CLASSES
Art ClassesSix-session spring courses for adults include Ceramics, Beginning Drawing, Figure Drawing, Acrylic Painting, Photography, Clay Sculpture, Collage, Pottery, and more. Beginning on April 22. EDUCATIONAL ALLIANCE ART SCHOOL, 197 E. Broadway. 212-780-2300 ext. 463 or email artschool@edalliance.org.
Dance and PilatesBallet, jazz, tango, hip-hop, and modern dance classes offered for all levels. $16/class, discounts for multiples. DANCE NEW AMSTERDAM, 280 Broadway (entrance at 53 Chambers St.) 2nd Floor. 212-279-4200, dnadance.org.
Downtown BoathouseOffers 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.
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.
Printmaking workshops and classesLithography, drypoint, Japanese woodblock, etching, and water-based silkscreen techniques taught from May 5-July 20. Registration open now. MANHATTAN GRAPHICS CENTER, 481 Washington St. (bet. Spring & Canal). 212-219-8793, manhattangraphicscenter.org.
DANCE
SPLICEDNA’s ongoing celebration of female choreographers with a collaborative edge. Part One features Deborah Lohse’s “Monagrammed” and Kate Weare’s excerpts of new work.” May 1-3 at 8 p.m. and May 4 at 3 p.m. Opening reception on May 1
Part Twofeatures Jason & Lindsey Dietz-Marchant’s “Half the Room” and Curt Haworth & Amanda Loulaki’s “The Compromise” May 8-11 at 8 p.m. and May 11 at 3 p.m. Opening reception on May 8 $20 general, $15 members, $17 students. DANCE NEW AMSTERDAM, 280 Broadway (entrance at 53 Chambers St.) 212-625-8369, dnadance.org.
CORBINDANCE: freshTENSIONTwo programs featuring world and NYC premiere dance pieces by Patrick Corbin and Elizabeth DeMent. May 2-4 and 9-11 at 8 p.m. $12 general, $10 students/seniors. JOYCE SOHO, 155 Mercer Street. 212-352-3101. joyce.org.
EVENTS
Fairway Bus Trips every ThursdayShopping trip to Fairway (Red Hook, Brooklyn) welcome to all senior citizens. Two van pick-up spots, 8:45 a.m. on River Terrace across from Pan Latin and at 9 a.m. on South End Ave. in front of the Chase bank. The van leaves Fairway at 11 a.m. for the return trip to BPC. Sponsored by BPCNA and the Downtown Alliance. bpcna.org.
Free Hearing Screenings at the League for the Hard of HearingEvery 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.
Small Business Networking SeriesFor those who run small businesses or work from home, this event, sponsored by the Battery Park City Neighbors’ Association, features local small business owner, Adam Berk of Neighborrow.com, as the event speaker. May 15, 7-9 p.m. Free. Gatehouse on South End Avenue (at Albany Street).
Tribeca film festivalThis seventh annual festival includes screenings of 121 feature films in lower Manhattan and the Union Square area. The Festival hosts several free community events, including the Tribeca Drive-In at the World Financial Center April 24-26 and the Family Festival Street Fair along Greenwich Street on May 3. April 23-May 4. Movie tix are $15 for evening and weekend screenings and $8 for daytime, weekdays, and late nights. 866-941-FEST, tribecafilmfestival.org.
EXHIBITS
Amazonian Design, Fashion and Sustainable EconomyFocusing on the relationship between design and ecological sustainability, this exhibition presents contemporary visions by leading designers and companies from the Amazon region that utilize raw materials in their work. Part of Amazônia Brasil, an international festival that raises awareness about the diverse ecosystems of the Brazilian Amazon. Through July 13. Amazon community people demonstrate centuries-old traditions, including basket weaving May 14 & 16, noon-2:00pm. Free.Annual members juried showJuried 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. Through May 3. FreeDuane Rakestraw, “J’accuse”The exhibition’s noir-styled color images were inspired by old movie sets and movie posters are haunted an encroaching darkness. Through May. Free. SOHOPHOTO, 15 White St. 212-226-8571, sohophoto.com.
