Embassy Chef Challenge Returns April 2nd

Siyabulela Mandela & Nycci Nellis (r) at last year's Embassy Chef Challenge

From our friends at the Embassy Chef Challenge...

The 11th Annual Events DC Embassy Chef Challenge presented by TCMA is a gathering of embassy chefs from around the world, showcasing the unique flavors of their home countries in a friendly, delicious culinary competition. With embassies participating from across the globe, the 2019 challenge offers an international and immersive foodie experience only possible in Washington, DC.

Contemporary Masters" Honors the Late Paul Taylor, Merce Cunningham and the Dynamic Mark Morris

The Washington Ballet in Duets (Photo: Dean Alexander)

From our friends at The Washington Ballet...

The Washington Ballet Celebrates Three of the Greatest Modern and Contemporary Choreographers of the Late 20th Century

From October 31 - November 4 at the Harman Center for the Arts, in the heart of the nation's capital, The Washington Ballet (TWB) will showcase its range of abilities and depth of versatility in an extraordinary program that pays tribute to the 20th century's most accomplished American modern choreographers. Contemporary Masters will include iconic works by three of the greatest influencers of modern American dance, Mark Morris, Merce Cunningham and Paul Taylor.

Bolshoi Ballet Returns to U.S. Cinemas This Month with Summer Series, via Fathom Events

From our friends at Fathom Events...

The Bolshoi Ballet Returns to U.S. Cinemas This July with First-Ever Summer Encores Series

Fathom Events, BY Experience and Pathe Live present three timeless and beloved ballets, featuring the world’s best dancers

For three Monday evenings in July, ballet fans nationwide can enjoy the Bolshoi Ballet’s awe-inspiring performances from the comfort of their local cinemas. The “Bolshoi Ballet Summer Series” brings three classic events back to the big screen for one-evening-only presentations. The series includes Giselle on July 9, featuring ballet superstars Svetlana Zakharova and Sergei Polunin, Alexei Ratmansky’s poetic staging of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet on July 16, and classical ballet’s most beloved story, born at the Bolshoi Theatre, Swan Lake on July 23. All performances were captured live from the Bolshoi Theatre stage in Moscow, Russia.

National Harbor Celebrates 10th Anniversary with Cherry Blossom Festival

Click above to enlarge

From our friends at National Harbor...

Sakura Sunday Includes a Japanese Market, Foods, Music & Entertainment, Sake & Beer Garden and More

In celebration of National Harbor's 10th anniversary and the recently planted cherry trees along the waterfront, locations throughout National Harbor will hold a cherry blossom festival, Sakura Sunday. Festivities include traditional Japanese picnicking, a Japanese Market (located on American Way), Japanese inspired music and entertainment as well as a Sake & beer garden. Grace’s Mandarin will start out the day with a cooking segment on the waterfront Plaza Stage (150 National Plaza.)

LUNGevity Foundation Hosts 7th Annual Musical Celebration of Hope Gala

From our friends at LUNGevity...

Business Leaders, Philanthropists, and Lung Cancer Survivors Unite to Celebrate Scientific Breakthroughs and Improved Patient Quality of Life

Washington, DC philanthropists, lung cancer survivors, scientists and friends will gather and boogie to the hits of disco at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium Friday, April 20, for LUNGevity Foundation’s 7th Annual Musical Celebration of Hope Gala, Follow the Call of the Disco Ball.

National Harbor Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary with Cherry Tree Planting and Cherry Blossom Festival on April 15

From our friends at National Harbor...

Sakura Sunday Includes a Japanese Market, Foods, Music & Entertainment, Sake & Beer Garden and More

In celebration of National Harbor's tenth anniversary, Peterson Companies (developer and management company for National Harbor) has planted 100 cherry trees along the National Harbor waterfront. These trees, Okame cherry trees, join more than 100 cherry trees located throughout the property. The trees are providing a spectacular display. As fast growers, they're also known as early spring bloomers with "show stopping blooms."

The Washington Ballet Nutcracker Tea Party a Sell-Out Success

Toy Soldiers (Photo: Joy Asico)

From our friends at The Washington Ballet...

Nutcracker Tea Party

Sold-out event raised $235,000 to benefit community outreach

The Washington Ballet's (TWB) annual Nutcracker Tea Party was held at the National Museum of Women in the Arts on Sunday, December 10, 2017. Over 500 guests enjoyed an elegant formal tea service and a "Land of Sweets" that featured delectable holiday delights by Fluffness, Sugar and Ice, and Dolci Gelati.

Spend New Year's Eve at The Embassy Row Hotel in Washington, DC

From our friends at The Embassy Row Hotel...

