THE LISTINGS

Art Portfolio Development Class For TeensDesigned for middle and high school students wanting to attend specialized art high schools and colleges. Students will develop a strong body of work to present with their application. 8 Sats, Sept. 8 – Nov. 3. Program fee is $270. Financial aid is available. Fee includes materials. 10 am – 1 pm at the Battery Park City Parks Meeting Room at the Verdesian, 211 N. End Ave. For more info and to register, call 212-267-9700.

The Battery Park City Parks Conservancyis sponsoring a number of classes for adults through October 31. Participants work in color and/or black and white, rendering subjects of their own choice in a variety of media. “Elements of Nature Drawing” takes place in the gardens of Wagner Park. (Instructed by Enid Braun.) “Figure Al Fresco” and “Drawing in the Park” take place at the South Cove (access: West Thames St.) and “Volleyball After Work” and “Tai Chi” at Esplanade Plaza (access: Liberty St.) All classes are free. For more information, call 212 267 9700 or visit www.bpcparks.org.

Educational Alliance Art School Open Houseis a free informal event for adults to learn about courses by talking with teachers, seeing the studios and viewing 15-minute demonstrations of art techniques. Sept. 9, 1 – 4pm. Welding: 1:15pm, 2pm and 3pm. Chinese ink brush painting: 2pm and 3pm Pottery wheel throwing: 1:30 and 2:30pm. Stone carving: 3pm and 3:30pm. Educational Alliance Art School, 197 E. Broadway (btw Jefferson and Clinton). 212.780.2300, ext. 463, https://www.edalliance.org/artschool

Gotham Writers Workshop: FictionThis hour-long seminar is taught by professional writers on different topics each month. This workshop on writing fiction is taught by Peter Selgin, author of “By Cunning and Craft.” Selgin will use short lectures to explain several elements of fiction writing, and participants will be invited to take part in brief writing exercises and discuss the elements of craft that go into creating great stories. Sept. 9 at 7pm. Free. McNally Robinson Booksellers, 52 Prince St. (btw Lafayette and Mulberry). 212-274-1160, www.mcnallyrobinsonnyc.com.

PERFORMING YOUR LIFEMike Daisey, author and monologuist, will teach a 2-day workshop on storytelling, autobiography and solo performance that covers the fundamentals. Participants will not only work on their own material, we’ll dissect the nuts and bolts of self-production and the dog-eat-dog world of getting work produced and noticed. Performers, memoirists, writers and others are welcome. Sept. 15 and 16, 10am-1pm, 2pm-5pm. $250. The Tank @ Collective Unconscious, 279 Church St (btw Franklin & White). Email dilettante@mikedaisey.com.

DANCE

American Dance MasterpiecesNYC’s largest free outdoor dance series, Evening Stars, returns to Battery Park with world class dance companies, co-presented with Lower Manhattan Cultural Council and The Joyce Theater. This performance celebrates the extraordinary and rich evolution of dance and choreography in the US: Hklani Holt / P` O Hi`iaka (Hawai`i), “Kahekili” (excerpt), Limón Dance Company, “The Traitor,” David Gordon, Pick Up Performance Company in “Trying Times” (excerpt), Philadanco, “Southern Landscapes.” Sept. 7 at 7:30pm. Free.Paul Taylor Dance Companyperforming Taylor’s “Polaris, Company B” and the NY Premiere of “De Sueños.” Sept. 8 at 7:30pm. Free. Battery Park. www.RivertoRiverNYC.com

Celebration of Tapkicks off on Sept. 9 at 3:30pm with an amateur tap dance contest. In addition to cash prizes, the 1st place winner gets to perform with the pros in the evening concert. (Soloists, duets, trios or ensembles ages 9-19) To register, call (646) 230-9564 or visit at www.adtf.org.Tap City Master ClassA free public tap dance lesson will be offered to all ages and all levels. Taught by American Tap Dance Foundation’s Tony Waag. Tap shoes optional but hard-soled shoes a plus. A limited number of tap shoes will be available on-site to borrow. 4:30pm.Tap City DowntownLegendary tap dancers, cutting edge soloists, contemporary ensembles, and the hottest new hoofers on the scene today. Backed by a live music trio, performers include: Harold Cromer, Michelle Dorrance, Barbara Duffy & Company, DeWitt Fleming, Derick K. Grant, Chikako Iwahori, Mable Lee, Margaret Morrison, Max Pollak’s Rumba Tap, the Tap City Youth Ensemble, Tony Waag, Karen Callaway Williams, the winner of the Tap Off and others. 7:30pm. All events in Battery Park. www.rivertorivernyc.com.

