CLASSES
Horticultural volunteers Battery Park City Parks Conservancy is seeking volunteers to work alongside its horticulturists on Wednesday mornings, from May 7 through the end of October. Volunteers must be at least 18 years old and able to commit for the entire season. Applications are available by calling Eileen Calvanese at 212.267.9700, ext. 364. Deadline is April 25.
Lifeguard Training In these American Red Cross certification classes, participants gain hands-on practice and learn how to prevent and respond to aquatic emergencies at swimming pools and non-surf, open-water environments such as lakes and rivers. Must be 15 years old by May 17. 5 Saturdays: April 19-May 17. $300 members, $350 nonmembers, including $25 for pre-test on April 19 at 2pm. COMMUNITY CENTER at Stuyvesant High School, 345 Chambers St (access: West St.) 646.210.4292, bpcparks.org.
Downtown Boathouse offers a number of kayaking classes and trips for a variety of levels. Go to the Park office and get an identification card (cost $9), which is needed for any class in the park. Ongoing. 646-613-0740, downtownboathouse.org.
Water Quality Testing Techniques Practice the different techniques environmental scientists use to assess water quality. Dress for the outdoors and come prepared to get your hands wet. Reservations req. April 5, 1-3 p.m. Free. SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM, 12 Fulton St. 212-748-8786, southstreetseaport.com.
DANCE
Gallim Dance, “I can See myself in your pupil” Choreographed by 25-year-old Juilliard grad Andrea Miller, the 45-minute fiercely physical dance is structured in 7 sections, each one building on the other. April 10-13 at 8 p.m. $20, $15 students. JOYCE SOHO, 155 Mercer St. 646-812-6524, joyce.org.
Sahar Javedani, “From Persia with measured love” A dance theater work stationed at the base of the Damavand Mountain, a dormant volcano near the Caspian Sea in Iran. This region possesses a very important place in Iranian mythology and folklore, once said to imprison a three-headed dragon. This work follows a small community of villagers and their crunchy encounters with Western culture. April 3 at 7 p.m. $10. TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 199 Chambers St. 212-220-1460, tribecapac.org.
Laura Peterson Choreography: Electrolux A rocking premiere performance about environment, texture, garbage and carpet. March 28 & 29 at 8 p.m. March 29 at 3 p.m. $15-$20. DANCE NEW AMSTERDAM, 280 Broadway. 212-625-8369, dnadance.org.
EVENTS
Free Hearing Screenings at the League for the Hard of Hearing Every Tues. from 12-2pm and every Thurs. from 4-6pm. Call or email to schedule an appointment. League for the Hard of Hearing, 50 Broadway, 6th Fl. 917-305-7766, appointments@llh.org.
Manhattan Youth’s Downtown Community Center Ribbon cutting and community celebration of Lower Manhattan’s first community center. Food and drink, live music and dancing, a preview and tour. Dinner prepared by chef David Bouley. April 10 at 7 p.m. $200. 120 Warren St. 212-766-1104 ext. 232.
EXHIBITS
Beauty Surrounds Us Featuring an elaborate Quechua girl’s dance outfit, a Northwest Coast chief’s staff with carved animal figures and crests, Seminole turtle shell dance leggings, a conch shell trumpet from pre-Columbian Mexico, and an Inupiak (Eskimo) ivory cribbage board. 2 interactive media stations show visitors in-depth descriptions of each object. Through Fall 2008.
Emendatio Multimedia installation challenging commonly held assumptions about Native people and tribute to Pablo Tac, a Luieno Indian who traveled to Rome in the 19th century. Through July 20.
Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific Coast 400 artifacts from 11 Native American communities. Ongoing. Free. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, George Gustav Heye Center, 1 Bowling Green, 212-514-3700, AmericanIndian.si.edu.
Bodies: The Exhibition Preserved human bodies along with hundreds of body parts and internal organs. Ongoing. $27.50 general, $23.50 seniors, $21.50 ages 12 and under. EXHIBITION CENTER at the South Street Seaport, 11 Fulton St. 888-9BODIES, bodiestheexhbition.com.
