Daily Loaf

The USF Fall Dance Concert lives up to its billing as a “vibrant mélange of ballet, modern, swing and flamenco-fusion.”

Not having seen one of the USF dance concerts for many years, I was very pleasantly surprised at the exceptional quality of dance, choreography, music and costuming. The execution of the dances demonstrated a high degree of quality and professionalism, particularly in the pointe work. This show makes it very obvious that USF School of Theater and Dance has attracted some esteemed faculty and visiting choreographers with impressive credentials.

The seven varied dances, none overly long, provided a perfect amount of entertainment. When so often dance shows are composed of one modern piece after another that all tend to look alike, it was great to see a dance concert that had enough variety to be truly entertaining. Also, it was gratifying to see a number of talented male dancers. From the vantage point of dead-center front row, we could see all of the footwork at close range.

The opening number, “Noches Argentinas,” for my taste, is the best Read the rest of this entry »

Get your Fourth of July party started early at Hogs ‘n’ Dogs, where you’ll find a hot dog eating contest, a bike show by the retired firemen of the Red Knights Motorcycle Club, and a red carpet dog show — with prizes for the peppiest pups. Try a cold glass of lemonade to wash down those hotdogs; money raised at Alex’s Lemonade Stand goes to children’s cancer research, while proceeds from the pup pageant benefit the SPCA. The event begins at the intersection of 24th Street and Central Avenue in St. Petersburg, and continues throughout the Grand Central District. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun., June 28, free, grandcentraldistrict.org.

Hello, Dali is a contemporary dance, visual art and musical performance is inspired by Dali’s surrealist paintings. Local composer A. Paul Johnson wrote and recorded the score in response to Dali’s work, and the Fuzion Dance Artists of Sarasota were in turn inspired to create a Dali-esque dance piece. The multi-media performance features projections, lights, costumes and props, and contributions from both local and nationally-recognized dancers and artists. 7:30 p.m. Sat., June 27, 2 p.m. Sun., June 28, Salvador Dalí  Museum, St. Petersburg, $15 adults, $10 students, salvadordalimuseum.org.

The Tarance Kinsey Celebrity all-Star Weekend kicks off with “Comedy’s the Cure,” a stand-up show featuring Joe and Guy Torry, Gary Owen and Doug Williams. Then, the Cloud Nine All White Affair is an evening of elegance and glamor with an NBA All-Star guest list, including LeBron James, Mo Williams, Joe Smith, Rudy Gay and more. Proceeds benefit the Pediatric Cancer Foundation. Comedy’s the Cure, 8-10 p.m. Fri., June 26; Cloud Nine, 10 p.m.-3 a.m. Sat., June 27, Hyatt Regency Downtown, 211 N. Tampa St., Tampa, Comedy’s the Cure, $25 general, $40 VIP; Cloud Nine, $20 general, $100 VIP red carpet entrance, tkallstars.com.

There’s something for everyone after the break:

Read the rest of this entry »