Choreographing Spaceis an interdisciplinary collaboration presented by Eva Perez de Vega Steele and Ian Gordon that explores the intersection of architecture, dance, and moving image. Collaborators include: Kim Jones, Blakely White-McGuire, Yana Schnitzler, Esther Eiras, Arielle Javitch, David Potaux-Razel, Maia Sørensen, Eva Perrotta, Saskia Hannemann, Kristina Skjelberg, Atsuko Yagi and Robert Boston. Performances will be held at 6pm every Sat. until Sept.15. Free. 145 Nassau St. (btw Spruce and Beekman). www.epdvs.com/choreographingspace.html

LIMON DANCE COMPANYThis major revival of Jose Limon’s “The Traitor” (1954), a work about men and betrayal, has been staged and directed by Clay Taliaferro, former Limon Company principal dancer. Sept. 7 at 7:30pm. Free. Battery Park (State & Pearl). Info: 212/777-3353 x 16.

Bill Shannon, “Behind the Window”Experience “unexpected encounters” rooted in hip-hop and skateboard tradition of street improvisation, featuring Shannon, The Step Fienz, DJ Excess and J Self Control. Sept. 10 thru 14 at 1pm. Free. 115 Broadway. RSVP req., visit www.lmcc.net/sitelines.

EVENTS

Around Downtown in 80 ProgramsThe Educational Alliance Community Fair hosts activities at the 14th St Y and the Downtown Community Ctr. Events at the latter feature the sensuous sounds of Gia Williams; the Folksbiene Yiddish Theater; a reading with Robert Friedman, and a spirited sing-along for kids with Tony Corsano and the Family Jam. On the street will be crafts for kids. Inside, people can tour the new Parenting Center, participate in an open table tennis tournament, and discover all The Educational Alliance has to offer. The Alliance Art School will be open for tours and a special project where participants will create a design or drawing on a printing block, then print from their blocks. Sept. 9, 10am – 4pm. Free. Downtown Community Center, 197 E. Broadway (btw Jefferson & Clinton). www.edalliance.org/communityfair

The Big Drawis an all-day event on Sat. Sept. 8 offering hands-on art projects for all ages, sponsored by River to River and the Drawing Center. Pick up a free sketchbook and participate in artist-led activities at five fantastic Downtown venues.Outdoor Drawing ExplorationDiscover the natural secrets of this beautifully designed park with artists Larry Dobens and Valerie Hammond. Self-guided drawing: 11am-1pm Artist-led drawing: 1pm-4pm. Teardrop Park, btw Warren and Murray Sts, east of River Terrace, in Battery Park City.National Museum of the American IndianDraw the body in motion as artist Wayne Price (Tlingit) and the Northern Tide Dancers from Alaska present dances from their community in the Diker Pavilion at 12pm, 1:30, and 3.Visit “Listening to Our Ancestors” with artists Jeffrey Gibson (Cherokee/Choctaw) and Athena LaTocha (Lakota/Ojibwe) at 11am, 1pm, and 3:30pm, then make balsa wood prints and feast bowls in the Rotunda. George Gustav Heye Ctr, U.S. Custom House, 1 Bowling Green across from Battery Park.Water DrawingsExplore memory, space, and movement with artist Christian Nguyen and guests. Taking a cue from the Asian calligraphy practice of writing with water, make your own water drawings on stone tablets arranged on the promenade alongside the South St Seaport Museum’s legendary sailing vessels. Celebrate the seaport’s rich history by creating trace drawings—layered sketches of the pier and its people—using historical references and direct observation. 11am – 4pm. South Street Seaport, Pier 16, Fulton & South Sts.Draw in Spacewith knitted, knotted, and crocheted lines in artist Sheila Pepe’s communal drawing project. Lace together the buses parked on the plaza with rope, yarn, and shoelaces. Decorate your way on board, save your seat with a crocheted web, or wrap, tassel, and pom-pom at the Craft Stop. 11am – 4pm. World Financial Ctr, Winter Garden and Plaza (btw Vesey & Liberty Sts, in Battery Park City).Graffiti Research LabTry your hand at laser tagging with artist collective GRL’s Mobile Broadcast Unit: audio, projection and LASER tag systems mounted on a tricycle! An entire building is your canvas for making giant drawings with light during this outdoor evening adventure.9:30pm – 11pm. Park at Old Slip between Water and Front Sts.. www.rivertorivernyc.com.