Daring to Resist: Jewish Defiance in the Holocaust This large-scale exhibition, presented in association with Ghetto Fighters’ House, Israel, brings to light the stories of men, women, and children who defied the Nazis. Through July.
Paul goldman, “to return to the land” From Tel Aviv streetscapes to the bombing of the King David Hotel, from street vendors to Prime Ministers, these photos of the birth of Israel capture life before statehood and during the War of Independence.
Sosúa Jewish refugees who made their home in the Dominican Republic in the late 1930s, and their Dominican neighbors, are the subject of this new, bilingual exhibition. $10 adults, $7 seniors, $5 students. Members and children 12 and younger free. Admission is free on Wed. from 4-8 p.m. MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE– A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Pl. 646-437-4202, mjhnyc.org.
Drawing out Student artwork from the Drawing Connections Program that places teaching artists in Downtown public schools. The show features cross-disciplinary group projects by 100 students from 4 schools: P.S. 42, P.S. 130, H.S. 560, and Soho Communication Arts Academy at H.S. 615. April 4-10. Closing reception April 10, 5-7 p.m. DRAWING ROOM, 40 Wooster St. 212-219-2166, drawingcenter.org.
A Life in Whaling This new exhibit explores the reality for the sailor signing up for a whaling voyage. Through original artifacts used and kept onboard whaling vessels, the views gets a sense of what life was really like for a sailor, dispelling myths about whaling popularized through movies and literature. Through Oct.
Ocean Liner Cutaways Since the inception of ocean travel, advertising has been the key to entice passengers young and old to sign on for a voyage. The Museum has an excellent collection of cutaways through the years, from the famous Great Easter of the 1850s through the modern cruise ships of today. Visitors get their own “inside look” into the rich lifestyle of ocean travel. Through Dec.
Soundings Treasures from the museum’s permanent collection, including scrimshaw, ship portraits and models, newspapers, maps, toys, signal flags and more, exploring all of the languages of communication used in port. Through Oct.
VIEWS OF NEW YORK: 1660-1868 These views of NY depict a dynamic port city that changed dramatically in its first two centuries. From its modest beginnings as an outpost in the New World for the Dutch East India Company, NY was well on its way to commercial and cultural dominance of the young American nation in the post-Civil War years. Through Oct. $8 general admission, $6 seniors/students, $4 children 5-12, under 5s are free. SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM, 12 Fulton St (bet Front & South Sts). 212-748-8786, southstseaport.org.
Kim Gordon, “come across” An exhibition of new abstract watercolors painted on translucent rice paper that depict the faces of an audience from the performer’s perspective. Through April 9. KS ART, 73 Leonard St. (bet. Church & Bway). 212-219-9918, kerryschuss.com.
Ruth Hardinger Paintings and sculpture. Through April 14. TAMA Gallery, 5 Harrison St. 212-566-7030, tamagallery.biz.
Thomas Holton, “The Lams of Ludlow Street” Color photos. Through May 1. SASHA WOLF Gallery, 10 Leonard St. 212-925-0025, sashawolf.com.
Heroes This exhibit looks at the many people from diverse backgrounds who joined together to win America’s independence. Paintings on exhibit include Henry Hintermeister The Drill Master, John Ward Dunsmore’s The Message from Lexington, and Dennis Mallone Carter’s Molly Pitcher at the Battle of Monmouth. Ongoing. Adeline Moses Loeb Gallery.
If These Walls Could Talk As Manhattan’s oldest surviving building, 54 Pearl Street has witnessed nearly 300 years of the city’s history. Ongoing. $4, $3 seniors and children under 18, and free to children under 6. FRAUNCES TAVERN MUSEUM, 54 Pearl St. 212-425-1776, frauncestavernmuseum.com.
The Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Bursting forth in a colorful, crocheted panoply of loopy “kelps,” curlicue “corals,” and fringy “anemones,” this homage to Earth’s endangered coral reefs is a beautiful marriage of traditional arts & crafts and hyperbolic geometry. On display in the Winter Garden, this exhibition, featuring The Toxic Reef, New York Reef, and Chicago Reef (www.theiff.org), raises awareness about these disappearing marine treasures. Through August. Free. World Financial Center Winter Garden. 212-945-0505, worldfinancialcenter.com.
