Accomplished dancer Lourdes Taylor plans to wow the Chicago audience with her dance skills this Friday duringAn Evening with theSouth Chicago Dance Theatre: Celebrating Five Years. Lourdes, who is a Chicago native, has an extensive resume that includes graduating magna cum laude from Haverford College and being a Ph.D student at the University of Chicago. She has worked for top clients like Vanity Fair, Vogue, Shawn Mendes and Jamila Woods.
Do you want to learn more about South Chicago Dance Theatre’s Emerging Artist? Check out our interview below.
Photo Credit: The Silverman Group/Chicago Philharmonic
Famous musical guests Massamba Diop (drum player from “Black Panther” fame) and Chicago native flutist Steve Kajula join conductor Emil de Cou for the upcoming Marvel Studios’ Black Panther Live in Concert! (Diop alone is a world renowned tama Senegalese talking drum player!) The highly anticipated event will happen at the Chicago Theatre, 175 N State St, Chicago, June 18, 2022 at 7:30 pm.
According to The Silverman Group press release, the empowering concert will feature the Chicago Philharmonic performing Ludwig Göransson’s Oscar® and Grammy®-winning score live to picture (the “Black Panther” film.)
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor Scott Speck: “Ludwig Göransson’s score for this movie is truly a wonder of modern composition, and an ingenious blend of traditional African and Western music. The two main characters are both given leitmotifs, which is a classical music tradition, but with a twist. T’Challa’s leitmotif is a talking drum rhythm, which Massamba Diop created and recorded for the original recording of the score. Killmonger’s leitmotif is played by the Fula flute, which will be performed in Chicago by Steve Kujala, one of the world’s foremost experts in ethnic flutes.”
Speck added, “Synchronizing a live orchestra soundtrack to a film is an exact science, but Emil has elevated it to an art form. He internalizes the score and breathes life into it, bringing the symphonic values of the music to full fruition. There is nobody around who embodies the flow of a film score more vividly than Emil.”
Executive Director Terell Johnson: “Words can’t describe how meaningful it is to me to bring this live to film concert, about Marvel Studios’ first Black superhero, to Chicago on the eve of Juneteenth. This record-breaking film highlights why representation matters and it is a terrific celebration of Black culture and artistry. We hope this will be an inclusive event that people from all over our city can enjoy together.”
For more information about the concert and the musical team, visit the the Chicago Theatre and Chicago Philharmonic websites: chicagotheatre.com, chicagophilharmonic.org
Past Bears Training Camp Image – Photo by BTSCelebs
The schedule below is subject to change, but this is the way the Chicago Bears plan to choose their new star athletes. The annual NFL Draft starts on Thursday. All the best to Da Bears!
The famous Southern humorist Jane Jenkins Herlong returns with her 5th book titled “SWEET TEA SECRETS FROM THE DEEP-FRIED SOUTH: Sassy, Sacred, Southern Stories Filled with Hope and Humor.” The trivia/novelty book is suppose to be filled with 50 unique tales that are true and all-encompassing faith stories, according to an official press release by Biscuit Media Group. They are about growing up in the South Carolina Lowcountry. No matter where you live the book promises “you’ll be entertained and inspired with warm Southern-fried humor and tried-and-true tips for attaining the best version of yourself.”
Jane Jenkins Herlong: “This book is both a celebration of, and an attempt to preserve, our Southern values. Now more than ever, we need to find the humor in our ways, and learn to laugh at ourselves. It’s also a venue for me to share a few over-the-top stories from my upbringing that can bring hope, healing, and a lot of laughter… I hope people are inspired by the book to take some of our Southern-isms and consider how they apply to our lives now. It will inspire you to surround yourself with people who encourage you to dream big, embrace who you are and who you are becoming, and celebrate people who are different from you. This collection of Southern secrets will make your life as refreshing as a glass of sweet tea!”
The press release adds, “Colorful and beautifully illustrated, this collection of stories addresses specific landmark events in Jane’s life, along with issues in a Southern woman’s life, such as fitting into the covered-dish church culture, sacred sisterhood, finding hope in every season of life, and why so many people are drawn to beauty pageant competitions.”
Learn more about Jane and her new book “Sweet Tea Secrets From The Deep-Fried South” by visiting her official website, janeherlong.com.
A Special Thanks to Biscuit Media Group and Tyndale House Publishers for the info and image.
I learned to write in a nontraditional way. I didn’t major in creative writing and honestly don’t think I ever took a class specifically meant to teach me to write. All of my education on the subject came from the theatre.
At first glance, it may seem that a theatre degree is completely unrelated to the field of writing, but somewhere along the way to writing my first novel, I discovered it’s the exact opposite. I learned to create characters in an unorthodox way—by stepping into their shoes and bringing them to life on the stage.
Billie Jauss: I am an author of two books, “Distraction Detox” and “Making Room.” I host the podcast “start small BELIEVE BIG,” and I speak at events large and small sharing how we can experience peace and purpose as we overcome the obstacles we face.
Tell us about one bible passage that is the best summary of your new book “Distraction Detox.”
Galatians 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Christ has given us freedom that we need tap into. As we leave behind the self limiting thoughts that hold us back we can stand firm in our faith. If we continue to hold onto those thoughts we cannot feel the peace and live out the purpose Christ has laid out for us.
How did your husband and sons’ involvement in MLB influence the content of “Distraction Detox?”
Today, the spotlight gets placed on the gaming world for its outstanding art, design, narrative, gameplay, cultural innovation and more through the “SXSW Gaming Awards.” This year’s award ceremony is scheduled to stream live via SXSW Online and their Twitch Channel (sxswgaming), and it will feature celebrity hosts Jana Morrison and Samantha Aucoin!
Before the “Astrid & Lilly Save the World” stars kick off the high-spirited show, they graced BTSCelebs with their presence to properly introduce themselves, talk about how they became fans of SXSW (aka South by Southwest) and what the immediate future holds for them.
BTSCELEBS 