’s The Divine Comedy,” is on display Feb. 12-28 at the Festival Park Plaza Building in downtown Fayetteville.

The exhibit, sponsored by the Fayetteville Museum of Art, combines two art forms – poetry and painting. Featuring 100 works of art commissioned by the Italian government in 1957 to illustrate Dante's epic medieval poem, the exhibit takes visitors on a surreal journey through Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven as seen through the eyes of one of the 20th century's most legendary artists. Panels with the text of Dante's poem in English and Spanish accompany the Dali artworks.

Fayetteville is the only city in the Southeast chosen to host the national touring exhibition this year.

Admission is $10 for adults and $6 for students 6 and older, children under 5 are free.
Hours are Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday: 1-4 p.m.

Call the Museum for more information at (910) 485-5121.

NC Zoo welcomes new gorilla

2010-02-08T16:21:00.003-05:00

“Acacia,” a 15-year-old female gorilla, arrived at the North Carolina Zoo Saturday evening from the Oklahoma City Zoo, the second new gorilla to be transferred to the state zoo in the past month.

“Jamani,” a 10-year-old female arrived in Asheboro January 14, from the San Diego Zoo. Both gorillas were transferred to the N.C. Zoo as part of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative program of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums aimed at improving the captive care and breeding of these highly endangered great apes.

The N.C. Zoo lost three female gorillas to medical problems during 2009, including two to cancer in late December. The transfers of Jamani and Acacia were approved earlier by the Gorilla SSP and are not related to the loss of the other animals. The two new females will eventually join 18-year-old male “Nkosi” in the zoo’s outdoor Forest Glade gorilla habitat.

Charlotte Actor Shares Big Screen with Sandra Bullock

2009-11-04T12:40:00.005-05:00

A scene in Sandra Bullock’s upcoming movie The Blind Side opens with Charlotte actor Patrick G. Keenan standing at a counter submitting paperwork to a government employee. Suddenly Sandra Bullock interrupts the exchange. Patrick delivers a humorous two-liner that brings the moment to a close.

The scene lasts 15 seconds and is the only scene featuring the Charlotte actor in The Blind Side, opening November 20^th. The scene plays as the opening sequence in the movie’s official promotional trailer, giving Keenan tons of exposure during the movie’s national advertising campaign. View the trailer here...

“I'm very grateful that the studio decided to keep my scene in the film, let alone use it in the trailer” said Patrick. Patrick is also currently starring in two films, The Zombie Kings: King of the Zombies and Dogs of Chinatown (made in Greensboro, NC), both winning film festival awards both nationally and internationally.

Zombie Kings trailer..

You can see Patrick perform improvisational comedy for more than 15 seconds as a member of Ye Nottingham Players, a new comedy act at the 16^th annual Carolina Renaissance Festival performing weekends through November 22^nd.

“I'm excited to play Captain Hobkirk, a constable that has captured a collection of village vagrants and has locked them in the stocks. The public gets to choose the form of punishments my talented fellow troupe members must endure,” says Patrick. Punishment options include the use of itching powder, tar & feathering, dousing with water, and tickling, all choreographed to music.

For more event information, call toll free: 877-896-5544, or on the web at RenFestInfo.com
or visit: www.royalfaires.com/carolina/

Outer Banks Scenic Byway receives national status

2009-10-16T16:36:00.001-05:00

NC Rt. 12, running down the Outer Banks and over several ferries to Cedar Island north of Beaufort, NC, has long been recognized as a North Carolina Scenic Byway and one of the state's loveliest drives, with dunes and the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the quiet waters of the sounds on the west. Now, it has joined the Blue Ridge Parkway as one of America's National Scenic Byways.

As it passes along the Banks, NC 12 crosses through two national seashores, passes lighthouses and life saving stations, fishing villages, and great surfing spots. Starting in Whalebone Junction on Bodie Island, the byway runs over Oregon Inlet and down Hatteras Island, to Ocracoke Island via a ferry, and then on to Cedar Island aboard another ferry, a journey of about 140 miles.

For details of sights along the Outer Banks Scenic Byway, consult a copy of my book North Carolina's Outer Banks and Crystal Coast: A Complete Guide available from Countryman Press (http://www.countrymanpress.com/).

For more visit:
Outer Banks Scenic Byway,

N.C. Zoo's Watani Grasslands Wins Exhibit Award

2009-09-24T11:57:00.000-05:00

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) today announced that the North Carolina Zoo has received its 2009 Significant Achievement Award for Exhibit Design for its Watani Grasslands Reserve project.

"The North Carolina Zoo a leader in innovative exhibits that provide great habitats for the animals and meaningful educational opportunities for its visitors," said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. "The AZA Significant Achievement Award provides well-deserved national recognition for this important endeavor."

With its annual Exhibit Award, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognizes excellence in the area of live animal display and exhibit design by an AZA-accredited Institution (US or International) or Related Facility member.

Watani Grasslands Reserve is an $8.5 million expansion and renovation of the North Carolina Zoo's African Elephant and Southern White Rhinoceros habitats and holding facilities. The project enhances the viewing experience for visitors and will allow the Zoo to increase the breeding potential for these two highly threatened species.

"The completion of the Watani Grasslands Reserve has given us a great opportunity to combine the philosophies of what we stand for into a single complex," said North Carolina Zoo Director Dr. David Jones. "It is a state-of-the-art facility in terms of elephant and rhinoceros husbandry while providing a visual context in which visitors can picture a highly wooded African savannah. The exhibit also incorporates a wide variety of interpretive components and techniques which invite onlookers to consider the unique natural history of these species and how we are helping to ensure their survival."

Manmade geysers at NC Zoo

2009-09-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

Starting Saturday, zoo visitors can watch the park's new geyser 'erupt' every five minutes, sending water 20 to 40 feet into the air. (NC Zoo photo by Tom Gillespie)

The North Carolina Zoo's newest exhibit, a group of five man-made geysers, is located at the Prairie Exhibit in the North America region.

Four of the new geysers' five "spouts" are smaller and erupt continuously, reaching two to eight feet in height, while the main spout bursts 20 to 40 feet high about every five minutes. A wooden deck brings visitors right up to this unusual fountain.

Built by the zoo's staff and private contractors, the fountain uses regular drinking water that is recirculated. An automatic timer starts the fountain in the morning and turns it off in the evening. On exceptionally windy days, the geyser may not erupt because of the zoo's water-conservation practices.

Across the planet, geysers are rare. Scientists know of only about 1,000 of them, and half of those are in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming.

NC Zoo License Plate available

2009-08-28T12:00:00.000-05:00

Fans of the North Carolina Zoo can display their support on their North Carolina auto license plates. A plate design, which states "Support the N.C. Zoo" and features a zebra, is pending approval by the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

The specialty plate's added cost is $30, with $20 coming back to the N.C. Zoo Society.