Inside the Fence This exhibit serves as a tribute to the dedicated people in transportation, sanitation, and construction trades who played a major role in supporting the recovery at the WTC site, and provides a glimpse into current projects in development in construction, sanitation and transit based upon increased awareness and innovative technologies developed after the attacks. Through June 9. THE TRIBUTE WTC VISITOR CENTER, 120 Liberty St. tributewtc.org.
Annual members juried show Juried by New Jersey-based photographer Ellen Denuto, this 13th annual exhibition features both classic and contemporary, pinhole, digital, bleached, black and white, and color photos. April 1-May 3. Opening reception April 1, 6-8 pm. SOHO PHOTO, 15 White St. 212-226-8571, sohophoto.com.
Fawn Krieger, “Company” A large-scale installation depicting a store with a real cashier and wares. Through April 26. ART IN GENERAL, 79 Walker St. 212-219-0473, artingeneral.org.
Maria Bartolo Mejia Provocative and erotic photos of strip tease and public interaction between strangers on the street and subway. Through April 5. VinoVino, 211 W. Bway.
Lots of Things Like This Curated by author and McSweeney’s editor Dave Eggers, this group show features 100 drawings with very funny captions. Artists, writers, poets, designers and musicians include David Shrigley, Raymond Pettibon, Nedko Solakov, Tucker Nichols, and others. April 2-May 10. Opening reception April 2, 6-8pm. APEXART, 291 Church St. 212-431-5270, apexart.org.
Monarchs of the Sea In celebration of the ocean liner era, this permanent exhibition features plans, models and memorabilia evoking the majesty and magic of a time when ocean liners were considered the last word in luxury travel. $8 general admission, $6 seniors/students, $4 children 5-12, under 5s are free. South Street Seaport Museum, WALTER LORD GALLERY (213 Water St). 212-748-8786, southstseaport.org.
Shalom Neuman, “Toxic Paradise/America” Large sculptural paintings depicting mankind’s cruelty to the planet as well as modeling paste, acrylic paint and found objects surrounded by little plastic figures. Through April 10. FUSIONARTS MUSEUM, 57 Stanton St. 212-995-5290, artnet.com/fusionartsmuseum.html
New York Modern This futuristic exhibition analyzes the predictions of the early 20th century in the work of leading architects and planners such as Hugh Ferriss, Raymond Hood, Harvey Wiley Corbett, and the Regional Plan Association, as well as science fiction imagery and futuristic films. Through April. $5 general, $2.50 seniors/students. SKYSCRAPER MUSEUM, 39 Battery Pl (bet Little West St & 1st Pl). 212-968-1961, skyscraper.org
A toast to Toast A free, self-guided tour of 100 artists’ studios through Tribeca. This spring 54 of the artists participate in a group show, expanding TOAST so that the public can seen the art in one place. April 3-May 18. Artists’ reception April 9, 6-8 p.m. Tribeca Gallery Association 2nd Wed. reception May 14, 6-8 p.m. TOAST weekend is April 26-28, 1-6 p.m. SYNAGOGUE FOR THE ARTS GALLERY SPACE, 49 White St (bet Broadway & Church). 212-966-7141, email info@synagogueforthearts.org.
Policing a Changed City chronicles how the NYPD has used new technology, community outreach, and intelligence gathering to fight crime and terrorism since 9-11.
United response: Commemorating 9/11 Photos and drawings of police officers firefighters, rescue workers, and volunteers who helped the city after the attacks. Both exhibits are ongoing. $5 suggested donation, $3 seniors, $2 children 6-12. NYC POLICE MUSEUM, 100 Old Slip (btn South & Water Sts). 212-480-3100, nycpolicemuseum.org.
Re:Construction bridges the efforts of multiple public partners and the creative community to both highlight and enliven the process of rebuilding while improving the quality of life in Lower Manhattan through the creation of places of attraction, curiosity and anticipation. The 3 pilot projects are “Best Pedestrian Route” (John St, east of Bway); “Fulton Fence” (Fulton St east of Bway); and “Concrete Jungle” (Bway, bet. John & Ann Sts). reconstructionnyc.org.
