Weekend Pick- July 16/17

My weekend pick this week is the Fourth Dimension: The Hip Hop World of DCypher. DCypher Dance is the resident arts company of Joy of Motion Dance Center (@JOMDC), a prominent dance institution in the DC metro area. And this weekend's performance is the final, full-length performance of their 2009/2010 season.

The performance is Saturday at 8pm at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE. (Looking to make a full night of it? Go to the show and then check out Little Miss Whiskey's, the Star and the Shamrock, the H Street Country Club or any of the other awesome bars in this blossoming neighborhood).

The performance features new works of hip hop, fusion and "culture specific" pieces by Jason Anderson, Juliana Calderon, Tony Czar , Nikki R. Gambhir, Maurice Johnson, and Aysha Upchurch. The write up also promises special guest performances by Grammy-nominated Christylez Bacon, GnC Dance Crew and Urban Impact.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Weekend Pick- July 9/10

Did you know that this week was the 9th annual DC Hip Hop Theatre Festival?

If I were in town this weekend, I would definitely be checking out the remaining shows. In fact, my Weekend Pick this week is the "Freshest of All Time" performance on Saturday at the Columbia Heights Youth Club.

This B-Boy battle will feature two-on-two, b-girl, popping and locking, and a small fry competition. It sounds pretty epic to me and the best part-- it lasts for six hours so you can enjoy at your leisure.

If you even remotely liked America's Best Dance Crew, you should definitely make your way to Columbia Heights on Saturday afternoon for this show.

Weekend Pick- July 2/3

Looking for a good place to cut a rug this weekend? My weekend pick is a dance party. Whether you throw your own or go out on the town, it's America's birthday weekend so let loose and have a little fun.

Tonight, head over to the U Street Music Hall, a DJ-owned and operated basement dance club and live music venue. They have a 1,200 square foot cork-cushioned dance floor to keep you dancing comfortably all night long and I've been told enough bass to move the hair on your head. Tonight's dance party is free if you RSVP on Facebook or there is a $10 cover at the door. The party starts at 10pm and DJs LAZARO CASANOVA, Soviet Panda and Meistro will be playing until close. Added bonus? I'll be there.

Tomorrow, check out MASS APPEAL and resident DJ AutoRock at the Rock & Roll Hotel. MASS APPEAL is billed as "Hip-hop party jams, indie anthems, dance-punk, guilty pleasures, electronic beats and hard-hitting funk." The show, which is upstairs at the R&R Hotel, is free and starts at 9:30. You can't beat it.

Weekend Pick- June 26/27

New goal: to highlight an area dance performance once a week. So welcome to my first "weekend pick."

My weekend pick is Word Dance Theater at Dance Place in Northeast, DC. According to the website, Word Dance Theater is a multi-media production about the life of Isadora Duncan. For the less dance-savvy, Duncan is considered the founder of modern dance. She insisted on natural movement, unrestricted costumes and the use of emotion in performances. Her revolutionary style has influenced many dancers and choreographers after her.

In Word Dance Theater, which is at 8pm on Saturday and 7pm on Sunday, "the events of Duncan's life are woven together with eleven of her dances which run the gamut from joy to love to patriotism to mourning and to communism."

General admission is $22, but student tickets are $17 and children are $8.