"Those funds will help the Society provide its on-going support to the N.C. Zoo and its wildlife," said Zoo Society Executive Director Russ Williams. "There is already much interest in purchasing the plate."

The N.C. DMV will take the plate to press when the first 300 applications, with payment, have been submitted.

Plates can be purchased by visiting the Society Web site at www.nczoo.com, by calling the Society offices at 888-244-3736 or by visiting any gift shop at the N.C. Zoo.

Pilobolus at the American Dance Festival: A Review

2009-07-19T14:27:00.007-05:00

At the conclusion of Pilobolus’ Saturday American Dance Festival performance, several members of the troupe took up a microphone to tell remarkably similar stories. Each had first encountered Pilobolus as a student at ADF, and had gone on to become a member of this remarkable group that requires exceptional athletic ability, as well as an advanced willingness to work as part of a larger organism, from its dancers.

This connection—indeed symbiosis—between the ADF and Pilobolus makes sense when you look at the history of the two institutions. Pilobolus today is one of the few giants in the dance world, touring the world with a multimillion dollar budget. From its ADF performances in 2009, it goes directly to a four week residency at NYC’s Joyce Theatre, something only the most successful dance company can attempt.

But it didn’t start out that way.

Pilobolus first emerged into the light in 1971 at Dartmouth College, the somewhat unexpected outgrowth of a group of non-dance majors eager to explore some of the ideas of momentum and weight then floating like spores through the dance community, the outgrowth of years of movement experimentation by pioneers like Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Charles Weidman, and Hanya Holm, known in modern dance lore as “the Big Four” as well as their students such as Jose Limon, Merce Cunningham, Eric Hawkins, and many, many others who went on to become well-known choreographers.

Beginning in 1934, and continuing until the mid-1940s, these great experimenters of dance came every summer to the quiet green hills of Vermont to explore the possibilities of human movement at the Bennington School of Dance. Ground-breaking and sometimes controversial new works were taught to students and performed for local audiences every summer.

So it is no surprise really that Pilobolus sprouted where it did. Dartmouth, although nominally set in New Hampshire, in fact looks across the Connecticut River at those same green Vermont hills so thoroughly seeded with revolutionary dance concepts by the Bennington School of Dance, which later morphed into the American Dance Festival.

The guys at Dartmouth, as we used to say back in those days of Flower Power, were just doing what comes naturally.

It took very little time for Pilobolus to be discovered and reabsorbed into the mothership. They performed for the first time at ADF, at the time located a bit farther down the river at Connecticut College, in 1973, and have returned every season since.

The program presented by Pilobolus at the 2009 ADF included its newest works, including one commissioned by ADF and debuting there, as well as two of its earliest works, the rarely seen Ocellus of 1972 and the more or less omnipresent Walklyndon, a 1971 work that epitomizes the group’s creative process.

Walklyndon (1971)

At every Pilobolus performance I’ve attended— its adds up to more than a few—Walklyndon has always been part of the program, sometimes, and triumphantly, as a curtain call. It has never once been quite the same, or failed to amuse. At times, there are fauns.

(See our review of the 2000 Scripps Award at on our Carolinas Best website)

I have no doubt that Walklyndon forms the basis of the very successful Pilobolus Institute programs, designed to teach executives, or any other group for that matter, how to interact and improvise in a creative manner.

It’s a sort of walking meditation. Very Zen.

Ocellus (1972)

Your first reaction to this classic piece for a male quartet is likely to be “great bodies!” Four guys, stripped down just short of dangle, soon put such salacious thoughts to rest as they combine to form organic images at once lovely and mysterious.

Like its fungus namesake, this multi-limbed pseudopod morphs from one shape to another, all faintly reminiscent of something, if we could just remember what. It’s like watching evolution, some deep knowledge housed in our genes, form and reform.

It’s also a bravura performance of the use of body weight and counterbalance and, most of all, strength and control.

Redline (2009)

Redline, the first piece on the 2009 program, begins with marching, marching, marching.

We’ve seen marching before this season, at performances choreographed by Shen Wei and Mark Dendy.

Disturbing thought... is North Korean leader Kim Jong-il dictating the movement base line of our time?

The piece, choreographed by Jonathan Wolken and his dancers, moves on to other modern movement vocabularies – street fighting, martial arts, plus a variety of cinematic – or maybe just DVD – effects. Slow motion. Fast forward.

Dancers move about the stage with strange, bird – like movements, sketching out Pac Man mazes.

Throughout, Wolken’s masterful use of momentum – accompanied by superb music and lighting – propel Redline to it inevitable conclusion.

2b (2009)

“Well, that was baffling.”

Judging by the murmurs around us in the balcony at the close of the world premiere of 2b, my reviewing companion’s comment pretty much summed up audience reaction.

But baffling has never been something Pilobolus has shied away from during its decades long explorations of movement. This new work, created by Israeli choreographers Inbal Pinto and Avshalom Pollak working with the Pilobolus dancers, is no exception to any rule.

The action seems, initially, to take place underwater. A dancer is lowered from above into murky depths, loosing his grip on an inner tube, brilliantly suggested by a cloud of black balloons. A dancer in a lizard – or is it a fish – head drags a chest across the stage.

The chest opens – the door to another world? - and dancers emerge. They break the remaining balloons around the newcomer. Eventually all end up limp – dead? drowned?- across the door’s threshold. The lizard resumes its march.

Clever shadow play and cool music are what move this mysterious allegory along and make it entertaining. Tom Waits and J.S. Bach mix it up with lonely buoy bells, fog horns, train whistles, even horse neighs in an intoxicatingly rich and thought-provoking score. Elvis Presley even gets a turn, singing the Caribbean – Hawaiian hybrid, “Ito Eats” from the movie Blue Hawaii, which becomes the theme of the lizard, who, presumably, “even eats the shell of the coconut.”

Leaving us with the question: "2b or not 2b?"

Rushes (2007)

[photo at right by ADF/Gregory Georges 2007]
The final piece of the 2009 program was another Pinto-Pollack collaboration with Pilobolus founder Robby Barnett and various dancers, commissioned in part by the ADF and premiering at 2007’s festival. The work was highly praised as one of the highlights of the season, and ADF regulars eagerly awaited a reprise.

With good reason, as it turns out. The piece is full of memorable images and the kind of illusion and effortless movement and creative ideas that define Pilobolus’ best work. Set in a neutral toned world focused around a man who never lets go of his briefcase, and a row of stark white chairs, the production introduces Technicolor touches – dreams of bright, abstract colors projected on a pillowcase; reflections in red and green of a dancer’s hand on a white spinning chair seat.

