PRESS RELEASE
Media Contacts (not for publication):
Priscilla Jaworski, Productions Marketing Manager, L.A. County Arts Commission/Ford Amphitheatre
213 202-5934, communications@arts.lacounty.gov
or
Ragen Carlile, Ford Theatre Foundation, 323 856-5791, rcarlile@arts.lacounty.gov
For Immediate Release
July 21, 2009
FAMILY/DANCE/WORLD CULTURE EVENT LISTINGS
Attention Editors/Writers:
Big!World!Fun! listings in English: http://www.fordamphitheater.org/en/events/Family.asp
Big!World!Fun! listings in Spanish: http://fordtheatres.org/es/events/Family.asp
Photos available upon request
CELTIC SPRING CREATES
“AN EARTHQUAKE OF IRISH DANCE”
BIG!WORLD!FUN! FAMILY SHOW
AUGUST 15 AT 10 A.M.
Children admitted FREE to one-hour programs for families.
Arrive early for crafts and fun at 9:00 a.m.
Celtic Spring, the Irish step dance and fiddle group that reached the finals of the first season of “America’s Got Talent,” bring their reverberating foot beats and high intensity performance to the Ford’s Big!World! Fun! Family Series. The 8-member Wood family of six children ages 8 to 23 and their parents present, “An Earthquake of Irish Dance” at 10 a.m., Saturday, August 15. This season’s family events are inspired by the four elements – earth, air, fire, water - and crafts and science-based fun begin at 9:00 a.m.
Celtic Spring's performances have taken the band around the United States, Canada and Europe. While immersed in traditional music, the band has developed its own style and a repertoire that includes numerous original compositions. A depth of expression is evident in their stunning arrangements - from haunting airs to hard-driving dance tunes. In recent years, Celtic Spring has added expressive vocals and the rhythmic octave mandolin.
Aside from their mastery of performance, the Wood siblings are responsible for the creation of most of the content of their performances. Compositions by the two eldest of the Wood siblings (Elizabeth, 23, and Deirdre, 21) will punctuate their Big!World!Fun! performance, emphasizing the family’s beautiful original choreography and providing a foundation for solos by each of the six siblings.
Mary Wood’s grandparents were from Ireland and passed Irish culture on to her and her siblings. She and her husband Greg did the same thing. Elizabeth began violin and step dance at the age of 4. A defining element of Celtic Spring is the members’ dual expertise in music and dance. The Wood siblings are champion Irish dancers, and have been influenced by French Canadian and Cape Breton step dancing styles. The siblings have studied under some of the finest fiddlers today, including Natalie MacMaster, Alasdair Fraser, Martin Hayes and Liz Carroll.
Other members of the family are Sean (19 -octave mandolin, fiddle, step dance, octave fiddle), Patrick (17 -octave fiddle, fiddle, step dance), Maire (13 -fiddle, step dance), Aidan (8 -step dance, fiddle) and dad Greg [bodhran (Irish traditional drum), percussion]. Mary Wood plays keyboards.
Admission to all events is FREE for children and $5 for adults, plus all Big!World!Fun! attendees receive coupons for discount admission to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.
Parking is only $1. To reserve/purchase tickets, call the Ford box office at 323 461-3673 or visit www.FordTheatres.org.
Big!World!Fun! family events are hour-long performances designed for children ages 4 to 10 and their parents and grandparents. The series continues with Helios Dance Theater’s sea voyage, “The Lotus Eaters” (August 22); and Hula Halau Ka Lehua Uluwehi I Ka Lani demonstrating the graceful, expressive elements of hula in “Hawaiian Breezes” (August 29).
The Big!World!Fun! Family Series is sponsored by The Nissan Foundation, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation and Macy’s and presented by the Ford Theatre Foundation.
The media sponsor of Big!World!Fun! is ABC7.
The Ford Theatre Foundation, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1994, supports the performing arts and education activities that are presented at the Ford Theatres. The Foundation’s Community Bridges program builds audiences by encouraging and facilitating participation in the theatres’ programs and brings Ford performers to youth and social service centers based in Asian Pacific Islander and Latino communities throughout Los Angeles County. In addition to presenting the Big!World!Fun! Family Series, the Foundation produces the free, interactive J.A.M. (Jazzed and Motivated) Sessions during the Ford’s summer season.
The Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Laura Zucker, Executive Director, provides leadership in cultural services of all disciplines for the largest county in the United States, encompassing 88 municipalities. In addition to programming the John Anson Ford Theatres, the Arts Commission provides leadership and staffing to support the regional blueprint for arts education, Arts for All; administers a grants program that funds more than 300 nonprofit arts organizations annually; oversees the County’s Civic Art Program for capital projects; funds the largest arts internship program in the country in conjunction with the Getty Foundation; and supports the Los Angeles County Cultural Calendar on ExperienceLA.com. The Commission also produces free community programs, including the L.A. Holiday Celebration broadcast nationally. The 2009-10 President of the Arts Commission is Araceli Ruano.
For more information please consult the Arts Commission online press kit:
http://lacountyarts.org/communications/docs/lacac_onlinepresskit_0905.pdf
-###-
THE FACTS
WHAT
Big!World!Fun! Family Series, dance and music performances designed for children 4 to 10 and their parents. Crafts and science-based pre-show activities that echo the 2009 series theme, "The Four Elements - Earth, Air, Fire, Water."
WHEN
Performances are Saturday mornings at 10 a.m.
Pre-show activities begin at 9:00 a.m. Families are advised to arrive early. Space is limited.
WHERE
Ford Amphitheatre
2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East, Hollywood, CA 90068
Just off the 101 (Hollywood) freeway across from Hollywood Bowl and south of Universal.
PLEASE NOTE:
A sunshade covers the audience at the outdoor, morning performances of Big!World!Fun!
Breakfast items are available at on-site concessions.
HOW MUCH
Children FREE
Adults $5
Reservations are strongly recommended
PURCHASE/RESERVE TICKETS
323 461-3673
There is a $1.50 service charge for reserving children's tickets online.
PARKING
On-site, stacked parking costs $1 per vehicle.
Big!World!Fun! family events are part of the Ford Amphitheatre 2009 Season, a multi-disciplinary arts series produced by the Los Angeles County Arts Commission in cooperation with Los Angeles County-based arts organizations. For complete season information log on to www.FordTheatres.org
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment