Love is All You Need?– imagine a world where being gay was the norm. Where children are born and raised in a society that sends the message that being straight is disgusting and a sin. Ashley Curtis, a girl born to two mothers discovers her opposite-sex attraction as a girl and constantly hears from everyone her parents, religious leaders and school officials that she cannot love a boy. Continue reading
Israel & New Breed featuring Yolanda Adams sings “It’s Not Over (When God Is in It)” from the album “Jesus At the Center” at Lakewood Church in Houston, TX. (2012) Continue reading
Nina Simone, singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger, and civil rights activist, the High Priestess Of Soul was born Eunice Kathleen Waymon; 21 February 1933, Tryon, North Carolina. Her musical style arose from a fusion of Gospel and Pop songs with Classical Music, in particular with influences from her first inspiration and father of all modern music, Johann Sebastian Bach, and accompanied with her expressive Jazz-like singing in her characteristic contralto.
Nina Simone, candid interview from the legendary Singer plus concert footage.
The Legend- Nina Simone
Next Level Squad, a Brooklyn-based group of élite dancers who specialize in Bone Breaking. The dance style has roots, as a technique, in flexing; but in recent years it has flourished as its own distinct dance form. Next Level Squad has not only brought Bone Breaking to the attention of the urban public, it has gained an international following. Another art-form “Made In America”. Continue reading
Minnie Riperton, singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single Lovin’ You. She was one of the first celebrities to go public with her breast cancer diagnosis, but did not disclose she was terminally ill. In 1977, she became a spokesperson for the American Cancer Society. She received the American Cancer Society’s Courage Award in 1978, which was presented to her at the White House by President Jimmy Carter. She was married to songwriter and music producer Richard Rudolph from 1972 until her death in 1979. They had two children: music engineer Marc Rudolph and actress/comedienne Maya Rudolph. She died at age 31 on July 12, 1979. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
City College Center for the Arts hosted their Inaugural Awards Benefit celebrating The Arts and Artists on May 4th at Aaron Davis Hall. Maurice DuBois, CBS 2 Anchor served as Master of Ceremonies and Terrance McKnight, WQXR Evening Host, presented the Awards to Carmen de Lavallade for Lifetime Achievement in Dance, Gina Prince-Bythewood for Artistic Achievement in Film, Arturo O’Farrill for Artistic Achievement in Music, and Alexa Ray Joel with the Inspiration to Youth Award. The evening included a Celebration Concert by three- time Grammy winning artist Arturo O’Farrill and his Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra. “Uptown chic” post-concert dinner with dancing brought to evening to a fitting celebratory conclusion.
Over 300 guests began the evening with pre-concert cocktails. Performances by Batoto Yetu and Sho-Off Dance opened the ceremony in the Marian Anderson Theater, which included a compelling performance by City College student Darilyn Castillo. Dinner with dancing by DJ Ray of Jarrell Entertainment in Theater B followed the performance. The City College of New York President Dr. Lisa S. Coico, Vice President Karen Witherspoon were the Honorary Chairs for the event, with Alicia Bythewood and Stewart F. Lane & Bonnie Comley as Chairmen.
Annie Watt photographer
Betty Bower, America’s Best Christian is an award-winning parody with over 100,000 hits a week. Mrs. Betty Bowers will tell you how many shopping days until the Apocalypse and offer advise to the biblically uniformed. Continue reading
By Walter Rutledge
PS Dance!, an inspiring documentary showcasing the profound effects of dance education in NYC public schools, will air on tri-state public television station NJTV on May 26 at 10:00 p.m. The television program has already aired May 15 on WNET (THIRTEEN), and May 17 on WLIW21. The full film will also be available for online streaming at THIRTEEN.org/specials. Continue reading
“Do not go where the path may lead, but go where there is no path and leave a trail” Continue reading
Multi-Facial is a 1995 short film directed, written, produced, scored by and starring the 22 year old Vin Diesel. The story depicts the professional and emotional issues faced by Mike (Diesel), a multiracial (Italian and African American) actor. The twenty-minute film is semi-autobiographical, drawing on Vin Diesel’s own frustration trying to find work as an actor of mixed ethnicity. The film was noticed by director Steven Spielberg, who would cast Diesel in Saving Private Ryan (1998).
Multi Facial
In the early 1990s, Diesel returned from Los Angeles to New York, frustrated with his failures in Hollywood. Diesel’s mother gave him a copy of Feature Films at Used Car Prices, a book about producing low-budget movies. Diesel said that he found the book “truly empowering,” and it motivated him to make his own movies and wrote the script for Multi-Facial in five days. He produced and directed the film, shooting it over the course of three days for three thousand dollars.
Vin Diesel also wrote and performed music for the film. However, Diesel became disillusioned by the response to the film and stopped work on it. With encouragement from his stepfather, Diesel finished the final edit and screened the film at the Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan. He received a strong response, and the film was accepted for the 1995 Cannes Film Festival. The film was screened to standing-room only crowds.
The closing audition scene in the film is unexpectedly emotional, and effortlessly, it organically concludes the themes built up throughout the film. A great showcase for Diesel, the film works amazingly well cinematically, making it one of the great short films on acting ever made.
NEVER GIVE UP YOUR DREAM !
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 
The Dance of the Village Elders are back ! This time we exercise, dance and just have fun through the zoom platform or in-person at R.A.I.N. Nereid 