The chairs are choreographed as thoroughly as the dancers. They move about the floor in constantly changing patterns so smoothly that at times you forget that there are dancers behind the patterns. So perfectly smooth are their movements, that at one point – at least from the balcony – the round spotlight they circle in seems to come to life, becoming a rotating disc in the floor, as the dancers and chairs stand still. An impressive illusion. Definite “wow” factor.

In the years since 1971, the world of dance has changed around Pilobolus. The whimsy and illusion—and acrobatic skill—that characterize their works have become familiar and given rise to new schools of dance and performance, and inspired young choreographers in their turn. Pilobolus has even been credited as one of the inspirations of the popular Cirque de Soleil brand of entertainment.

With its performance on the 2007 Oscar award ceremony, its NFL teaser spots, and numerous commercials for everything from banks to automobiles, Pilobolus in recent years gained a whole new audience, one that doesn’t know, and cares less, that this group’s roots lie in a 1960s commune.

But the timeless truth discovered by those early Modern Dance experimenters in the Vermont hills continues to prove its power: the human body speaks its own language, and will tell its tales to those who watch.

We can thank Pilobolus for adding many interesting stories to our human repertoire.

***
Incidentally, one of those NFL teasers was recently nominated for an Emmy award in the category of Sports. You can watch it, and many other Pilobolus creations, on YouTube.

For more on Pilobolus, visit the company's website.

For more on the ADF:
American Dance Festival ADF News

H Art Chaos at the American Dance Festival: A Review

2009-07-13T08:16:00.010-05:00

photo by Rosalie O'Connor

The first presentation of Stravinsky's ballet, "The Rite of Spring" (Le Sacre du Printemps) in 1913 caused a riot, its French audience hurling insults and harder objects at the stage. Its dissonant music, primitive rhythms, and violent portrayal of a pagan ritual in which a girl dances to her death disturbed viewers even in a setting distanced from modern life.

In the controversial H Art Chaos version presented at the American Dance Festival, the superb all female Japanese troupe brings the throbbing music and wildness of Stravinsky's score into a modern apartment with a porcelain bathtub full of water, living room furniture and swinging chairs. The change of setting creates a very different point of view, making it more disturbing and the thrashing violence of the music and dance more immediate.

Using the same sort of wire suspension that has become common in films such as "The Matrix," hanging chairs and dancers swing in carefully choreographed patterns that create gut-wrenching tension as the lead dancer soars between them. You feel a suspense like that of watching a rope fray while a hero hangs suspended over a yawning canyon.

The lead dancer writhes toward a finish in which she swings wildly toward the audience and back in an explosive cinematic climax.

The women dancing the male parts in modern dress evoke male energy so effectively you barely register that they are women.

We've seen other productions of "Rite of Spring," notably the Sal Aiello version choreographed for the North Carolina Dance Theatre, also a powerful and moving work. But the H Art Chaos presentation breathes new blood into this icon of modernism, restoring some of the shock and disturbing quality that caused that 1913 audience to riot.

At ADF, it resulted in a lengthy standing ovation.

The company preceded "Rite of Spring" with a world premiere commissioned by ADF, "Flowers of the Bones" offering equally creative dancing and staging if a much quieter ending.

Formed by Sakiko Oshima in 1989, H Art Chaos' stated purpose is to overturn traditional concepts of female bodies and their modes of expression in a traditionally patriarchic society. Since then they have tackled (or perhaps "attacked" is more descriptive), such classics as "Swan Lake" and "Romeo and Juliet." The company's "Rite of Spring" is the latest in this series, and perhaps the most apt for the artistic vision expressed on the group's website: "revolt against the comfort of status quo in search of an artistic heaven out of chaos."

The company name reflects this aim: H=Heaven, Art=art, Chaos=disorder.

Certainly, H Art Chaos represents a different Japanese cultural approach to dance from the super - slow, incredibly controlled movements of ADF regulars Eiko and Koma, proponents of the Butoh school.

Review by Allan Maurer

For more information on H Art Chaos, visit:

http://h-art-chaos.com/
For more on ADF: American Dance Festival ADF News

Mark Dendy Company at new DPAC

2009-06-22T10:35:00.004-05:00

Mark Dendy's dance company presented this site specific work at Durham's new Performing Arts Center on June 20.

For more on Dendy's work visit:
Mark Dendy Company
For more on DPAC visit:
Durham Performing Arts Center
For more on the ADF visit:
The American Dance Festival

Shen Wei debuts newest work in Durham, NC

2009-06-21T13:33:00.008-05:00

Shen Wei, fresh from his triumph as choreographer of the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics (reviews ranged from "Amazing!" through "Breathtaking! and it was all that), finds himself the hottest face on the international dance scene.

The son of Chinese Opera dancers, he grew up in Communist China, somehow found modern dance, and began adapting it to express his country's ancient culture, in the process creating a unique multi-cultural dance idiom.

In 1995, he moved to NYC, and brought his talent to the American Dance Festival at Duke University that first year. In 2000, his new company Shen Wei Dance Arts debuted at ADF, presenting Near the Terrace, commissioned by the festival, and it has returned every year since.

The connection isn't much of a surprise. The dance festival mounted its first big outreach program to China, sending top modern choreographers and teachers to the Guangdong Dance Academy in Guangzhou, China, beginning in 1987. In 1990, the Guangdong Modern Dance Company emerged with Shen Wei among its founders.

When Shen Wei returns to Durham and the American Dance Festival, he is in a very real way returning to his creative roots.

Audiences at ADF embraced Shen Wei from the beginning. I first encountered - and was mesmerized by - his 2004 commissioned piece Connect Transfer, in which dancers dipped in paint created swirling abstract images on a white paper stage. Praised for combining dance, music, and art, I also felt a connection with literature. The graceful images traced on the floor reminded me of the flowing arabesques of Chinese ideograms.

It is this work that inspired Shen Wei's work in Beijing. In one particularly dramatic moment of the opening program, dancers used their bodies to paint an Oriental landscape, almost magically making it appear bit by bit on their giant canvas.

The new ADF commissioned piece RE - (Part III), which enjoyed its World Premiere in Durham's new Performing Arts Center this week, itself was inspired, the choreographer says, by his experiences in Beijing, as well as his travels across China. The Durham performance was in fact the first full exhibition of Shen Wei's triptych, RE - (Parts I, II, and III), which he's been working on since 2006. Part I premiered as a commissioned work at that year's ADF. Part II was set on Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal in 2007; it makes its US debut at ADF.

Part III, commissioned for this year's ADF, completes the Triptych. From Durham, the production moves on to Lincoln Center where it will be the first dance production in the new Alice Tully Hall on July 9th. A world tour to three continents is in the works.

