MEDIA FASHION LIFE

NY

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Friday, February 17
* Radical Eyeball Bend, Brooklyn
* A Hot Winter Romp in Gowanus, Brooklyn
* Williamsburg Fashion Weekend, Williamsburg
* Birds of a Feather, Brooklyn
* The Spoken Nerd: Geeky Stories by Dorky People, Manhattan
* Balkan De Janeiro, Brooklyn

Saturday, February 18
* MINY Gang Presents: Ano Bisiesto VI, Manhattan
* Amour Obscur, Manhattan
* Anna Copa Cabanna Show, Manhattan
* Mirror Mirror Practice Brunch, Williamsburg

Sunday, February 19
* Presentation Party Night, Brooklyn
* Gigi's Gen-X Singalong, Vol. 5: The Jacksons, Manhattan

Monday, February 20
* Fireside Puppet Chats, Manhattan

Tuesday, February 21
* Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday), Brooklyn
* World War One in 3-D, Manhattan

Wednesday, February 22
* Standards and Parodies, Manhattan
* How I Learned to Chill the F*** Out About a Lot of Things, Manhattan

Thursday, February 23
* Bushwick Book Club, Brooklyn

Wishlist
* Bells

All That We've Met
* Performer Monica Hunken

Spectre Priority
* Guest Stars (Theme Party Proposal)

Learning
* Alternative Economies

Help
* Dance Symposium

NOTE: For some navigation help, or an explanation for what this is all about,
scroll all the way down to NONSENSE. You'll find snarky editorial comments and
little bits of praise littered throughout this list. These nuggets are marked
with all caps, like this: NOTE. You can donate to this project at
nonsensenyc.com/special.

Also: We make a lot of mistakes, especially with dates; you should always double
check our work before you go out. 

XXXXX COVER ART XXXXX

Tiny tiles, quiet hallway.

XXXXX FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17 XXXXX

Radical Eyeball Bend

Join us for a night of art, music, video. Look enjoy a complimentary radical
eyeball bend you just won't find in the brightest lights. With Steinburger,
Lorf, Dan Zev, and Ned Soil.

Get off on the sensation of living drop by drop. Listen. You never heard it so
good. With Weird Womb, Jesse Vasquez. Hear subtle nuances the sound of fast
noice, distortion, coloration. Join us for a night of art, music, video. Get
weird. 

A group of artists from Arizona. What originally was to be a simple group show,
some drawings and paintings on the walls has turned into something a lot more.

28 Locust Street, unit 403, Brooklyn
8p; $?
rufusrukus.com

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Overflow Mag and the Skint present: 

A Hot Winter Romp in Gowanus

With DJ Rekha, Raya Brass Band, and DJs Treetop and Shinobi. Fellow warm-blooded
travelers. Forget what T.S. Eliot said. February is the cruelest month. But no
more. Cast aside your ineffable glum. Warm your winter bones with us. The
company will be delightful. The drinks dangerously smooth. The sounds of
Bhangra, Balkan Brass and Soul transcendent. Won't you join us? 

Littlefield
622 Degraw Street, Brooklyn
9p-2a; $7
ticketf.ly/hotromptickets

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Williamsburg Fashion Weekend

Williamsburg Fashion Weekend’s 10th season. WFW provides a platform for young
and emerging fashion designers who push the boundaries of design, presentation,
production, ultimately re-evaluating the fashion industry as a whole. Past
participants have shown us there are many creative ways to be green through
re-couturing, upcycling, recycling, eco-friendliness, transparent business
practices, and artisan techniques. Shows run the gamut from fashion as
conceptual art to ready-to-wear and incorporate live music, theater, and dance,
and are always raw, experimental and forward thinking.

Glasslands
289 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
8p; $10
Continues on SATURDAY
Williamsburgfashionweekend]at]yahoo.com

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

Ensemble Pamplemousse presents: 

Birds of a Feather

Ensemble Pamplemousse presents Birds of a Feather. Over the past 10 years,
Ensemble Pamplemousse has created a unique and focused sound world. And like the
grapefruit, it is juicy, sweet, tender, and tart. Fortunately, they are not the
only people living in that world. Being one of the few new music ensembles that
writes its own music, Ensemble Pamplemousse has recently been fishing through
the new music community looking for composers who reflect all the ideals
Pamplemousse holds dearly - inspiration of an idiosyncratic idea, the dedication
to carry that idea out to its end, and the audacity to playfully disregard any
of that. Birds of a Feather is a presentation of these composers discovered
through their 2011 Call for Scores Campaign/Commission Project.