The Days of Awe, 5768Celebrate the High Holidays with Tribeca Hebrew in a warm and unique environment – with a blend of family services with reflective time for adults and creative, fun programming for children. Childcare will also be provided. Featuring: STORAHTELLING with Amichai Lau-Lavie plus musical leader Shira Kline. ROSH HASHANNAH Sept. 12 at 5:30pm Apples & Honey with Cocktails. 6pm Family Service, 7:15pm Dinner. Sept. 13 10am Family Service, 12:30pm Kiddish & Nosh. Tickets required in advace, prices vary. 7 World Trade Center, 40th Fl. 212-608-7120, www.tribecahebrew.org.

The NYC Gay Basketball Leaguehas two divisions, A and B. The former is for those who have a history of competitive playing experience. The latter is for those who play recreationally, intermediate or beg. Teams in both have 10 players per squad. There will be 10 games played during the fall season as well as playoffs, held at Little Red School (145 Thompson St., just south of Houston St.) on Sun. afternoons from Sept. 16 thru Dec. 16. Those who want to participate in the fall league should send an email to play@nycgaybasketball.org with their contact details.

Parents’ Network BreakfastParents, expectant parents and babies 0-12 months are invited to enjoy a monthly breakfast, share tips, seek advice and meet other new moms and dads. First Tues. of every month from 10-11:30 a.m. Free for BPCNA members and first timers. Membership applications available at the event or at www.bpcnpa.com. Applebee’s on Vesey St. Organized through the Battery Park City Neighbors Association.

Tribeca Meet & Greet2nd Wed. of the month from 6:30-9 p.m. at various area restaurants. Have a drink, do some networking and exchange some ideas with people from local businesses, schools, newspapers, restaurants and more. For more info, call 212-220-1459 or visit dcleaver@tribecapac.org.

Tuesday Evening Houris an artists’ non-profit slideshow program whose mission is to expose works of the artists to the public. Each Tues, we showcase a working artist. No reservations needed. Attendance averages 35-45 people/week. If you are interest in giving a show, call the director at 212-385-3650. Robert Moses and the Bridges and Highways of New York, with historian and aerial photographer Fred Hadley, will be featured on Sept. 11. 6:30pm. $2 donation. 49 Fulton St. www.tuesdayeveninghour.com.

EXHIBITS

Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific CoastAn exhibition from 11 Native communities of more than 400 objects—including ceremonial masks, carvings, clothing, baskets and tools. Sections are assembled by curators from the Coast Salish, Makah, Nuu-chah-nulth, Kwakwak’wakw, Heiltsuk, Tsimshian, Gitxsan, Nisga’a, Haida, and Tlingit communities. Through July 20, 2008. In previews, show opens on Sept. 12. Free. Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian. Admission to the museum is free. National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center, 1 Bowling Green, 212-514-3700, www.AmericanIndian.si.edu.

Daring to Resist: Jewish Defiance in the HolocaustThis 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 2008. $10 adults/$7 seniors/$5 students. Children 12 and under are admitted free. Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Place, 646-437-4202, www.mjhnyc.org.