Beauty Surrounds UsFeaturing 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.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.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.SosúaJewish 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.
EmendatioMultimedia 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.
Ron Galella, “That’s Great!”An exhibition of the notorious paparazzo’s images of Warhol’s life, times, and entourage during his Studio 54 heyday. Through May. STALEY-WISE GALLERY, 560 Broadway 212-966-6223, staleywise.com.
HeroesThis 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.Hyperbolic Crochet Coral ReefBursting 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. Featuring The Toxic Reef, New York Reef, and Chicago Reef (www.theiff.org) to raise awareness about these disappearing marine treasures. Through August. Free. World Financial Center Winter Garden, 220 Vesey St. 212-945-0505, worldfinancialcenter.com.
If I Had A HammerGroup exhibition featuring artwork about protest, encouragement, and buildings. Through June 7. Opening reception on May 1. FRESH ART, 548 Broadway, 3rd Fl. 646-262-3273, freshartnyc.org.
If These Walls Could TalkAs 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.
Inside the FenceThis 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.
Frederick Kiesler, “Co-Realities”This historical exhibition traces the interests of the Austro-American architect and artists in the expressive possibilities of drawing through key projects from the 1940s to the ’60s and will include never-before-seen drawings on loan from the Kiesler Foundation, Vienna. April 18-July 24. DRAWING CENTER, 35 Wooster St. 212-219-2166, drawingcenter.org.
Robert Janz, “In this dream”Paintings and sculpture made from scraps found in the artist’s downtown neighborhood, broken wood produce boxes, glue, and thread. Janz has been using this method since he was a small child. Through May 10. CHERYL PELAVIN FINE ARTS, 13 Jay St. 212-925-9424, cherylpelavin.com.
A Life in WhalingThis 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 CutawaysSince 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.SoundingsTreasures 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: 1660-1868These 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.
Listening to Our Ancestors: The Art of Native Life Along the North Pacific Coast400 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.
Lots of Things Like ThisCurated 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. Through May 10. APEXART, 291 Church St. 212-431-5270, apexart.org.
Monarchs of the SeaIn 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.
New York ModernThis 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
Policing a Changed Citychronicles how the NYPD has used new technology, community outreach, and intelligence gathering to fight crime and terrorism since 9-11.United response: Commemorating 9/11Photos 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:Constructionbridges 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.
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. Through May 18. 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.
MUSIC
Israeli Contemporary String QuartetFor Holocaust Remembrance Day, the quartet performs “Different Trains,” American composer Steve Reich’s commemorative Holocaust work, in honor of Yom HaShoah. Josef Bardanashvili’s String Quartet No. 1 and Dmitri Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 3 in F (Op. 73) complete the program. May 4 at 7 p.m. $15 adults, $12 students/seniors, $10 members. MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE– A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, 36 Battery Pl. 646-437-4202, mjhnyc.org.
Roulette Experimental Music SeriesThroughout May at 8:30 p.m. Featured performers this month include Lenore Von Stein (5/4) and Sylvie Courvoisier (5/8). Each concert $20. ROULETTE, 20 Greene St (bet. Canal & Grand). 212-219-8242, roulette.org.
Trinity Church ConcertsA Special Cinco de Mayo Celebration at St. Paul’s Chapel on May 5; Ljova and the Kontraband at Trinity Church on May 8. 1-2 pm. Suggested donation $2. TRINITY CHURCH, Broadway at Wall St. 212-602- 0747, trinitywallstreet.org.
TALKS & READINGS
French Journey – Medieval Cities, Giverny, and Southern Coast: Slides Ongoing weekly Tuesday Evening Hour nonprofit weekly slideshow program. Featured Artist: Jacqui Bonavito. May 6 at 6:30pm. $2 donation. 49 Fulton St. 212-964-3936, tuesdayeveninghour.com.