Issue Project Room
110 Livingston Street, Brooklyn
7:30p; $15, $10 for members
917 930 4419
ensemblepamplemousse]at]gmail.com
ensemblepamplemousse.org

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

The Spoken Nerd: Geeky Stories by Dorky People

An evening of storytellers sharing true tales from very nerdy lives. ... The
Spoken Nerd is a celebration of the great and noble art form of storytelling,
but from a very geeky point-of-view. Each show has a theme and each invited
guest storyteller shares a true and personal story based on that theme.
Sometimes the stories are funny, sometimes they're not. Sometimes the stories
are serious, sometimes they're not. However, they are always explorations of the
human condition immersed in tons of pop-culture. Both theatrical and intimate
the Spoken Nerd strives to give a voice to the comic book/gamer/sci fi/science
dork in all of us.

But more than just stories, every show will have non-story artists. Magicians,
practical science demonstrations, sideshow artists, string theory lectures,
jugglers, and Nerd Core Hip Hop will share the stage from time to time. And all
of this will come together in an epic nerd stew of awesome.

This show: Comic books and the nerds who love them. Hosted by Nelson Lugo, Brad
Lawrence. Guests: Adam Wade, Steve Zimmer, Aaron Wolfe. Non-Storytellers: Nate
Rider, Minnie d'Moocha, house band H2Awesome.

The Tank
151 West 46th Street, 8th floor, between 6th and 7th avenues, Manhattan
7:30p door, 8p show ; $10, $20 with open bar
EpicWinBurlesque.com

***** Also on FRIDAY *****

No Mans Land presents:

Balkan De Janeiro

La Caravana de Carnaval awaits. This is not Rio, or New Orleans, no not
Colombia, or Venice, Trinidad, or Panama. This is Balkan de Janeiro. Musical
stylings by Escarioka, Joro Boro, 2Melo, and DJ Mishto and Raphlex and DJ Mishka
of Burdel Dali. 

VJ master DiscoB Justin, visuals by VJ DoctorMojo. Live percussion madness. Best
costume award show. Think carnival, mardi gras, jungle warriors, shipped wrecked
pirates, masks, sexy creatures, feathers.

House of Yes
342 Maujer Street, Brooklyn
L train to Grand Street station
9:30p; $10 

XXXXX SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18 XXXXX

MINY Gang Presents: Ano Bisiesto VI

Pusha's bday celebration and Matt Sebastian. Studio dance party. With DJs
Messkid, Yamez, Wckids. Giveaways. This event is brought to you by MINY and
Shrimp Set.

RSVP for SOHO address, Manhattan
10p, free booze 10-11p; $10 before midnight, $10 after
bisiestoano]at]gmail.com

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Amour Obscur

Join Amour Obscur and friends at New York City’s one and only drunken Balkan
disco dive, Mehanata, for original live music. They’re joined by Honor Amongst
Thieves' own sideshow sensation Hamburger James performing superhuman feats,
belly dance by Sarah Hassan, and unique art punk jewelry vending market by Lady
Bella Bling. Followed by the best Balkan dance party in town.

Mehanata
113 Ludlow Street, Manhattan
9p; $10
21 and over
info]at]mattdallow.com
facebook.com/amourobscur

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Anna Copa Cabanna Show 

A rock and roll valentine variety show in space. Starring: Anna Copa Cabanna,
the Copa Cabanna Dancers: Libbylicious, Mr Miss America, the Mighty Thaddeus,
and Sweet Sarah Belle. Guest starring the amazing hip gyrations of Hula Hoop
Harlot Melissa-Anne. Superstar NYC Singers: Joy Dragland (Escort), Dalila
Pasotti (Other Crimes), Meredith Meyer (Loser's Lounge), and Zohra Atash
(Religious to Damn).

Plus: Prizes, the Wheel of Wonderment, Australian trivia, hot aliens, and
out-of-this-world tributes to David Bowie, Planet Venus, and Princess Leia.

Joe's Pub
425 Lafayette, at Astor Place, Manhattan
11p; $15
212 967 7555
joespub.com

***** Also on SATURDAY *****

Mirror Mirror Practice Brunch

Come hang out with one of Secret Project Robot's favorite performance art bands
while they work on new material over mimosa's and edible treats.