Nadia Gould, “A Retrospective”An exhibition of paintings influenced by calligraphy and Tibetan tankas is sponsored by the New York Downtown Hospital, the only hospital in Lower Manhattan. Works are priced between $650 and $1800. Through Oct. 12. Free and open to the public. NYDH Lehman Brothers Emergency Center Lobby, 83 Gold St (at Spruce St). www.downtownhospital.org.

Shalom Neuman, “Amerika”This series by a fusion art pioneer explores this country’s iconography and culture as reflected through “portraits” of its people. Through Sept. 18. Gallery Bar, 120 Orchard St. (btw Delancey and Rivington Sts). www.gallerybarnyc.com.

Scenes from the BibleIn this exhibit,11 contemporary artists speak through the Hebrew Bible about themselves and their ideas concerning religion, culture, sex, psychology, history, and art. Artists include John Bradford, Simon Carr, Lynda Caspe, Marcia Clark, Stan Fein, Ora Lerman, Richard McBee, John Servetas, Jack Silberman, David Wander, and Malcah Zeldis. Curated by Lynda Caspe. Through Oct. 21. Synagogue for the Arts Gallery Space, 49 White St (btw Bway & Church). 212.966.7141.

Soho PhotoSolo exhibitions include Eva Marosy-Weide’s “In All Probability,” Raphel Senzamici’s “Moon Works,” Robert Dahl’s “Now and Then: Lisbon,” and “Memories of Robert Borsuk: A Tribute Exhibit.” Spotlight exhibitions include Marius Zgirdea’s “My Nest” and “The Pain of the Twin Towers,” and John Chang’s “World Trade Center in the Clouds.” Guest exhibitor is Brian Jones, whose show is entitled “Concealed and Revealed.” Through Sept.29. Soho Photo, 15 White St (btw 6th Ave & W. Bway). 212-226-8571, www.sohophoto.com.

MUSIC

Harmony on the HudsonThe 6th Annual Family Music Festival features non-stop music, singing and storytelling. Tom Chapin and friends Jon Cobert and Michael Mark entertain children and families with life-affirming folk songs. Acoustic country bluesman Guy Davis sings tales set to stomping blues backing, with accompaniment from mandolin, banjo and accordion. Elizabeth Mitchell reinterprets traditional folk music, and the Double Dutch Divas twirl and twist to a variety of music. Sept. 9, 1 – 6pm. Free. Wagner Park (Battery Place btw West St & First Pl). 212-267-9700, www.bpcparks.org.

TALKS & READINGS

Art and Beauty Book Clubmeets the 2nd Wed. of every month, at 7pm in the poetry section. The book to be discussed on Sept. 12 is “Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty” by Nancy Etcoff.Margo Jefferson, “On Michael Jackson”Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Jefferson takes on America’s ultimate celebrity, and what our obsession with Jackson implies about us all. Drawing on 19th century freak show studies, an analysis of Jackson’s upbringing, and the consequences of child stardom, Jefferson teases out the cultural meanings of Jackson’s transformation from genius song-and-dance man to revile weirdo. She will be interviewed by Random House editor Chris Jackson. Sept. 10 at 7pm. FreeKids Story Time with Arts and CraftsCelebrate National Grandparents Day! Grandma Moses said, “If I didn’t start painting, I would have raised chickens.” We’re going to read stories about great art and great chickens — cluck a little, paint a little, cluck a little, paint a little. After Storytime, kids will be inspired to create their own artistic Grandparents Day Cards. Hosted by Yvonne Brooks, co-author of “Meet the Goat Kids.” Ages 2 to 7. Art materials provided. Every Sat. at noon. Free. McNally Robinson Booksellers, 52 Prince St. (btw Lafayette & Mulberry). 212-274-1160, www.mcnallyrobinsonnyc.com.

