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 THINK
SPRING
Seriously, I like Punxatawny Phil, and am admiring of his
cousin on Staten Island (who let Mayor Bloomberg know, with
his sharp pointy teeth, what he thought of ending term limits),
but why did the groundhogs have to see their shadows? Why
must we suffer below-zero wind chills? As Marx (Groucho) once
said, “the gods looked down and laughed.” So why not think
about warmer days to come? Hancock Shaker Village,
the 750 acre rural museum, just announced that their popular
Baby Animals on the Shaker Farm event has extended
its run by an entire week this year. From April 11 through
May 3, the Village will welcome “scores of newly arrived lambs,
piglets, calves, goats, ducklings and chicks.” (Cute overload,
indeed.) Events will include farm chores, craft activities,
guided tours of the village. This year there will also be
an exhibit of paintings by Susan Merrill, based on the heritage
animal breeds raised at Hancock Shaker Village. For more info,
call (800) 817-1137 or visit hancockshakervillage.org.
THINK SUMMER
Let’s get really crazy. Let us daydream of summer. The Saratoga
Performing Arts Center announced that they are diversifying
their dance offerings this coming season by bringing a pair
of renowned modern companies. On June 11, the Paul Taylor
Dance Company will present Taylor’s newest work, Beloved
Renegade. (It’s inspired by Walt Whitman and set to the
music of Francis Poulenc.) On July 20-21, Mark Morris Dance
Group will present a program of repertory works. Mark
your calendars: Tickets will be available for purchase online,
via phone (584-9330) and in person at the SPAC box office
on May. 10. Mail ticket order forms can be obtained at spac.org.
THINK DANCE ON FILM
One of the more popular series offered by Rensselaer Polytechnic
Institute’s EMPAC (both pre- and post- construction)
is the DANCE MOViES program. These are movies that
involve dance, yes, but it’s a wide-open program: “The works
may be narrative in nature or abstract, they may range in
length (up to 20 minutes); they . . . vary in style, technique
and expressive intent.” The reason I went straight to the
official definition is that EMPAC is now accepting proposals
for its 2009-2010 commissions. So, local filmmakers, this
is your chance to compete against the world: Last year, EMPAC
received more that 150 applications from filmmakers all over
North and South America. The deadline for proposals is May
1, 2009. For details on what constitutes a “proposal,” visit
empac.rpi.edu.
THINK INDIE CINEMA
Upstate
Independents will be having their monthly meeting this
Tuesday (March 3) at 6:30 PM at the Linda, WAMC’s Performing
Arts Studio. This month’s featured guest is makeup artist
Arielle Toelke, who was the key makeup artist on Orion
in Midsummer, the Japanese-produced film that was
shot (partially) in Albany last summer on the USS Slater.
(Toelke has many TV credits, too.) The meeting is free and
open to the public. For more info, visit upstateindependents.com.
—Shawn
Stone
sstone@metroland.net
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