Secret Project Robot Art Space
210 Kent Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
1-4p; $?

XXXXX SUNDAY, FERBRUARY 19 XXXXX

Presentation Party Night

Presentation Party Night is a lecture series combining a love of community,
education, food, and drinking. We offer the chance for people to share knowledge
and skills and spark group discussion.

As always, the evening will consist of six short educational and entertaining
presentations followed by Q&A, with free beer and food while it lasts.

The event is traditionally held potluck style. Please feel free to bring a dish
to share and BYOB if you can. Let me stress that this is a free event and no one
is required to bring anything if they don't feel like it, but the more we share
the more we have, the better the party will be.

This month: The Voyage of St. Brendan, Love and War in the Italian Renaissance,
Cuba: Improvisation in the Face of an American Blockade, Oil Fracking,
Generation "Girl Power," and Healthcare Reform.

815B Seneca Avenue, enter on Cornelia Street, Brooklyn
7p; $free
facebook.com/events/107037392758580/

***** Also on SUNDAY *****

Gigi's Gen-X Singalong, Vol. 5: The Jacksons

At Gigi's Gen-X Singalong, the concept is simple: you sit down, order a drink
(alcoholic or non), and watch original videos, made to accompany songs from
seminal Reagan-era albums. Singalong Vol. 5: the Jacksons brings the Victory
album to life. In 1984, post-Thriller, Michael and his five brothers (Jermaine,
Marlon, Jackie, Randy and, of course, Tito) recorded an album, went on tour, and
shot the famous Pepsi commercial in which Michael's jheri curl caught on fire.
Victory allows each of the Jackson brothers to have his moment in the spotlight,
with songs ranging from pop (Torture, Body) to ballads (Be Not Always, One More
Chance) to rock (State of Shock, Michael's unforgettable duet with Mick Jagger).
The audience is encouraged to sing along. Plus very easy trivia questions and
cheap prizes.

116 116 Macdougal Street, between Bleecker Street and Minetta Lane, Manhattan
5-6:30p; $free
genxsingalong.wordpress.com/show

XXXXX MONDAY, FEBRUARY 20 XXXXX

Fireside Puppet Chats

Ever wonder what makes puppeteers tick? The Fireside Puppet Chats were started
on the premise that people who play with dolls for a living and pretend that
tables and chairs might be alive could have interesting opinions about the rest
of the world.

This month: Come and talk with puppeteers Ronald Binion and Adam Pagdon about
transhumanism. What's the story? Will we all be like Robocop? Could we, should
we, will we? Extensions of the body and the mind, inside and out. What makes me
human? What makes you human? What makes that paper bag human? 

Dixon Place
161 Chrystie Street, Manhattan
6p; $free

XXXXX TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 21 XXXXX

Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday) 

Featuring the Hungry March Band, the Underground Horns, and DJ Peter Gunn.

The Bell House
149 7th Street, Brooklyn
8p; $8
thebellhouseny.com

***** Also on TUESDAY *****

World War One in 3-D

Robert Munn and Sara Cook of the Depthography Group present a 3-D Projection
show of Stereoscopic images of World War I with Avant Garde electronic Theremin
accompaniment. The images are from Mr. Munn's extremely rare personal collection
of 295 glass plate stereo photographs of the conflict. These 90 year old,
emulsion-on-glass stereo plates were manufactured in France between 1914-1918
and present a graphic, uncompromising view of the horrors of trench warfare,
no-man's-land, the brutality and devastation of the World's first "modern" war.
This showing will feature many dramatic images never shown before. The immersive
effect provided by the 3-D projection combined with Mr. Munn's provocative live
performance on the Theremin assures the audience a startling experience
difficult to soon forget. Munn & Cook are artists who have been creating art in
various 3-D media for over 25 years.

Gershwin Hotel
7 East 27th Street, between 5th and Madison, Manhattan
8p; $?
depthography.com

XXXXX WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22 XXXXX

Evan Laurence presents:

Standards and Parodies

Featuring kick ass guests and full houses, Evan Laurence’s revamped monthly
variety shows bring an amalgam of music, comedy and burlesque to the elegant
Ella Lounge. This month’s show explores American standards, a few parodies and
twisted interpretations.