Substraction An exhibition of abstract city paintings that is meant to invoke the reductive or “low” influences the artists draw on: the dark and dangerous. Think subway, subwoofers and subprime. Artists include Kristin, Baker, Dan Colen, Rosson Crow, Elizabeth Neel, Sterling Ruby, and Aaron Young. March 29-April 26. DEITCH PROJECTS, 18 Wooster St. 212-343-7300, deitch.com.
MUSIC
Scottish Music The annual concert, presented by the British Memorial Garden Trust, in conjunction with the Scottish Executive, will feature the Scots bands MacTalla Mór, Red Hot Chili Pipers and the Pentland Caledonia Pipes & Drums playing contemporary and traditional Scottish music. April 4, 5:30-6:60 p.m. Free. HANOVER SQUARE. Britishmemorialgarden.com.
Roulette Experimental Music Series Throughout March at 8:30 p.m. Each concert $15, $10 students/seniors. ROULETTE, 20 Greene St (bet. Canal & Grand). 212-219-8242, roulette.org.
Trinity Church Concerts Martha Guth, soprano and Spencer Myer, piano, performing works by Rachmaninov, Strauss and Hoiby. April 3, 1-2pm. Suggested $2. TRINITY CHURCH, Broadway at Wall St. 212-602-0800, trinitywallstreet.org.
TALKS &
READINGS
Author readings Ben Karlin, “Things I’ve Learned From Women Who Dumped Me” on March 28. Jeff Gordinier, “X Saves the World” on March 31. Both start at 7 p.m. and are free. BARNES & NOBLE, 97 Warren St. 212-587-5389, bn.com.
Global Leaders: Conversations with Alon Ben-Meir Alon Ben-Meir, professor of international relations, journalist and author, hosts leaders from around the world in conversations that probe critical global issues. Ambassador Riyad Mansour is the Permanent Observer of Pakistan to the UN. April 1, 6:30-7:45 p.m. Free. Reservation required.
Philip Gourevitch The author of “We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families: Stories from Rwanda” and Paris Review editor discusses his new book, “Standard Operating Procedure,” about Abu Ghraib. Sponsored by NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. April 10, 6:30-7:45 p.m.
Politics and Art in Cinema: Still Life Peter Hitchcock, professor of English, film, and women’s studies at the Graduate Center of CUNY, hosts 3 evenings of film that explore responses to the transformation of the modern Chinese workforce. “Still Life” (Hong Kong, 2006) studies the lives of laborers forced to decide between earing 50 yuan a day to pull down walls or 200 in a dangerous coal mine. April 2, 6-8 p.m. Free and open to the public. WOOLWORTH BUILDING, 15 Barclay St. 4th Fl. (bet. Bway & Canal). 212-992-8390, scps.global.affairs@nyu.edu.
Geoffrey Hartman Literary critic Hartman reflects on how his career was influenced by his experience of being a child of the Kindertransport who was fortunate enough to reunite with his mother in the U.S. April 2 at 6:30 p.m. $5.
Looted Assets: The Fate of Jewish Property Before and After the Holocaust Seminar for teachers in Jewish schools featuring legal experts, journalists, and art experts who will shed new light on the ongoing issues surrounding the return of art, Judaica, and money to Holocaust victims and their descendants. March 30, 1-5:15 p.m. Free for teachers and press. Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Pl. 646-437-4200, mjhnyc.org
James Luna’s “Artifact Piece” by Erica Lord A re-creation of artist James Luna’s seminal “Artifact Piece,” by artist Erica Lord (Inupiaq/Athabaskan). A lecture by Paul Chaat Smith (Comanche) follows the performance at 6pm. This performance and lecture are linked to “Emendatio,” a multimedia installation at the museum by James Luna that challenges mainstream assumptions about Native people. April 3, 2-5:30 p.m., April 4 10 a.m.-noon, and April 5, 1-4 p.m. Free. NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN, One Bowling Green. 212-514-3888, nmai.si.edu.