The Saturday night performance (June 20, 2009) presented Part I first, followed by Part III, concluding with Part II.

RE - (Part I), sublime as always, hypnotizes with its soundtrack of Tibetan chants, and indeed Tibetan imagery pervades the piece. A giant mandala created from paper confetti is slowly erased by the dancers, like Tibetan monks destroying a mandala made of sand. The confetti (cherry blossoms? snow?) swirls around the dancers as they move across a treeless plain backed only by an angry sky.

RE - (Part III) is inspired, Shen Wei says, by his trip along the Silk Road, then his residency in Beijing, where his dancers numbered 2,000 of the 14,000 participants in the opening ceremonies. (Of the 14,000, 9,000 were recruited from the Chinese army.) There's a good deal of marching in formation in the work; we hear marching boots before the dancers enter. But amid the marching there is creativity - one dancer swirls in his own dance, caught up in the music. It's a competition of control vs. surrender to the music, and slowly the infection spreads, until creativity wins out over sameness.

photo by Lois Greenfield

After the final intermission, RE - (Part II), a work of tremendous power and beauty, concluded the Triptych. Set to natural sounds recorded by Shen Wei while exploring the ancient temples of Cambodia at Angkor Wat, the dance takes place against the intricate carvings on a temple wall, as well as the tangled roots of banyan trees. Powdery makeup and strategic lighting transform Shen Wei's partially clad dancers into marble statues that pant for breath. Intricate swirls bring the company together, forming a cursive script with their intertwined bodies that you can - almost - read.

To see more videos visit:
SHEN WEI DANCE ARTS

For more on ADF performances, visit:
American Dance Festival

Zoo Cuts Ribbon On Giraffe Feeding Station

2009-06-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

(NC Zoo photo)

On Friday, June 5, "Acacia Station," a tree-level deck where zoo visitors can offer food to the giraffes, opened at the NC Zoo.

Located at the northern edge of the Forest Glade, a three-acre habitat for zebras and ostriches as well as giraffes, the Acacia Station is a first for the N.C. Zoo, lifting visitors into the trees to greet the giraffes while offering a bird's eye view of their habitat.

The $200,000 feeding station was made possible through a gift to the N.C. Zoological Society, the zoo's non-profit fundraising organization for the zoo. It includes a 400-square-foot treated wood platform that gives visitors an exciting new view of the Forest Edge along with the opportunity to offer "browse" to the giraffes.

During its initial operation, Acacia Station will be free to visitors who will have a hand in helping keepers acclimate the zoo's five giraffes to the new feeding deck. Later on a $3 fee will be required to offer "browse" to the animals.

Video of New Carolina Cobra Coaster at Carowinds

2009-04-03T14:00:00.004-05:00

http://carolinacobra.carowinds.com/

Carowinds opens Cobra Coaster

2009-04-03T13:10:00.006-05:00

Carowinds, on the North Carolina/South Carolina border, debuted its new Cobra Rollercoaster on a rainy Friday. Even in the rain, the Carowinds staff proved they know how to put on a party.

There was a nice meal...

A band...

Even a live snake...

The Carolina Cobra is 935 feet of thrills, with a vertical drop of 120 feet. The ride, with many inverted loops, takes over 2 minutes to complete, and travels about 48 mph.

Visit:

http://carolinacobra.carowinds.com/

for more info.

NC Zoo Loses Sea Lion

2009-01-24T10:51:00.000-05:00

Abby, a 21-year-old female sea lion (foreground), is pictured with former exhibit mate Joey. N.C. Zoo Photo by Tom Gillespie.

A female California sea lion was euthanized Friday evening at the North Carolina Zoo after suffering a variety of medical problems for several years.

Abby, age 21, had been transferred to the N.C. Zoo from Sea World of Florida in 1995. The sea lion had been under treatment for chronic eye problems for several years and also suffered from pneumonia and diabetes, according to zoo senior veterinarian Dr. Ryan DeVoe. A necropsy, or animal autopsy, performed Saturday also revealed a number of pancreatic tumors, DeVoe said.

"These are all problems that are extremely difficult to treat in marine mammals," DeVoe explained. "It was a very difficult decision (to euthanize), but one we felt was in the best interest of the animal."

The average life span for California sea lions is 18 years. Abby lost her 25-year-old male exhibit mate, Joey, in late 2009 to a variety of age-related illnesses. She had since shared the exhibit with two Harbor seals. The seals remain in good health and on exhibit in the zoo's Rocky Coast complex.

N.C. Zoo receives award for Elephant Project

2008-09-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

(NC Zoo photo)

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) this week awarded the North Carolina Zoo the "International Conservation Award – Significant Achievement" for the zoo's work to protect elephants in the African nation of Cameroon.

The Elephants of Cameroon Project is funded by the North Carolina Zoo Society and led by N.C. Zoo Chief Veterinarian Dr. Mike Loomis, in cooperation with the World Wildlife Fund-Cameroon. Rich Bergl, N.C. Zoo curator of conservation and research, received the award on the zoo's behalf Wednesday at the AZA national convention in Milwaukee.

"We are truly grateful for this award," Loomis said. "We are particularly thrilled that the award draws attention to the plight of African elephants and the importance of efforts to protect them as well as the safety and prosperity of people who live near them."

While it was primarily poaching that led to African elephants being added to the endangered species list in 1988, elephants are also threatened in Cameroon as human populations expand into the animals' traditional habitat areas. Conflicts between humans and elephants often arise after elephants ransack agricultural fields, resulting in retribution against the elephants.

To address this and other problems, the Cameroon Ministry of Forests and Wildlife worked with World Wildlife Fund-Cameroon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to create a National Elephant Management Plan. Loomis has been part of the team charged with implementing this plan. For more than a decade, he and his team have ventured into the African bush to fit wild elephants with radio collars used to track elephant movements and migratory patterns. The result has been a significant decrease in human – elephant conflicts and a sharp decline in elephant deaths.

The N.C. Zoo Society has provided most of the funding for the N.C. Zoo's part in the plan. The Zoo Society also funds the Field Trip Earth educational website, which reports on the Elephants of Cameroon project with notes from field journals and photographs. Field Trip Earth (www.fieldtripearth.org) is provided as a resource for teachers, students and researchers.

"We are proud of Dr. Loomis and pleased to be part of this important effort to protect African elephants," said Russ Williams, N.C. Zoo Society executive director. "The work being accomplished in Cameroon will help ensure the survival of the largest land animal on our planet while also respecting the needs of growing human populations."