The Embassy Row Hotel in Washington, DC will host their annual New Year’s Eve Silent Disco dance party on Sunday, December 31st. Starting at 9 PM on New Year's Eve until 1 AM, guests and locals will listen to music from three different live DJs on three different music channels - using wireless headphones with LED lights that change as dancers toggle between DJ channels. The party will also spread into the hotel’s ballroom with a live band, and guests can go back and forth between the two spaces. A giant screen projection of New York City’s Times’ Square Ball Drop serves as the background, as guests’ count down to the 2018 with complimentary party favors and more. Tickets are $45 for pre-sale, $60 for general admission and $75 for VIP (which is limited to just 30 tickets and includes open bar from 9-11 PM.)

National Chamber Ensemble Celebrates Music of Spain, October 14th

Bowen McCauley Dance (Photo: Jeff Malet)

From our friends at the National Chamber Ensemble...

National Chamber Ensemble’s Night in the Garden of Spain Celebrates Music of Granados, Turína, and More, Saturday, October 14 at 7:30 PM at Gunston Arts Center

Featuring Premiere of Commissioned Work by Bowen McCauley Dance

The National Chamber Ensemble opens its eleventh season with Night in the Garden of Spain - a repertoire of classical Spanish masterpieces - on Saturday, October 14 at 7:30 PM at the Gunston Arts Center.

Blackwall Hitch to Host “Havana Nights”: An Evening of Latin Music, Dancing and Dining

From our friends at Blackwall Hitch...

Blackwall Hitch Alexandria will host its first annual Havana Nights party on Thursday, September 28th from 8-11 PM. In partnership with Steve & Lara Swing dance company and Cape Fear Cigar Experience, the event will feature a Latin dance demonstration, dance lessons and an interactive “Cigar 101” experience.

The Kennedy Center Presents National Dance Day, July 29th

From our friends at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts...

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and The Dizzy Feet Foundation in Conjunction with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Present National Dance Day

Free, day-long celebration features interactive dances, lessons, outdoor performances, live music, and more, including the return of Dancing Under the Stars. 

So You Think You Can Dance’s Tony Bellissimo to lead patrons in dance routines and demonstrations

The Kennedy Center, in partnership with the Dizzy Feet Foundation and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), invites everyone to celebrate the art of dance as it hosts the East Coast’s chapter of the annual National Dance Day on Saturday, July 29, 2017, from 2:00 to 10:30 PM. This free, day-long celebration takes place outside on the Kennedy Center’s North Plaza and includes a 6:00 PM Millennium Stage performance in the Grand Foyer, which will be streamed live on the Kennedy Center website. The day also features interactive dance lessons, outdoor performances, live music, and more, including the return of the summer night social Dancing Under the Stars with a beginner-level swing dance lesson by Gottaswing at 7:30 PM, followed by two hours of dancing with live music from The Tom Cunningham Orchestra. Multi-talented choreographer/teacher and So You Think You Can Dance’s Tony Bellissimo will lead patrons in the National Dance Day routine. Choreographer, Director, and Producer Adam Shankman will also join the DC festivities. Food and drinks will be available for purchase on site. This event, which was originally scheduled to take place on the National Mall in conjunction with the National Symphony Orchestra, was moved back to the Kennedy Center after its new music director, Maestro Noseda, was forced to withdraw due to his recent back surgery.

The Black Owned Wine and Spirits Festival Is Back in the Nation's Capitol This September

From our friends at the Black Owned Wine and Spirits Festival...

Black Owned Wine & Spirits Festival Announces 2017 Festival Date and Call for Sponsors and Vendors

The 2nd Annual Event is set to exceed last year’s attendance and feature more than 40 minority-owned vendors in the wine, beer, and spirit industries

The Black Owned Wine & Spirits Festival is pleased to announce its second annual event which will take place in Washington, DC on September 30, 2017 at The Showroom DC. This new and dynamic event space featuring an industrial chic warehouse space and rooftop with breathtaking views of our Nation’s Capital will be the backdrop for a day of industry networking, consumer education, sipping, noshing, shopping, and more. In its inaugural year, the sold-out festival featured a full day of events, introduced new brands to the market, and received substantial media coverage and positive feedback from patrons. This year, the Black Owned Wine & Spirits Festival once again plans to sell out to over 1,300 attendees and provide an unmatched experience food and beverage. The call for sponsors, winemakers, brewers, distillers, importers and distributors is now open, retail vendors offering specialty goods, gourmet foods, bar and kitchen ware and products and services that are line with the festival are also welcome.

National Chamber Ensemble: Music of Our Time Review

NCE Artistic Director & Violinist Leonid Sushansky

A Fond Farewell

After a decade of entertaining audiences, the National Chamber Ensemble bade farewell to the Rosslyn Spectrum Theatre with a splendid concert and dance, honoring the Music of Our Time. Next season, it's on to the Gunston Arts Center and the Unitarian Universalist Church; but Saturday's finale was a stirring send-off, featuring violinist Leonid Sushansky, clarinetist Julian Milkis and pianist Carlos César Rodríguez. Sushansky opened the show with some cute Mother's Day-themed jokes & stories, followed by a video montage of NCE members and their moms, to "Over the Rainbow," one of several movie scores performed Saturday night.

