This August, the Kendrick Brothers will release the follow-up film to their 2015 box office hit “War Room”, and that movie is “Overcomer”. It promises to inspire moviegoers with the story of a struggling coach and a young runner conquering obstacles. Little known fact, author Chris Fabry teamed up with Kendrick Bros. LLC to create the brand new novel scheduled to be released before the film. BTSCelebs plans to read the book behind the moving film this Spring and deliver a complete review!
Stay tuned in the coming months for my honest opinion of the story everyone is highly anticipating this year.
*BTSCelebs sends a special thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for the photo and review copy.*
Isak and Eddy Oh
A couple of months ago, I gushed about the must-hear radio programs on Arirang Radio. Unfortunately, those two shows abruptly ended their run weeks later. It seems Arirang periodically changes their line-up drastically to keep listeners on their toes. Concrete recommendations are very hard to give. I highly suggest searching through the current list of programming and their weekly segments to see what interests you the most.
Last week, I returned to Isak‘s “K-Poppin” to listen to TMA with Eddy (which airs every Friday at 1pm KST). I’m still a big fan of those advice segments with a hint of “Dear Abby”. I look forward to more DJs offering this to listeners in the future.
Photo Credit: Arirang Radio
Photo Credit: Jennifer Hudson’s Instagram
“Winning Works 2019” Joffrey Academy Trainees and Studio Company (LINEAS_by Edgar Zendejas) Photo by Cheryl Mann
“Winning Works” gets more refined year after year!
This year, exceptional choreographers Edgar Zendejas, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Xiang Xu and Marissa Osato brought their ingenious art to the Chicago stage. Loving and accepting yourself seemed to be the message resonating in different ways in each piece. “Lineas” (Zendejas), “Coup De Grace” (Evans) and “Give The People What They Want” (Osato) illustrated the struggle to overcome society’s limitations placed on everyone and discover your own path. “Vessels Bearing” (Xu), on the other hand, gave the audience a chance to appreciate the necessity of rice itself through a haunting performance.
I believe the dancers did an incredible job conveying the raw emotions in each piece. Their teamwork was phenomenal! The stand out performances this year were “Lineas” and “Give The People What They Want”. “Lineas” used the simple idea of lines to tell the story of people following certain directions in life. I liked the bright outfits and idiosyncratic dance moves. “Give The People What They Want” started off strong with a fun fashion show. It slowly explored the need to break out of society’s strict life rules and ponder the life meant for you. This particular piece opened my eyes as well. Again, I loved the chic ensembles the dancers wore.
“Winning Works 2019” Marin Soki (GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT by Marissa Osato) Photo by Cheryl Mann
The attire in each performance was stunning. This is “Winning Works” BEST year when it came to choreography and clothing (costume designers Martha Chamberlain, Luis Razo and Michael Slack). Congratulations once again to the choreographers on their thought-provoking and entertaining dances.
9th Annual “Winning Works” runs through March 10th at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.
*A Special Thanks to The Silverman Group and The Joffrey Ballet for the press passes*
Photo Credit: Tamron Hall’s Facebook
Tamron Hall made the happy announcement on social media today:
“I’ve wanted to share this news for many months and now finally my doctor has said I am in a safe place, at 32 weeks, to share my joy with y’all. So, it’s clear a daytime talk show isn’t the only thing I’ve been trying to produce! There have been many tears, but today I embrace the smiles. My husband Steven and I are beyond excited! We’re in constant prayer, so if you pray, add us to your list; if you meditate, send calmness our way; and if you believe in luck, we’ll happily take that too. More to share in a few weeks when the baby arrives! Next chapter! Blessed and Grateful.”
Congratulations!
Photo Credit: Tamron Hall’s Facebook
Credit: Cheryl Mann
Recently, BTSCelebs was given the honor of interviewing Joffrey Ballet veteran Fabrice Calmels. The artistic master, who hails from France, has been apart of the Chicago based company since the early 2000s. Through dancing, he continues to set a great example for rookie dancers year after year.
Check out BTSCelebs’ exclusive interview now.
BTScelebs: Who is Fabrice Calmels?
Fabrice Calmels: Lead dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, Guinness World Record holder, actor, and entrepreneur with one mission in mind, changing the way people think about Ballet.
How does The Joffrey Ballet compare to ballet in your home country?
The Joffrey Ballet is an avant-garde Ballet company always looking to be creative and a leader in evolving Ballet. Ballet in France, however, is much more classical and traditional.
Please give us one word you think best describes your 17 year career with The Joffrey Ballet. Why did you choose this particular word?
Perseverance. I chose this word because it describes my persistence in my career in the face of roadblocks.
How do you stay connected to family and friends in France? Do they attend your performances here?
I try to stay connected with my family as best as I can. Technology has definitely made this much easier than it used to be. It is hard for my family to fly in for my seasonal performances because of their own heavy work schedules. However, they have attended Othello and Nutcracker separately; my mother would make it during the spring while my father would join me during the fall.
Which show is your favorite this 2018-2019 season?