ADF Community Day with Pilobolus in Durham

2008-06-18T14:27:00.005-05:00

The American Dance Festival, this year celebrating its 75th season, invites families and children of all ages to experience the joy of dance on Saturday, June 21. The day begins with a special one-hour Children’s Matinee by Pilobolus at 1pm in Duke’s Page Auditorium. Tickets are available for $12 by calling (919) 684-4444.
The fun continues with activities including an African Dance and Drumming Workshop at Duke’s Nasher Museum of Art from 2pm to 4:30pm.
A special workshop with Durham’s Scrap Exchange offers the opportunity to partake in arts and crafts. The popular Paperhand Puppet Intervention returns from last year. The day will also feature Hooping, a new activity combining meditation, dance, circus, athleticism and play.
Activities at the Nasher are free and open to the public.
For more information, visit the American Dance Festival website:
www.americandancefestival.org

Kiplinger names Raleigh among Best Cities to Live, Work and Play -

2008-06-05T11:06:00.000-05:00

Kiplinger's recent edition named Raleigh the # 2 Best Place to Live Work and Play in America.

Best Cities to Live, Work and Play - Kiplinger.com

Charlotte Taste Of The Nation

2008-04-05T07:48:00.000-05:00

April 16, 2008

Wachovia Atrium
Uptown Charlotte, NC
FREE PARKING in 2nd Street Garage
Preview Hour 6-10pm $85
Main Event 7-10pm $60

To purchase tickets please call the Second Harvest Foodbank of Metrolina
at (704) 376-1785

To purchase tickets online please click on the "Buy Tickets to Taste of the Nation" located on the left hand side.

Preview Hour: $85
Main Event (if purchased by March 31, 2008): $50
Main Event: $60 at door

Celebrating 13 years and over $1 million raised!

Enjoy a gourmet extravaganza featuring signature dishes from over 20 of Charlotte-area restaurants and culinary schools, fine wine, beer & other beverages, as well as Live Entertainment, Live & Silent Auctions and a great time while making a difference!

Come an hour early for an exclusive first look at the exciting auction packages, and of course, the much needed extra hour to enjoy all the wonderful food and wine Charlotte has to offer.

Charlotte Taste Of The Nation

Free events in Charlotte for basketball fans

2008-03-26T09:47:00.002-05:00

Charlotte's City Center Partners and the Charlotte Regional Sports Authority are celebrating the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball East Regional Tournament March 27th & 29th in Charlotte, North Carolina with a number of free events.

If you do not have a ticket for the games, there are plenty of activities to attend for FREE!!
The free Gold Rush trolley will be running, as well as the LYNX train.

The Open Practice is Wednesday, March 26th 12:00 - 4:00pm at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena.

The Coca Cola Spirit of Champions Tour is happening outside of the Charlotte Bobcats Arena during the following times:

Wednesday, March 26th 11:00am - 5:00pm
Thursday, March 27th 11:00am - first tip
Saturday, March 29th 10:00am - first tip

For more information, visit http://www.charlottesports.org/

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2008 Charlotte March 13

2008-03-07T10:31:00.002-05:00

Yes, there is a fly fishing film tour, dedicated, according to its website, to: "bringing a new face-vision and scene to the fly-fishing entertainment world."

I'm not entirely sure what that is supposed to mean, but I think it has something to do with the Airstream RV painted like a rainbow trout. (See below.)

AEG's 2008 Fly Fishing Film Tour, the country's biggest fly fishing film festival arrives in Charlotte on March 13 at Spirit Square's McGlohan Theatre, 345 N. College Street. Phone: (971) 238-0554, Doors Open: 6:30 PM; Show Starts: 7:00 PM.

Along with other fly fishing films, you can get a sneak peek at two Trout Unlimited special projects:

* Get a preview of "On the Rise," TU's new television program that will begin airing on the Outdoor Channel this spring --the show takes you on a fly-fishing journey across America, as host Frank Smethurst, traveling in an Airstream trailer painted like a rainbow trout, visits TU projects around the country.

* See the trailer for "Red Gold," a documentary film about Bristol Bay Alaska and the fight to save this wild salmon fishery from becoming home to the largest open pit gold mine in North America.

Trout Unlimited is a partner in the film tour, which will premier at over 70 theaters across the country and features eight short films on fly fishing from independent film makers across the globe.

For more information, and to preview films, visit:
Fly Fishing Film Tour 2008 coming to your area

Free child's admission with paper donation for USO Presidents Day at Discovery Place

2008-02-15T12:02:00.004-05:00

Guests donating paper products receive one free child’s admission per paying adult to Discovery Place Monday, Feb. 18. The paper products will go to support the United States Organizations (USO) of North Carolina.

Serving more than 1,000 military visitors per week, the USO of North Carolina’s Charlotte-Douglas International Airport office relies on the generosity of the community to support its programs and services and always is in need of paper goods and supplies. Guests can show their support at the Museum by providing the following paper products: boxes of plastic forks, plastic knives and plastic spoons; or packages of napkins, toilet paper, paper towels, nine inch plates, six inch plates, 16 oz. plastic cups and 12 oz. Styrofoam cups.

“The USO holds an endearing and impassioned place in the lives of the troops and their families,” said John Mackay, president and CEO of Discovery Place. “We are proud to partner with the USO to give guests a chance to show their support and learn about the history and impact the USO has had on America’s military communities.”

The museum's current exhibition, Rockwell’s America: Celebrating the Art of Norman Rockwell, takes visitors on a journey through America’s past as Rockwell's iconic images come to life in interactive, walk-through exhibits.

One of Rockwell's most famous works is a Saturday Evening Post cover featuring Willie Gillis enjoying the special brand of comfort provided by USO volunteers.

During their visit, guests can learn more about the USO including how the organization was formed and its impact on troops stationed overseas and away from their families during World War II.

Military personnel and family members visited USO centers more than 5.3 million times last year to receive services include free Internet access, libraries and reading rooms, housing assistance, family crisis counseling, support groups, game rooms and nursery facilities.

The United Service Organizations or USO has been the bridge between the American public and the U.S. military since before World War II. In times of peace and war, the USO consistently delivers comfort, support and recreational services to the military.

Those interested in making a direct donation to the Charlotte USO Center may do so by contacting Captain Jack Ahart, Director or Megan Grady, Deputy Director at 704-359-5581. For more information on USO North Carolina and the Charlotte USO, visit uso-nc.org.

DISCOVERY PLACE | igniting wonder since 1981 | CHARLOTTE NATURE MUSEUM | IMAX | Discovery Place with the Charlotte Observer IMAX Dome Theater and the Charlotte Nature Musuem are the things to do in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Visit the Discovery Halls and view our permanent exhibits such as Our Living Planet, the Ocean Pool, the Rainforest, the Life Center, Einstein's Corner, and many more exciting exhibits. Don't foget to stop by the Charlotte Nature Museum while you are in Uptown. There you can see wonderful exhibits such as the Butterfly Pavillion and Our Big Backyard. Stop by today, there's so much to explore in Uptown Charlotte. Ignite the Wonder in You!