Bottoms Up: Dives, Drinking Holes & Other Historic Places of Good CheerThis Historic Districts Council lecture will examine the culture of social drinking and eating in NYC through an examination of establishments developed specifically for leisure. Columnist and historian Francis Morrone, architectural historian Matt Postal and social historian Mark Caldwell will be speaking. Sept. 13 at 6:30pm. $15, $10 for Friends of HDC. SoHo Playhouse, 15 Vandam St. 212-614-9107, www.hdc.org.

THEATER

AbsintheThe most sultry acro-burlesque variety show in town featuring seductive artists performing amazing feats of balance, strength and danger with unfathomable flexibility. Through Sept. 30. Showtimes vary, call for details. Tickets are $50, $55 and $69.La VieTheatro-batic show filled with aerial acrobatics, wild characters and wicked music. Through September 30. Showtimes vary, call for details. Tickets are $25 and $55. Spiegelworld at the Fulton Fish Market, South St under the Brooklyn Bridge. 212-279-4200, www.spiegelworld.com.

The Danish Meditations/SlotsA new play by Sergei Burbank. Directed by Adam Karsten. Through Sept. 9 at 8pm.$18. Access Theater, 380 Broadway (2 blocks south of Canal). 212-352-3101, www.accesstheater.com.

Pornographic AngelA world premiere theater production based on short stories by Nelson Rodrigues, one of Brazil’s most acclaimed playwrights. The Lord Strange Company and Tantrum Theater present this 80-min performance that opens the celebration of Brazilian Independence Day. Through Sept. 30. Times vary. Tickets $20. Ohio Theatre, 66 Wooster St. www.smarttix.com.

FringeNYC Encore Serieswill present a dozen works in rotating repertory at two downtown venues: Soho Playhouse and The Theatres at 45 Bleecker. Selected shows have either been audience favorites, lauded by critics, or both. Through Sept. 16. Tickets $18. www.fringenyc-encores.com.

Removable PartsIn the name of love, how far would you go? The unrequited lover in this new musical contemplates voluntary amputation through hilarious pop songs. Composed and performed by Corey Dargel with pianist Kathleen Supové. This duet playfully exposes the disastrous relationship between a broken heart and a mind willing to give into its logic. Through Sept. 15 at 7pm. $20 general, $15 students. HERE Arts Center, 145 6th Ave (btw Spring & Broome, entrance on Dominick). 212-352-3101, www.here.org.

Voices of the Town—A Vaudeville Salute!Vaudeville came to NY in the 1880’s, took root in the musical halls of Lower Manhattan, and provided a route out of poverty and a measure of quality to immigrants and minorities, especially women and African-Americans. With song and dance, this show portrays some of the vaudeville greats, including Sophie Tucker, Mae West, Bert Williams and Florence Mills. Written and directed by Melba LaRose. Presented by NY Artists Unlimited, in association with MTP-Montauk Theatre Productions and Shooting Star Theatre. Sept. 7 at 7pm. Reservations required. $9 members/$10 non-members. At the South Street Seaport Museum’s Melville Gallery, 213 Water St. 212-748-8786, reservations@southstseaport.org.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?The River To River Festival and Signature Theatre Company present a special evening surrounding Edward Albee’s seminal work. Sept. 10 at 7pm. Two complimentary tickets per person will be distributed outside the venue at 5pm on the day of the show. Castle Clinton National Monument in Battery. www.rivertorivernyc.com.

TOURS

Gangs of NY and the Bloody 5 PointsThe clash among immigrant and nativist communities with their gangs—the Plug Uglies, Roach Guards, Dead Rabbits, and Bowery B’hoys. Sept. 8, 1-3pm. $15, $12 seniors. Joyce Gold History Tours of NYC. Meet at Bayard St (1 block south of Canal) and the Bowery, NW corner. www.nyctours.com.

Vistas, Views and HistoryWalk across the Brooklyn Bridge and learn of its history while savoring the views of Governor’s Island, Brooklyn Heights and the Manhattan Skyline. Sept. 9, departs at 2pm. $10 per person, no reservation required. Led by Bernie Cohen. For questions, call 718-655-1883 or email, bernesbx@yahoo.com.

Listings Requestsfor 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.