What will be your next performance?**
A tour in California, then the world premiere of “Home” choreographed by Andrea Walker.
Is there any advice you would give rookie dancers anxious to join Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet?
Learn from your elders. A career at the Joffrey is not a 100-meter dash, it is a marathon. It is important to pace your work, take care of your body, and invest in your health because once the body says “enough”, you are done.
What heights will you be poised to accomplish in the foreseeable future?**
Create an international brand that will change the way people think about Ballet.
Credit: Cheryl Mann
A Special Thanks to Fabrice Calmels, The Silverman Group and The Joffrey Ballet for the exclusive interview and images.
** Questions courtesy of a Ballet Enthusiast with an undying love for the art.
Months have flown by since the devastating shut down of DramaFever, and K-drama fans have been searching high and low for the quintessential replacement. Thankfully, the perfect package arrived in the form of Kocowa. The rookie South Korean streaming website boasts a growing library of soap operas, variety programming and music shows. To top it all off, this online entertainment destination has added an impressive editorial section for those who miss the good old days of special feature articles on DramaFever.
In 2017, the national broadcast networks, KBS, MBC and SBS, joined forces to bring their premium programming to North American audiences with superb English subtitles. In a short amount of time, the collaboration has been a success through the Kocowa website. Shows like “Descendants of The Sun,” “I Am Not A Robot,” “Love Temperature” and “Suspicious Partner” that were once fan favorites on DramaFever are still available to watch any time of day. Addictive variety shows “The King of Mask Singer,” “Running Man,” “Weekly Idol” and “Under Nineteen” keep audiences hooked for not only months but years. Korean dramas are easy to binge watch in a short amount of time after they complete their 3-month broadcast, but variety programs are released one episode a week on an ongoing basis. These programs are so popular they are often renewed for new seasons on consistent basis. Fox’s “The Masked Singer,” which is inspired by “The King of Mask Singer,” is a perfect example of America’s new love of South Korean programming. Additional music shows KBS’s “Music Bank K-Chart,” MBC’s “Show! Music Core” and “SBS Inkigayo” are longtime K-Pop staples. They are instrumental in presenting today’s popular stars to the global audience.
DramaFever may have introduced North America to a plethora of South Korean shows and an unprecedented editorial section, but nothing can compare to Kocowa’s own brand and growing blog. As a former DramaFever writer, I admit that our articles were unique, fresh and fun. We had a voice no one can ever replicate. Of course, DramaFever news will forever be missed, however, an ingenious change is always welcomed. Kocowa’s new blog, which launched in January, is an explosion of drama editorials everyone is sure to love. The site’s staff is already publishing exceptional photos from Korean drama press conferences, behind the scenes of holiday specials, award shows and they share programming highlights on a weekly basis. Since the blog is still in its early stages, there only seem to be three writers contributing on a regular basis in addition to the Kocowa staff members.
Kocowa guarantees Korean drama fans will have endless fun between their large selection of videos to personally communicating with fans through the blog and social media channels. Whether your drama preference is romantic comedy, melodrama, action, thriller or historical, there is a television series with your name on it. Even the variety selection offers different genres within itself. If viewers are in the mood for music shows, interviews, behind the scenes footage and more, everything is available in abundance. Kocowa.com is waiting for you.
K-Pop stars seem to be excited to meet fans overseas, and they’re announcing new tour dates everyday! As the incredible list continues to grow, BTSCelebs wants to keep you updated on the latest in the Chicagoland area. Here is the list of singers scheduled to make a stop in the wonderful Midwest soon:
Tiffany Young (from Girls Generation) – March 8th at Lincoln Hall
ATEEZ – March 20th at Park West
M.O.N.T – April 7th
Epik High – April 3rd at House of Blues
SF9 – April 19th at The Vic Theatre
VAV – April 30th at Park West
BLACKPINK – April 24th at Allstate Arena
NCT 127 – May 7
BTS – May 11 at Soldier Field
Have fun at the concerts!
Photo Credit: My Music Taste
Black History Month is almost over, but it’s never too late to enjoy quality family programming. Today, BTSCelebs wants to make some suggestions for positive (lighthearted) black productions you can enjoy year round.
“The Parent ‘Hood” (1995-1999)
A couple of years after he became “The Meteor Man”, Robert Townsend headlined a sitcom about a college professor and his wife raising their 4 children in New York City.
“Family Matters” (1989-1998)
Jaleel White stole the show as the annoying neighbor next door (Steve Urkel) in this iconic series about a Chicago police officer’s family.
“Kenan and Kel” (1996-2000)
Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell played best friends getting caught up in zany get rich quick schemes.
“Sister, Sister” (1994-1999)
Tia and Tamera Mowry played twins separated at birth who reconnected in their teens. They end up living under one roof with their single parents.
“Merry Christmas, Baby”, “Marry US for Christmas” etc (2013-)
Christmas movie series starring Malinda Williams and Karon Riley.
The best way to watch these shows is through various online streaming platforms and recommending your local stations air them.
Happy Viewing!
BTSCELEBS 