February events at North Carolina Museums

2008-02-08T12:36:00.000-05:00

Events at museums around the state:

*During the weekend of February 22-24, the Cameron Art Museum (http://www.cameronartmuseum.com/ ) presents the Civil War Living History Weekend and Battle of Forks Road Living History Weekend, an event that recreates the final fight to take Wilmington on February 20, 1865. This educational program affords visitors a great opportunity to learn more about the role of African-American troops during the Civil War history. Step back in time with African-American, Union and Confederate re-enactors, special guest speakers, and Civil War historians. The year 2008 marks the 143rd anniversary of the Battle of Forks Road, an important skirmish that preceded the fall of Wilmington during the Civil War.

*At the Reynolda House Museum of American Art (http://www.renoldahouse.org/ ) "Ancestry and Innovation: African-American Art from the American Folk Art Museum" opens Friday, February 1.

*The North Carolina Museum of History (http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/ ) presents the Civil Rights Photographs of Alexander Rivera. Discover the work of N.C. native and renowned photojournalist Alexander Rivera, who captured pivotal moments in the Civil Rights movementas well as everyday life in the segregated South.

*The Piedmont Natural Gas Foundation has generously awarded a $5000 grant to support the Cameron Art Museum's (http://www.cameronartmuseum.com/) newly-established Minnie Evans Study Center. The Center will act as the primary repository of information relating to the art and life of this North Carolina self-taught artist.

*Visitors to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (http://www.ncaquariums.com/ ) will have a chance to combine a day at the aquarium with a viewing of one of four classic children's films every Saturday in February. Screening will take place in the aquarium's recently upgraded 165-seat auditorium. Films begin at 3 p.m. on Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24. Admission to the February Family Fun Film Festival is free with an aquarium ticket.

* The High Point Museum (http://www.highpointmuseum.org/) presents Blacksmithing Demonstrations int he Historical Park on February 2-3 and February 16-17. Come watch a costumed blacksmith in action as he crafts various iron pieces. Free. For more information, call (336) 885-1859.

*Cape Fear Museum of History and Science (http://www.capefearmuseum.com/ ) ventures into uncharted waters Feb.3, when its newest exhibit, OCEAN: Explore. Discover., opens to the public. OCEAN is an interactive, hands-on exhibition that explores cutting-edge research projects from UNCW faculty. The year long, temporary exhibit offers visitors a unique perspective on the ocean. It is designed, in large part, to expose the Lower Cape Fear region to a sampling of the breadth of ocean research that takes place in its own back yard.

* Bennett Place State Historic Site <http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/Sections/hs/bennett/bennett.htm) presents Civil War Cinema: Buffalo Soldiers, staring Danny Glover on February 16 at 5:30 pm.

*The Museum of the Albemarle (http://www.museumofthealbemarle.com/>) will hold "Pre-Schooler Time" on Thursday, February 14, 2008 from 10:00 am until 10:45am. Participants must be between the ages of 3 to 5 years old and must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-schoolers will learn about the symbols that represented love in the 18th Century.

*Cape Fear Museum (http://www.capefearmuseum.com/ ) in Wilmington presents at its Learning Center: Under the Sea: What is an aquanaut? Discover the answer to this question and more as you explore ocean science. Learn why the ocean is salty and rivers are not. Play a fun shell match game and make your own sand dollar. Find out why starfish are not fish at all! February 9, 16, 23. The Learning Center is open Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Activities are free with Museum admission. Appropriate for children ages 5 to 10. Parental participation is required.

*Greensboro Children's Museum ( http://www.gcmuseum.com/) Registration is now open for the Kids on the Ball & Wee Little Kids on the Ball 6 week class - ($10 registration fee) Kids on theBall - Tuesdays - Feb. 5 - Mar. 11. Time: 5:15 - 6pm. Wee Little Kids onthe Ball - Thursdays Feb. 7 - March 13. (10:30 - 11am) and Fridays - Feb. 8- Mar. 14. (10:30-11am). Class size is limited so sign up today!

* Historic Oak View County Park (http://www.wakegov.com/parks/oakview/). Visit this Raleigh park on February 23 from 10-4 for the opening of the park's newest original exhibition,"Seeing the Light: How Electricity Changed Rural North Carolina" with guest speakers and guided tours of the exhibit throughout the day. Visit the website for details about speaker and tour times.

North Carolina Museums Council

Winter Wine Walk Downtown Wilmington

2008-01-31T13:15:00.000-05:00

Traveling tour of Wilmington's finest wine bars, shops, and restaurants.
Saturday, February 9th from 6pm until 9pm.

The walk begins at Bottega Art & Wine where patrons will show their ticket in exchange for a map and wristband showing admission. From there, people will embark on a self-guided tour to The Wilmington Wine Shoppe, The Basics, Chelsea's Wine Bar and more... who will offer 2-4 tastings of winter wines of their choice to participants.

Tickets are $15 each or 2 for $25 and will be available for purchase at Bottega Art & Wine, and online at etix.com.

Downtown Business Alliance - Events Details

Elephant Walk Update

2008-01-29T10:02:00.001-05:00

The Ringling Brothers Circus Parade will travel up Trade Street, not 5th Street, this evening. Daredevil stuntman Belo Nock (orange hair, above) leads the parade.

Incidently, Ringling has one of the world's most successful breeding programs for Asian elephants, with 20 baby elephants born so far. Here are a few really cute pictures. You can read about the circus' elephant center here: http://www.elephantcenter.com/

Circus Walk through Uptown Charlotte Tue. Jan. 29

2008-01-28T16:06:00.000-05:00

ANIMALS FROM THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH^®

WALK THROUGH CHARLOTTE ON

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29!

The Greatest Show On Earth arrives in Charlotte aboard a 53-car-long circus train containing some of the most exotic cargo on earth. Housing artists from all over the world, accompanied by creatures large and small, the fabled Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey^® train is a virtual Noah's Ark!

Grand Animal Walk of The Greatest Show On Earth takes to the streets on Tuesday, January 29 starting at 6 PM. This event heralds the opening of the all-new 137th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, offering ten performances at the Charlotte Bobcats Arena, January 30 - February 3.

This year the Animal Walk will be led by an Honorary Marshall from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Western and Central North Carolina and our very own star of the show, Bello Nock!

The animals will be unloaded from the train at 5:30 PM at W. 3^rd and Graham and make their way into town on W. 3rd street. They will take a left onto South Poplar Street and right onto 5^th street. They will continue straight past Bobcats Arena and then right onto S. Caldwell Street, then make a final right into the back loading dock of the Coliseum.