George Oppen Centennial Symposium Poets and scholars gather to honor the life and work of his original poet. Panels discussing Oppen’s Judeo-Christian philosophy, the influence of Heidegger and Whitman, and Oppen’s response to WWII are followed by a reading featuring Harvey Shapiro, Stephen Cope, Peter Gizzi, and others. April 8, 3-9 p.m. $10, free to students and Poets House members. TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 199 Chambers St. 212-431-7920, poetshouse.org.
Tuesdays at 9 Weekly forum led by Naked Angels Theater Company’s creative directors that attracts more than 100 people who gather to listen and participate in cold readings of scenes, short plays and fiction. Free. TRIBECA CINEMAS, 54 Varick St. (at Laight St.). nakedangels.com.
Mexico and the Mayan Pyramids Tuesday Evening Hour nonprofit weekly slideshow program. April 1 at 6:30pm. $2. 49 Fulton St. 212-964-3936, tuesdayeveninghour.com.
THEATER
The Break-up and the happy sad One-act plays about 9 New Yorkers’ search for happiness. Through April 7.
Lower Ninth A new play inspired by the effects of Hurricane Katrina about 2 men stranded on a roof. As Malcolm and E-Z struggle to survive, they must battle heat, hunger, and their pasts. Written by Beau Willimon, directed by Daniel Goldstein, and featuring Gaius Charles, James McDaniel, and Gbenga Akkinagbe. Through April 5. $40-$45. FLEA THEATER, 41 White St. (bet. Bway & Church). 212-219-2020, flea.org.
Salute to Magic Show A “Variety Magic Show” with audience participation and baffling illusions showcases startling changes, plus expert manipulation, hilarious comedy acts, juggling and colorful magic. Sponsored by the Society of American Magicians, oldest continuing magic show in the U.S since 1909. March 29 at 8 p.m. TRIBECA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, 199 Chambers St. 212-220-1460, tribecapac.org.
This is Burlesque A racy new weekly revue featuring Murray Hill, neo-burlesque star Angie Pontani, The World Famous Pontani Sisters, and others. Thurs-Sat at 8pm. $25. CORIO, 337 West Broadway (at Grand St). smarttix.com, thisisburlesque.com.
TOURS
Gangs of NY and the Bloody 5 Points The notorious Five Points, 19th century immigrant neighborhood, with gangs like the Roach Guards, Plug Uglies, and Dead Rabbits. April 12 at 1 p.m. Two-hour tour. $15, $12 seniors/students. Meet at Bayard St. (1 block south of Canal) & the Bowery, northwest corner at Bank of America. 212-242-5762, joycegoldhistorytours.com
Public Art Walking Tours LMCC offers a series of 3 self-guided audio tours exploring public art Downtown. Entitled “Art and Security,” “Art and the Body,” and “Monuments and Memory,” the 45-minute tours are narrated by Perry Garvin and William Smith. Download the free tours to your iPod or other MP3 player and start walking. lmcc.net.
Tribute WTC 9/11 Walking tours of Ground Zero. Daily. VISITORS CENTER, 120 Liberty St. For hours and info, visit tributewtc.org.
Reading Between the Bricks Walking Tour Ever look up at our row of buildings and wonder how old they are? Take either of these 2 one-hour tours of the Seaport’s historic row to learn about the history, people and the unique architectural features of these buildings. Discover what tales these walls can tell. Learn interesting facts about the very ground you’re walking on. Great for ages 6-12. March 29 at noon and 1:30 p.m. Free with admission ($8, $6, $4). SOUTH STREET SEAPORT MUSEUM, 12 Fulton St. 212-748-8786, southstreetseaportmuseum.org.
Wall Street Walking Tour Free 90-minute guided walking tour weaving together the history, events, architecture and people of Downtown. Thurs. and Sat. at noon. Meet at the steps of the National Museum of the American Indian. One Bowling Green, Alliance for Downtown NY, 212-606-4064, downtownny.com
Listings Requests for the Downtown Express may be mailed to Sarah Norris at 145 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-1548 or e-mailed to listings@downtownexpress.com. Please include listings in the subject line of the e-mail and provide the date, time, location, price and a description of the event. Information must be received two weeks before the event is to be published. Questions, call 646-452-2472.
