(REPOST) 2/11/17 O&A NYC DANCE: Clive Thompson- The Graham Years

By Walter Rutledge

graham Jack Mitchell 001 copy

To celebrate the Martha Graham Dance Company New York Season- February 14th thru 26th at the Joyce O&A NYC Magazine reposts Clive Thompson- The Graham Years

The life of a bank clerk at the Government Savings Bank in Kingston, Jamaica was not going be Clive Thompson’s fate; he had been a performer for most of his life. Clive and his sister Norma had been childhood favorites in the local talent shows and were part of the “opening act” in Children’s Corner Club at the Saturday matinees. After seeing the Katherine Dunham Dance Company perform and a chance encounter with modern dance teacher Ivy Baxter he began formal dance classes. Continue reading

1/31/17 O&A NYC INSPIRATIONAL TUESDAY: Mahershala Ali – Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Moonlight) – SAG Awards 2017

Mahershala Ali poses in the press room with the awards for outstanding performance by a male actor in a supporting role for “Moonlight” and outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture for “Hidden Figures” at the 23rd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

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1/30/17 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Breakdance (1984)

Breakin’, released as Breakdance: the Movie or Break Street ’84 in some countries, is a  breakdancing-themed comedy-drama film directed by Joel Silberg and written by Charles Parker and Allen DeBevoise based on a story by Parker, DeBevoise, and Gerald Scaife. Continue reading

1/28/17 O&A NYC SATURDAY MORNING CONCERT: Nancy Wilson And Carl Anderson at Carnegie Hall (1987)

Nancy Wilson performs eight songs and two songs with Carl Anderson at her Carnegie Hall performance on June 25, 1987. Continue reading

1/23/17 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Josephine Baker- Zouzou (1934)


 Zouzou(1934) starring American singer, dancer, actress Josephine Baker became the first motion picture to feature a black actress in the starring role. Continue reading

1/19/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Act V (Finale) Martin: A Ballet By Gordon Parks- Mourning Place

Martin Act V Mourning Place

The final act takes place after the death of Dr. King . John Jones (Dr Martin Luther King) Sheila Rohan (Rosa Parks) and James E. Murphy (Assassin). Continue reading

1/15/18 O&A NYC DANCE: Martin- A Ballet By John Parks (Act 1)

Martin Act 1 SHEILA ROHAN

Martin: A Ballet by Gordon Parks Act 1 Introduces John Jones as Martin Luther King, Sheila Rohan as Rosa Parks and James E Murphy as the Assassin. Continue reading

1/15/17 O&A NYC SUNDAY AFTERNOON JAZZ CONCERT: Giants Of Jazz- Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie (Copenhagen 1971)

The Giants Of Jazz features music icons Art Blakey (drums), Dizzy Gillespie (trumpet), Al McKibbon (double bass), Thelonious Monk (piano), Sonny Stitt (alto and tenor saxophone), Kai Winding (trombone).  Continue reading

4/22/21 O&A NYC SHALL WE DANCE FRIDAY: The Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge- Chattanooga Choo Choo (1941)

The Nicholas Brothers and Dorothy Dandridge dance in Chattanooga Choo Choo from the 1941 Sun Valley Serenade. The song was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Song, and inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1996. Continue reading

1/9/17 O&A NYC HOLLYWOOD MONDAY: Meryl Streep Speech The Golden Globes 2017

Meryl Streep used her acceptance speech for the Cecil B. DeMille Award at the Golden Globes to call out president-elect Donald Trump for appearing to mock a disabled New York Times reporter in 2015. Streep warned that a free press would need to be defended.  Continue reading