ALL TIMES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE!

Tickets for the 137th Edition of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey are on sale now at the Arena Box Office, Ticketmaster and here:
Welcome to Ringling Bros.

Durham: A Self-Portrait screens at Duke Jan. 21

2008-01-21T06:00:00.000-05:00

More than 70 original interviews, and rarely seen film and photo images, are featured in this documentary about the "real Durham. "

The film's central theme is racial cooperation. Even when other communities were tearing themselves apart over race, Durham residents, white and black, often worked together to encourage business and maintain order. The film uses a basketball game as a metaphor for the cooperation between the races.

Made in 2007 by director Steven Channing, the film runs 82 minutes. It screens at 7 pm in Duke's Griffith film theater, Monday, Jan. 21 as part of the MLK Day celebration, and admission is free and open to the public.

A panel discussion follows with:

Kerry Watson, Sr., Associate Chief Operating Officer, Duke Hospital (panel moderator)

Dr. Steven Channing, president of Video Dialog and producer of Durham: A Self-Portrait

Carl Webb, long time Durham resident and a partner in Greenfire Development, Inc., a major player in the redevelopment of Durham. (Carl appears in the film.)

Scott Harmon, architect with Center Studio Architecture in Durham, involved in the revitalization of Durham.

NC Museum events for January

2008-01-16T09:16:00.000-05:00

Reynolda House Museum of American Art, Winston-Salem (www.reynoldahouse.org) hosts a Reading by Kate Blackwell at 5:30 p.m.on Tuesday, January 22 ($8/$5 members and students), and a "Wordplay"Gallery Talk by Allison Slaby at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 29. The"Wordplay" exhibit remains on view through May 4. Reynolda will also open"Ancestry & Innovation: African American Art from the American Folk Art Museum" with an opening reception on Friday, February 1 from 7-9 p.m.($5/members and students free). Several events will be held in conjunction with the exhibit -- visit the website for details.

The Asheville Art Museum (www.ashevilleart.org) opens "Nace Brock:Painter, Poet and Photographer" from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, January 18th - free for members or with admission. Also on the 18th: Art Break: "Expectant Gaze:Art from the Eye and Mind," by Nancy Sokolove, noon to 1 p.m.; and an American Drawings lecture by Tom Butler, 6-7:30 p.m. On Saturday the 19th,the "Western Carolina Regional Scholastic Art Awards exhibit opens, from10-5, free. On the 20th, the "Home Is Where One Starts: Paintings and Drawings by Stone Roberts" exhibit will close (1-5 p.m.).

The N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher (www.ncaquariums.com) will offer its Aquarist Apprentice program at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 5 and Saturday,January 19. Fee is $20 per participant; for ages 10 and up, ages 14 and under must be accompanied by adult. Pre-registration is required -910-458-7468.

The N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort (www.ncmaritimemuseum.org) is offering a wildlife driving tour and bird watching from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30p.m. on Wednesday, January 30. Fee: $10. Reservations required -- call252-728-7317. The exhibit "Art Works in Beaufort" continues on view through January 13.

The next lecture in the Bruce Porter Lecture Series at the Museum of Coastal Carolina, Ocean Isle Beach (www.museumofcc.org) is "Tracking Dolphins" by Keith Rittmaster -- 7 p.m. on February 12.

Programming for January at the Greensboro Children's Museum(www.gcmuseum.com) includes the new Active Story Time (Jan. 4 and 17 at10:30 a.m.), the new Kids on the Ball (January 11, 12, 18, 25 and 31), and Wee Little Kids on the Ball (January 14, 15, 18 and 24). See the website for all program details.

The next special programming at Historic Oak View County Park, Raleigh,is literary artist Ella Joyce Stewart, presenting "Tale Mastery: Original Farm Stories and Other Tales" from 10-11 a.m. and a workshop, "Forgotten Rural Black Women: What happens when the men and farms are gone?" from 11:30a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, January 12.

The Museum of Anthropology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem will present "Ties that Bind: Wedding Customs from around the World" on exhibit from January 25 through May 3. Free admission; open Tuesday-Saturday from 10a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

At the Ackland Art Museum, Chapel Hill (www.ackland.org): "Theme and Variation: Print Sequences from Ornament to Abstraction" through February 24; "Picturing the World: Carolina's Celebrated Photojournalists," opening January 11 (opening reception 6-8 p.m. on the 11th; remaining through April 6); and "Perspectives on Public Justice," opening January 18 (through May4). A panel discussion, "The Role of the Photojournalist in Society:Responsibilities and Outcomes" will be from 4-6:30 p.m. on Sunday, January13.

Special events at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh(www.naturalsciences.org) include First Friday from 5-9 p.m. on January 4,and Astronomy Days from 9-5 on Saturday, January 26 and noon-5 p.m. on Sunday, January 27. "Nature Fun for the Very Young: Reptiles" will be from10-10:45 a.m. on Monday, January 7 ($6 per child/parent pair; register at 919-733-7450 ext. 555).

Bennett Place State Historic Site, Durham will host "Civil War Cinema: Horse Soldiers" on Saturday, January 19 at 5:30 p.m.

The N.C. Museum of History, Raleigh (www.ncmuseumofhistory.org) is currently exhibiting "'Showboat': The USS North Carolina" through November 16,and will open "Bearing Witness: Civil Rights Photographs of Alexander Rivera" on January 25, remaining through March 1, 2009. The Capital City Five will perform at the Museum at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 13; and the Seventh Annual African American Cultural Celebration will be held from 11 a.m. to 4p.m. on Saturday, January 26.

The Museum of the Albemarle, Elizabeth City(www.museumofthealbemarle.com), will hold a free program, "Valentine Faire:A Colonial Celebration," from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 2.

The Fine Art Museum at Western Carolina University (www.wcu.edu/fapac)will open its biennial exhibition by faculty from the School of the Art and Design on January 23rd, remaining through March 15.

The Cape Fear Museum, Wilmington (www.capefearmuseum.com) is offering Winter Jazz: "Sea Pans" on Friday, January 4 from 6-8 p.m. ($5/free for members); Learning Center: "Playing with Math" on Saturday, January 5, 12and 19, from 10-4 (free with Museum admission); and a New Hanover County Residents' Free Day on Sunday, January 6, 1-5 p.m.

LAST CHANCE - Mysteries of the Lost Colony in Raleigh

2008-01-10T12:54:00.000-05:00

Illustrations are by John White, and are copyright by the Trustees of the British Museum.

Only a few days remain to see the NC Museum of History's dual exhibits Mysteries of the Lost Colony and A New World: England’s First View of America. This is the first time in 40 years that the British Museum's complete collection of the watercolors of John White has traveled to this country. The exhibit closes Jan. 13, 2008.

John White was the head of the colony and the grandfather of Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the Americas. After he left Roanoke Island to seek supplies from England, all the colonists, including Virginia, disappeared, never to be seen again. The mystery of their disappearance is the subject of The Lost Colony outdoor drama, presented in Manteo every summer, and also of a continuing series of investigations.

The collection of White's original watercolors includes his many drawings of the native inhabitants of the New World, as well as detailed drawings of the unfamiliar plants and animals he found here. Also included are drawings he made of European peoples of the time in their native dress.

The exhibit is co-sponsored by the Roanoke Island Historical Association, producer of the Lost Colony drama, which is also at the forefront of the research into the fate of the colonists. A large interactive display discusses various theories of what happened after White left.

Did the colonists starve to death? Were they murdered? Did they join a nearby Croatan tribe or become the Hatteras Indians?

A recreated Indian village shows the rich lifestyle enjoyed by the native inhabitants before the English arrival. Also on display are some of the costumes used by the cast of the Lost Colony, including the elaborate black gown adorned with pearls first worn by Lynne Redgrave, when she portrayed Elizabeth I in the first days of the 2006 production. It was designed byWilliam Ivey Long, a native of Roanoke Island and the winner of multiple Tony awards for his costume design.

For contrast, the exhibit also contains an costume made in 1950 by Irene Raines. At the time, the budget for the show was much more modest. This early Indian maiden costume is adorned with curtain fringe.

These costumes are among the very few that survived the fire that destroyed the show's costume shop after the season ended this year. The theater is taking donations to help replace the many costumes need for this popular play.

For more about the exhibit, including an audio guide, visit:
Mysteries of the Lost Colony

For more about the Lost Colony drama and the costume replacement fund, visit http://www.thelostcolony.org/

CATS in Charlotte - A Review

2008-01-09T12:06:00.000-05:00

Review by Renee Wright
Photos copyrighted by Joan Marcus, 2006, courtesy of the NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

You have to wonder what was going on in Andrew Lloyd Webber's mind when he decided to use T.S. Eliot's book of poems about cats with hard to pronounce names as a basis for a musical.

Was it the challenge of setting the ingredients of cat food to music? (Try crooning "salmon" sometime...) Or maybe he was on the outs with lyrics writer Tim Rice?

In any case, the musical has been a huge success - the longest running musical on B'way and touring companies crisscrossing the globe.

At the performance Tuesday night at Charlotte's Ovens Auditorium, the first night of a run through Jan. 13, it was easy to see the basis of the show's popularity. The lighting, set, and costumes are fantastic.

So is the plot - especially the deus ex alien ship that translates Grizabella to the "Heavyside Layer" - presumably some kind of cat heaven from which she will be reborn. But that's another story.

The words to most of the songs in the show are taken directly from Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" except for the show's most memorable and famous tune, "Memory" which is supposedly "suggested by" "Rhapsody on a Windy Night" and "other poems of the Prufrock period," according to the program.

However, the lyrics don't much resemble the poem which runs in part: "Midnight shakes the memory/As a madman shakes a dead geranium." You can read the poem here and the song lyrics here.

Webber's song, "Memory" is gorgeous wherever it came from, if fabulously difficult to sing. Fortunately, Tricia Tanguy, who plays Grizabella in the traveling production, is more than up to the high notes, and delivers a stunning performance.

The show is laced with talented voices, and especially, dancers, for this is above all a dancer's show - appropriate since dancers can best portray the slinky movements and quick reflexes that come naturally to cats.

It's a humorous show as well, with plenty of laughs, mostly at the expense of a fat cat called Bustopher Jones, played by Christopher Sidoli, and various other funny pussycats in the cast.

Chris Mackenthun, playing Mistoffelees the magical cat, is an outstanding dancer, performing the famous "conjuring turn" (numerous rotations on one foot) to loud applause from the nearly capacity crowd.

Zander Meisner, playing the sexy Rum Tum Tugger, also received a boisterous round of "catcalls" from the kitties in the crowd, presumably for his fine form in latex.

If you're unfamiliar with Eliot's cat poems, it might be a good idea to brush up on the lyrics before you come to the show, so you can concentrate on the spectacle on stage. You can find the complete text of the Old Possum Book here.

Of course, you don't necessarily need to be familiar with Eliot's poems to enjoy this show. At the conclusion of Act 1, after the Jellicle Cats danced under the moon at the Jellicle Ball, my Mom leaned over and said:

"Who are these genital cats they keep singing about?"

Check for ticket availability at:
North Carolina Blumenthal Performing Arts Center Home

LAST CHANCE - Body Worlds at Discovery Place

2008-01-03T12:25:00.001-05:00

See Body Worlds, the original exhibit of skinned, plasticized corpses, through Sunday Jan. 6, at Charlotte's Discovery Place. Perfect for anatomy students, horror film fans, pre-teens, and the simply curious, this is a don't miss opportunity to find out what's really going on under your skin. The story of Dr. Gunther von Hagens' plastination process is equally fascinating. And - good news - he's accepting (body) donations. Spend eternity touring the great museums of the world!
The exhibit is opened extended hours, with the last ticket sold at 10 pm all weekend. The hall stays open for two hours after - midnight in this museum could be very scary.
Body Worlds has broken all attendance records during its 6 month run, and is a huge international phenomenom. There are three other exhibits, different from the one that came to Charlotte, currently touring the world, not to mention various imitators. Get your ticket online at the Discovery Place link below.

Also ending soon, your chance to see The Polar Express in the IMAX enormous screen format. Last showing, Jan. 17.

DISCOVERY PLACE | igniting wonder since 1981 | CHARLOTTE NATURE MUSEUM | IMAX | Discovery Place with the Charlotte Observer IMAX Dome Theater and the Charlotte Nature Musuem are the things to do in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina. Visit the Discovery Halls and view our permanent exhibits such as Our Living Planet, the Ocean Pool, the Rainforest, the Life Center, Einstein's Corner, and many more exciting exhibits. Don't foget to stop by the Charlotte Nature Museum while you are in Uptown. There you can see wonderful exhibits such as the Butterfly Pavillion and Our Big Backyard. Stop by today, there's so much to explore in Uptown Charlotte. Ignite the Wonder in You!

L Word Season 5 Premiere Events

2008-01-02T17:11:00.000-05:00

Showtime's hit series "The L Word" is throwing a series of parties across the country benefiting the Human Rights Campaign to celebrate its fifth season. Parties are planned for Spirit Square in Charlotte, Q Lounge in Greensboro, and The CC in Raleigh, all on Sunday, Sept. 6th.
To RSVP for the event, visit:
Human Rights Campaign - L Word Season 5 Premiere Events