Starring Evan Laurence, David Slone, Jeanne Bowes, Bobbie Horowitz, Angry Bob,
Danii MadAssin, Peter Sloan Lewis, Matt Dallow, and Jed Ryan. Featuring the
sizzlling hot burlesque of Tiny D.

Ella Lounge
9 Avenue A, Manhattan
9-11p; $10 admission
two.turtles]at]gmail.com

***** Also on WEDNESDAY ******

The How I Learned Series presents: 

How I Learned to Chill the F*** Out About a Lot of Things

Featuring: Elisa Albert (The Book of Dahlia), Erin Barker (co-host of the Story
Collider), Eliot Glazer (It Gets Betterish), Lodro Rinzler (The Buddha Walks
Into a Bar), and Jeff Simmermon (The Moth). Hosted by Blaise Allysen Kearsley.

Happy Ending
302 Broome Street, between Forsyth and Eldridge, Manhattan
8p; $free
howilearnedseries.com

XXXXX THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23 XXXXX

Bushwick Book Club 

Songs inspired by Flatscreen with special presentation by author, Adam Wilson.
Debut novel by rising Brooklyn literary star inspires songs about losers,
failure, and YouTube stardom. 

The Bushwick Book Club meets every month at Goodbye Blue Monday in Bushwick,
Brooklyn and employs the delirious talents of local songwriters who plumb the
depths and scrape the ends of a chosen literary gem (past selections range from
On the Origin of Species to Dr. Seuss to Raymond Carver) to create that rare and
beautiful thing: a new song. All songs are then displayed, spread wide, in one
hour. It's an hour-long orgy of book-related songs and book-inspired food and
drink.

Goodbye Blue Monday
1087 Broadway, Brooklyn
J,M,Z trains to Myrtle station
8:30p; $free
718 453 6343
bushwickbookclub.com 

XXXXX UPCOMING XXXXX

* Sylvia Rivera Law Project benefit, February 25

XXXXX ONGOING XXXXX

Nonsense is too long. The great thing about the internet is that it doesn't
really cost much to run long listings and exhaustive descriptions. It turns out
that's ... exhausting. After several complaints and a little deliberation, we're
trying a new format: On the first Friday of the month we will run updated
ongoing listings in each section: events, learning, and help. Other weeks we're
going for leaner, meaner sections. If you're desperate for something to do on an
off-Tuesday night we suggest you either look back a few issues ago in your
inbox, or poke through our online archives, which you can find under the
subscribe page. 

Also, a note about better rock shows. Nonsense does not straight list rock shows
in New York unless they occur in tandem with puppet shows or jump rope
tournaments or in subway tunnels or in graveyards. For listings of good shows,
especially shows that feature independent bands at quality venues like Death by
Audio and those booked by hard-working promoters like Todd P or Sleep When Dead,
consult resources like ohmyrockness.com, brooklynvegan.com/,
sleepwhendeadnyc.com/calendar/, garagepunknyc.com, and eardrumnyc.com. For the
most exhaustive list of underground shows at unusual venues, track down a copy
of the extremely useful -- and handsome -- Showpaper.

XXXXX WISHLIST XXXXX

What have you been wishing for? Collaborators, grant monies, a new home? Please
send brief listings to Alita at alita]at]nonsensenyc.com. We only list available
apartments, lofts, studios, and one-off rentals -- not spaces wanted.

***** ARTY STUFF *****

* I need bells. Any kind of bells. Small bells, large bells. Although small is
best. The kind of bell that a school teacher would ring at the head of a class
room, or the jingle bell, that someone would have on a holiday vestment. I need
bells from shrines that have been used by yogis and zen masters, and bells that
little girls had in their Tinkerbell back packs they couldn't toss, and the kind
that may now, verily, be in the back of that sock drawer that you never got rid
of. I need that bell -- that weird bell that you don't know what to do with.
Will you please give me your bell? Or your bell? I need all the bells you have.
I am working on an art project, where I will take your bells and do something
with them at a group show called Silence and Noise held at the Brooklyn Zen
Center. But to do it, I really really really need all the bells I can find. So
please, please - send me your bells. I will also be able to come and pick them
up if you are near by please email me. If
you would tell me how you got your bell, and send me your bell story that would
also be awesome, but not mandatory. Did your grandma give it to you? Did you
find it on the street? Did you buy it at Michael's? Did you get it somewhere?
What is the tale? I would like to collect that too. Send to Elize Hendler, c/o
Grand Street Settlement, 80 Pitt Street, NYC NY 10002 or email me at
elizeart(at)yahoo.com and I will arrange to meet you and pick the bell(s) up.
Thank you so much.

* I'm so happy to be working with Nurture Art to teach high school students how
to curate, through a program called Project: Curate. The high school curators
are working collaboratively to put together an exhibition in June. They are
seeking proposals that address the effects of placing things out of context.
Think: work that investigates supremely awkward and unusual results. The
deadline is March 15. Please email your submissions to projectucrate]at]nurtureart.org

* Figment is a non-profit organization dedicated to participatory and
interactive art by emerging artists across disciplines. Figment began in July
2007 as a free, one-day participatory arts event on Governors Island in New York
Harbor with over 2,600 participants. Since then, it has grown to a multi-day,
multi-city event that drew over 30,000 participants in NYC, Jackson, Detroit,
and Boston in 2011. In addition to the weekend event, Figment hosts a
summer-long program on Governors Island that includes an interactive sculpture
garden, an artist-designed minigolf course, and an architectural pavilion. Now
accepting proposals for the following four projects or events: Summer-long
interactive sculpture garden. Projects will be selected based on creativity,
interactivity, structural integrity, context and impact, sustainability,
feasibility, budget, and community involvement. Deadline: March 8. Figment 2012
Artist-Designed Minigolf Course, "Arcade": Our theme for the 2012 Figmen
t Minigolf Course is "Arcade." How can the video games, pinball machines, claw
cranes, ball tosses, and shooting galleries of an arcade be reinterpreted as
minigolf holes? Your challenge is to design and construct a single hole for the
minigolf course, following the theme. Consider strategy, interfaces, levels,
effects, epic story lines and how a high-tech to low-tech translation might work
as you create your proposal. Deadline: March 8. City of Dreams Pavilion
2012-2013: Figment has teamed with the Emerging New York Architects Committee
(ENYA) of the American Institute of Architects NYC Chapter (AIANYC) and the
Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) to host a competition to
design and construct an architectural pavilion on Governors Island, the City of
Dreams Pavilion, to be built in 2013. Deadline: April 1. Figment 2012 NYC
Weekend: This year, Figment NYC will take place during the weekend of June 9-10
on Governors Island in New York City. Projects can includ
 e but are not limited to: installations, performances, games, activities,
workshops, multimedia, electronic art, music, social experiments, etc. Your
Figment Weekend project can be submitted by an individual or collective of
individuals. Projects will be selected based on creativity, interactivity,
structural integrity, context and impact, sustainability, feasibility, budget,
and community involvement. Deadline: May 1. Details about all of these
opportunities for artists can be found on our website at: newyork.figmentproject.org/get-involved/submit-a-project/

XXXXX ALL THAT WE'VE MET XXXXX

All That We've Met is Pauline Pechin's series of interviews with artists,
underground influencers, and people with interesting stories. You can email her
here: pauline.pechin(at)gmail.com

This week: Performer Monica Hunken

*What's unique about physical storytelling?*

"Follow impulses and the body will lead you to the stories that people have
never heard, in a way they have never heard."

Read the complete interview at allthatwevemet.com/2012/02/monica-hunken-is-post-consumerist.html

XXXXX SPECTRE PRIORITY XXXXX

Before we had a name, the Spectre Event Horizon Group used to meet at a bar to
commiserate and trade what our business friends like to call "best practices."
The group has expanded since then, but it remains focused on smartening the
crowd mind. There are no subject limits; our favorites are the incredible sci-fi
present, or anything that goes toward a better understanding of human behavior
and our universe's ecology. Our simple intent is to connect good minds with as
much quality mind-blowing information as we can freely locate, and create a
space for the informal trade of specialized investigative research, presented
for the non-specialist. 

The Spectre email list, which is a separate group from this column, is a
moderated open forum. People are encouraged to join and to post. The list is
compiled for Nonsense by J. Sinopoli. Contact us at spectre.event.horizon.group
gmail  com or spectregroup.org / spectrevision.org. Here's some of what came in
this week:

***** Guest Stars (Theme Party Proposal) ***** 

spectregroup.wordpress.com/2012/02/17/dont-freak-out/

"In 1843 Eta Carinae flared up to become the second brightest star in the sky,
after Sirius. It stayed that way for 20 years or so, then faded and left behind
a majestic, billowing cloud of gas known as the Homunculus Nebula. Eta Carinae
lost some 10 percent of its substance in this event, which astronomers now call
a "supernova impostor". Astronomers back in the day did the best they could to
observe the 20-year flare, but without modern instruments, they couldn't really
learn much. Using a clever new technique, Rest and his colleagues have been able
to take readings of the original blast in real time: "We can look directly at
the eruption." To understand how they did that, start with the basic fact that
light from the outburst sped away from Eta Carinae in all directions. Some of it
headed straight toward Earth to wow 19th century astronomers. But some of it
took a detour, reflecting off dust clouds in interstellar space in what
astronomers call a "light echo." The dust clo
uds were so far from the star that the long-delayed light is only now reaching
us, and unlike in 1843, we now have the instruments to study it. Astronomers can
see light echoes from a variety of dust clouds, at varying distances from the
star, so they can see different phases of the eruption all at once.

History has recorded the appearance of several so-called "guest stars." Most of
these just looked like short-lived stars in the night sky, but some were bright
enough to be seen in the day. The first supernova that history records is
thought to have occurred in 185 CE, when a star 8,200 light-years away exploded.
Chinese astronomers make explicit note of the sudden appearance of a star and
its subsequent disappearance several months later, and the Romans may also have
made more cryptic references to it. Astronomers have since located the remnants
of the exploded star, confirming the accuracy of the ancient accounts. A
supernova in 1006 is the brightest star ever recorded, appearing in the records
of China, Egypt, Iraq, Italy, Japan, and Switzerland. There's even some thought
that a rock painting by the Hohokam, a Native American tribe in what is now
Arizona, represents the first recorded sighting of a supernova in the Americas.

The red supergiant star Betelgeuse is also getting ready to go supernova. The
star is located in the Orion constellation, about 640 light-years away from
Earth. It's one of the brightest and biggest stars in our galactic neighborhood
- if you dropped it in our Solar System, it would extend all the way out to
Jupiter, leaving Earth completely engulfed. In stellar terms, it's predicted to
explode in the very near future, meaning sometime in the next million years,
give or take the 640 years it takes the light to reach Earth. But for a few
weeks, the supernova will be so bright that there will appear to be two stars in
the sky, and night will be indistinguishable from day much of that time. So
don't count on getting a lot of sleep when Betelgeuse explodes. The only
sensible thing for the world to do will be to throw a weeks-long global
supernova party."

XXXXX LEARNING XXXXX

We look for the sort of classes you circled in college course catalogs but never
managed to fit into your schedule. And we also look for the kind of things that
no college could teach. Cheap and eclectic is the rule, though all rules get
broken occasionally, and we especially love workshops, round-tables, and
teachers who won’t take your work out of your hands and show you how to do it
right. One-time listings are categorized weekly, with general recurring classes
listed at the end on the first Friday of each month We thrive on your
suggestions, so make sure to tell us about upcoming classes that you think are
nifty-keen.

Learning is compiled and edited weekly by KD Derr. Send listing suggestions to
learning(at)nonsensenyc.com.

***** LEARNING: SATURDAY *****

Tappy Hour: A Recreational Tap Class for Adults in a Bar

This recreational tap class was created for anyone and everyone who wants to
learn to tap dance and it happens in a bar. There are two levels available at
each event. The Open Session is fun for everyone. Tap shoes and previous tap
training are not required for this class; just wear or bring sneakers. The
Intermediate Session is perfect for those of you who have some tap experience
and have your own tap shoes. We’ll review some tap basics and teach you a fun
combination.

Undertoe Dance Project
Jimmy's No. 43
43 East 7th Street, Manhattan
7-8p open, 8-9p intermediate; $20 for one, $30 both
Undertoedance.com

***** LEARNING: SUNDAY *****

Let’s Try That Once More, This Time in the Past: Performance and Documentation

As performance navigates the shifting of its institutional position, from
practitioners’ self-identification as alternative/radical/revolutionary to
blockbuster museum fodder, artists and academics are re-evaluating the stories
performance tells about itself. The debate about performance and documentation,
which for many years centered on questions of the inherent liveness of
performance, has recently moved to issues of performance remains and the
particular histories and forms of knowledge that performance can engender.
Longer description of course on the Union Docs website.