Rockefeller Center @ 75The Skyscraper Museum presents a panel discussion to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the opening of Rockefeller Center and its 70-story tower, the RCA Building/30 Rockefeller Plaza. Speakers include author Daniel Okrent, architectural historian Hilary Ballon, architect William Pedersen, and museum director Carol Willis. May 8 at 6:30 p.m. $10 adults, $5 students/seniors, members free. DONNELL LIBRARY AUDITORIUM, 20 W 53rd St. (bet. 5th & 6th). 212-945-6324, skyscraper.org/rockcenter
Tuesdays at 9Weekly 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.
WRITER/DIRECTOR LAB READING SERIESThe 10th season of readings of the very newest work by writers and directors at Soho Rep includes six plays. IN THE LABYRINTH: A SPECTACLE WITH STORIES by Dan LeFranc on 5/5, and PUTTING THE DAYS TO BED by Deron Bos on 5/11. All at 7 p.m. Free. No reservations. SOHO REP, 46 Walker St. sohorep.org.
James Watson House SymposiumOn the 125th Anniversary of Our Lady of the Rosary Church (est. 1883), which houses the St. Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton Shrine in the Landmark James Watson House (1792), this symposium, in conjunction with the Pace Univ. History Dept., features speakers addressing the rich history of this NYC site. May 10, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Free but registration required. Our Lady of the Rosary/St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Shrine, 7 State St. (Across from the Staten Island Ferry Terminal). Contact Diane at 212-269-6865 or setonshrine05@netscape.com
THEATER
BetrayedBased on New Yorker writer George Packer’s interviews in Baghdad, the play tells the story of 3 young Iraqis – 1 men and 1 woman – motivated to risk everything by America’s promise of freedom. Through June 28. $25-$60. CULTURE PROJECT, 55 Mercer St. (at Broome). 212-352-3101, cultureproject.org.
2008 Tribeca New Music FestivalFive-concert series of avant garde music. Featured performers: ETHEL, Sirius Quartet, Theo Blackman, New Kids on the Block: Generation Y, and Monsters. May 7-11. $15, $10 for students and seniors. FLEA THEATER, 41 White St. (bet. Bway & Church). 212-219-2020, theflea.org.
MakbetEmploying haunting folk songs and chants from Scanadinavia and Eastern Europe, Theatre Group Dzieci explores (and explodes) storytelling in their one-act rendition of Shakespeare’s classic. May 3 at 7 p.m. Suggested Donation $10. John Street Church, 44 John St. (at Nassau St.) in the courtyard. 718-538-5037, dziecitheatre.org
Shua Group’s “Giant Place Detail”A world premiere show that will reveal daily life in the Winter Garden from the perspective of cleaners, clerks, bankers, brokers, reporters, etc who actually inhabit the Winter Garden. 40 performers will convert the everyday dynamic into a playground of movement that re-imagines the function of the public space. Performances May 8, 9 & 10 and video-sonic art installation May 8-June 14. Free.Women’s Project’s “Corporate Carnival”uses sideshow acts to illuminate the intangible. Incredible feats of strength and balance, including executives climbing up the corporate ladder, financiers juggling hedge funds, ambitious women eating the glass ceiling, and many other acts. May 14-17. Free. World Financial Center Winter Garden, 220 Vesey St. 212-945-0505, worldfinancialcenter.com.
This is BurlesqueA 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.
When is a clockWhen Gordon’s wife disappears, the only clue to her whereabouts is a copy of a book called “Traveling to Montpelier,” and Gordon, pursued by police as a suspect, takes off to find her. April 19-May 10, Wed.-Sun. at 8 p.m. $18. ACCESS THEATER, 380 Broadway (at White St.) 212-868-4444, smarttix.com.
TOURS
Gangs of NY and the Bloody 5 PointsThe notorious Five Points, 19th century immigrant neighborhood, with gangs like the Roach Guards, Plug Uglies, and Dead Rabbits. May 31at 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 ToursLMCC 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 9/11Walking tours of Ground Zero. Daily. VISITORS CENTER, 120 Liberty St. For hours and info, visit tributewtc.org.
Wall Street Walking TourFree 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 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.