Retro-Inspired Nightclub DECADES Opens Rooftop

Decades’ rooftop VIP area (Photo: Vance Brinkley)

From our friends at Decades...

DC’s Retro Nightclub DECADES Officially Opens Rooftop Bar

The city’s hottest new rooftop features a retractable awning and will host weekly day parties, specialty drinks and throwback tunes

Retro-inspired nightclub Decades (1219 Connecticut Avenue, NW) officially opens its rooftop - complete with a retractable awning - with "Sunset Saturdays," day parties, throwback tunes and speciality cocktails just in time for Spring and Summer fun.

National Chamber Ensemble Presents Final Concert of Season, May 13th

Music of Our Time closes the National Chamber Ensemble's 10th anniversary season

From our friends at the National Chamber Ensemble...

National Chamber Ensemble Concludes 10th Anniversary Season with Music Of Our Time at Rosslyn Spectrum, Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 PM

Featuring Bowen McCauley Dance

National Chamber Ensemble is joined by the ever-popular Bowen McCauley Dance for the final concert of its 10th anniversary season, Music of Our Time, on Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 PM. This will also be the last Ensemble concert to be performed at Rosslyn Spectrum.

Halcyon Stage Launches This Spring

Stravinsky Rave/Rite of Spring Dance Party/Experiential Orchestra

From our friends at Halcyon Stage...

Introducing Halcyon Stage!

Halcyon Stage, a bold new performance series providing a platform that spotlights traditional arts with a twist, is set to launch this month. A New Creatives Conversation with Misty Copeland at Halcyon House on January 23 marks the official launch of Halcyon Stage, and presents the international ballet star in an intimate, no-holds barred conversation with Artistic Director Septime Webre.

Contest: Win a Pair of Tickets to See The Washington Ballet's Nutcracker at the Warner Theatre

This contest is time sensitive; so you'll need to act fast, if you want a chance to win! We're giving away a pair of tickets to see The Washington Ballet's Nutcracker at the majestic Warner Theatre in Washington, DC. The voucher (available in PDF format) is valid for select performances between December 1-7, and must be redeemed in advance by emailing or faxing the voucher to The Washington Ballet office. All you have to do is fill in your name and email address below, and we'll select one lucky winner after our contest deadline... Sunday, November 20th at noon. Said winner has until November 28, 2015 (hence the rush) to submit their voucher. Good luck!

TWB Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Online Auction

From our friends at The Washington Ballet...

Online Auction: 40th Anniversary Celebration

Bid on exclusive items beginning tomorrow at 10 AM

The Washington Ballet performing company is celebrating its historic 40th anniversary and supporting community engagement programs with an online auction that begins this week and features more than 20 exclusive items.

Arts & Ales Festival Brings Together Artist Community & Craft Beer Crowd for Festive Day Out

From our friends at the Brewers Association of Maryland...

Hyattsville Community Development Corporation Partners with the Brewers Association of Maryland, for First Time, to Present “Arts & Ales”

Unique Event Brings Together Artist Community and Craft Beer Crowd to Enjoy Festive Day Out

Hyattsville Community Development Corporation and The Brewers Association of Maryland have partnered, for the first time, to present “Arts & Ales,” the 2016 Downtown Hyattsville Arts & Ales Festival taking place on Saturday, September 10 from 12 noon - 6 PM in downtown Hyattsville, incorporating three city blocks as part of the largest yearly arts event in the county. Over 4,500 visitors are expected to attend the juried festival that will feature over 100 exhibiting artists, Maryland craft breweries, food vendors, live music, performances and dance. Other partners of the event include City of Hyattsville and M-NCPPC. The event is free and family friendly, but those wishing to partake in beer tastings can purchase tasting passes for $30 in advance or $35 at the gate the day of the event. For more information, call (301) 683-8267 or log onto http://hyattsvillearts.com or www.marylandbeer.org.

Capital Fringe Winners & Extension Week

From our friends at Capital Fringe...

Capital Fringe Festival Award Winners Announced

Don't say goodbye to Fringe yet. Best of Fringe starts Thursday Did you have fun meeting Fringe? From energetic musicals to inspiring dances and powerful performances - we all got to know Fringe together. And, last night the award-winning productions were announced! Two new awards were given out to recognize people and/or organizations making a difference in the DC independent art scene: Community Connector and the Trophy of Epicness. Also for the second time since the festival’s inception, there will be an extension week featuring successful festival productions.