Union Docs
322 Union Avenue, Brooklyn
7:30p; $9
uniondocs.org

***** LEARNING: SUNDAY *****

Alternative Economies: Occupy, Resist, Produce

People talk about alternative economies using all kinds of terms: The Commons,
Solidarity Economies, Communization, Inclusive Democracy, Participatory Economy,
Anarchist Consensual Democracy, Libertarian Municipalism, and even bolo’bolo.
Whatever their partisan affiliation, these diverse thinkers and doers agree that
the current economy is a mess, something must be done about it. Despite a
resurgent interest in collective and social practice, little emphasis has been
placed on the internal relationships that allow creativity to prosper; the labor
of nurturing and maintaining often goes under-recognized. As a start,
reassessing invisible forms of labor and instituting models that emphasize care
underscores the fact that even a solo art practice requires collaboration. We
can discuss what we like in the current art economy and what we don’t. We can
familiarize ourselves with ideas like Participatory Budgeting, Living Wage,
Cohousing, Economically Targeted Investment Program
s (ETIs), Worker Cooperatives, Loft Law, Collective Bargaining, Community Land
Trusts (CLT), and Worker Justice Centers. We can share our desires and visions
for the future. 

300 Nevins Street, Brooklyn
February 19, 3-6p; $free
owsartsandlabor(at)gmail.com

***** LEARNING: MONDAY *****

500 Years Later

Crime, drugs, HIV/AIDS, poor education, inferiority complex, low expectation,
poverty, corruption, poor health, and underdevelopment plagues people of African
descent globally. Why? 500 years later from the onset of Slavery and subsequent
Colonialism, Africans are still struggling for basic freedom. Why? Filmed in
five continents, and over twenty countries, 500 Years Later engages the
authentic retrospective voice, told from the African vantage-point of those whom
history has sought to silence by examining the collective atrocities that
uprooted Africans from their culture and homeland. 500 Years Later is a timeless
compelling journey, infused with the spirit and music of liberation that
chronicles the struggle of a people who have fought and continue to fight for
the most essential human right, freedom.

Brecht Forum
451 West Street, Manhattan
7:30p; Sliding scale $6-15
brechtforum.org

***** LEARNING: TUESDAY *****

Redefining Black Power: Reflections on the State of Black America

The Obama presidency represents a major milestone in black history and the
struggle for political, economic and cultural equality in the United States. But
how, if at all, has the first black presidency helped move things forward for
people of color? Has it delivered the "change we can believe in" and "deepening
of democracy" that communities of color organized around? How has the reality
and image of a black First Family impacted American culture? What lessons from
past struggles can be applied to this unique historical moment to advance
multicultural democracy in the U.S.? Join Redefining Black Power's editor,
Joanne Griffith for a special discussion on women and media in the Age of Obama
with guests.

Brecht Forum
451 West Street, Manhattan
7:30p; Sliding scale $6-15
brechtforum.org

***** LEARNING: WEDNESDAY *****

A Crisis of Capitalism (Not Neoliberalism, Financialization, or Stagnant wages)

Andrew Kliman will speak on A Crisis of Capitalism (Not Neoliberalism,
Financialization, or Stagnant Wages). Kliman will investigate the causes of the
Great Recession and discuss the surprising results of data analysis which shows
that the rate of profit has fallen ever since the end of the post-World War II
boom. Information.

Student Action Initiative of the New School
80 Fifth Avenue, Room 529, Manhattan
8p; $free
student-action-initiative(at)gmail.com

***** LEARNING: THURSDAY *****

Saber Sketch

Members of the New York Jedi: Light Saber Enthusiasts Collective will be
bringing their experience in martial arts-based stage combat to the League.
League members, students, and friends can draw and otherwise attempt to render
the swashbuckling action as trained performers using custom light sabers
practice and act out scenes of derring-do. Bring your brightest pencils and
darkest charcoal and have fun with the challenge of drawing compelling
combinations of movement and light. Click here for more information.

The Art Students League of New York
Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery
215 West 57th Street, Manhattan
7-10p; $5 to sketch, $10 to be a saberist-in-training
theartstudentsleague.org

***** LEARNING: Three THURSDAYS *****

Ring Making from Wax to Metal

We’ll take you through the step-by-step process of planning, carving and
finishing a ring of your own design. The first two sessions will emphasize the
designing and making of the ring in wax. In the final class you will have your
ring in metal and will learn the steps of refinement to complete the piece into
wearable jewelry. As always, you’ll leave the class with resource information
that will enable you to make future rings galore. The course fee includes all
materials except the cost of casting which will be on a ring-by-ring basis. If
you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at jewelry making, this is an excellent
beginner’s course. Wax carving is a very important facet of the jewelry craft
that enables you to create completed pieces without an elaborate set-up. You can
do this. Start dreaming up ideas and if you intend to make a gift, don’t
forget their ring size.

Bloomfield School
94 9th Street, Brooklyn
Noon-3p; $200
thebloomfieldschool.com

***** LEARNING: Three THURSDAYS *****

Pendant Making from Wax to Metal

Have a collection of beads that haven’t yet become distinguished jewelry
pieces? Why not make your very own pendant to complement them? We’ll take you
through the steps of wax working and surface treatment to make cast-metal
centerpieces for your jewelry projects. The first two classes will be spent
working experimentally in wax, designing and creating your unique pendant. In
the final class, you’ll learn the steps of refinement and patinating that will
beautifully integrate your one of a kind metal pendant into your design. The fee
for this course includes all tools and materials except the cost of casting
which will be on a piece-by-piece basis. This class is perfect for those who
love experimentation, and are eager to take their making skills a step further.
You’ll leave the class with infinite possibilities for designing future
creations. Make sure to bring along any of your own beads, chains, cords, or
other inspirational materials so that we can begin the fun pr
ocess of incorporating them into your overall design.

Bloomfield School
94 9th Street, Brooklyn
7-10p; $200
thebloomfieldschool.com

XXXXX HELP XXXXX

It is a wonderful thing, to help. Helping strengthens communities and allows you
to meet new friends. With that in mind, we look for one-day volunteer
opportunities with no long-term commitment required. We want to be open to fresh
ideas and think of help in a broad way. These listings could include anything
from a large-scale day-long service project to a local theatre company that
needs volunteers for load-in; from an artist looking for film extras to a
community garden that needs a few extra hands. Our goal is simply to help groups
or individuals that serve the greater good in small but significant ways. Unique
and interesting job opportunities are acceptable fare for this section as well.
Looking for ways to help out? Need volunteers to get your own community project
off the ground? Know of any existing opportunities? Send your requests to MeeO
at meeo(at)nonsensenyc.com.

***** HELP: SOON *****

Dance Symposium

Dance/NYC's annual symposium is an event uniting leaders and innovators in the
NYC dance field. This year the event takes its name and starting point from
Dance/NYC's industry report, State of NYC Dance. Volunteering at the symposium
is an opportunity to experience aspects of the event at no cost and interact
with field leaders, in exchange of a four-hour commitment to assist with event
production. Join us and receive free master classes, led by artists such as
Andrea Miller, Sarah Donnelly, Patrick Corbin and Doug Elkins, and free breakout
sessions on arts advocacy, legal and business issues for dance and research on
the young dance workforce in NYC.

Gibney Dance Center
890 Broadway, between East 19th and East 20th streets, fifth floor, Manhattan
Sunday, February 26, 10a-5:30p
specialevents]at]dancenyc.org
bit.ly/xdfYRf

***** HELP: SOON *****

Interns for Theater Festival

Planet Connections, NYC's only eco-friendly theatre festival is seeking interns.
Our interns get to watch all the shows and attend all the special events at the
festivity for free. Send headshots, resume and cover letter.

planetmarcusy]at]gmail.com
planetconnections.org

***** HELP: NOW *****

Sew Dresses For Haiti

Can you sew? Do you have your own sewing machine and fabric? Dresses for Haiti
is looking for sewers who are willing to sew pillowcase dresses which will be
sent to Haiti directly to young girls still residing in tent camps. We are also
looking for sewers willing to coordinate a group sewing party and sew as many
pillowcase dresses as possible. Dresses for Haiti will be going to Haiti in the
coming months and we need as many dresses as possible. Tell us how many dresses
you or your group can sew. Tell us when you can have the dresses shipped to us
and we will take them to Haiti.

volunteer]at]dressesforhaiti.org

XXXXX NONSENSE XXXXX

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strange happenings, unique parties, and senseless culture in new york city.

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XXXXX END XXXXX


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