September Events!

by Aisha Cruse

It's September, the start of the school year, and the warm-up for the 2015-2016 entertainment calendar. So get ready, because the arts are in session!

Thu & Fri, September 3 & 4 @ 7:30 pm 

TWA: JAE Presents DBR, Lenelle Moise and Jean Appolon
Featuring Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), Lenelle Moïse & Jean Appolon : Presented by Jean Appolon Expressions
At Boston Center for the Arts - Black Box Theatre (539 Tremont Street Boston, MA)

$25

Twa, which means "three" in Haitian Creole, will independently showcase Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), Lenelle Moïse and Jean Appolon, some of the most innovative Haitian American artists of their generation. Featuring new work by Jean Appolon's Boston-based company set to music composed by Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) as well as a performance by JAE's Teen Intensive students.  Also featuring independent performances by traveling performance poet and award-winning playwright Lenelle Moïse, and acclaimed musician and composer DBR.

Fri & Sat, September 11 & 12 @ 8:00 pm 
JEANNE, the story of a woman
Featuring Contrapose Dance and Ensemble Warhol : Presented by Fort Point Theatre Channel and Contrapose Dance
At Boston University Dance Theater (915 Commonwealth Ave Boston, Massachusetts)

$20/ $14 student & senior
This is an hour long excerpt from a full length opera by Mark Warhol and James Swindell, featuring choreography by Junichi Fukuda and music by the Boston String Quartet. From the website: "Opera singers Anna Ward (soprano) and Patrick Massey (tenor), along with Contrapose dancers Nina Brindamour, Danielle Davidson, and Magdalena Gyftopoulos, will portray a modern day tale of birth, labor, death … a story of wisdom that comes with age and of innocence that only youth can claim as their own." 

Fri, September 18 @ 8:00 pm

Indian Ocean Live In Concert
Featuring Indian Ocean : Presented by AID MIT and MIT Sangam
At MIT Kresge Auditorium (48 Massachusettes Avenue Cambridge, MA)
$75/ $50/ $30/ $20 with a student ID

This is actually a straight-up music concert, but even though seats are assigned, it seems like the kind of show you watch on your feet. From the website: "Formed in the early 90s, Indian Ocean has spearheaded the Indian rock scene and is one of India’s few politically conscious bands. A cult band in its own right, the group has amalgamated Indian folk music with Western rock. Culling their lyrics from a variety of languages, including Hindi, Kashmiri, Bengali, Sanskrit and even Aramaic, their music ranges from rocking political anthems to meditative spiritual ballads."

Fri & Sat, September 18 & 19 @ 6 pm
2015 US Championship and Provincetown Dance Trophy
Presented by Kalin Mitov
At Provincetown Town Hall, Provincetown MA
$25-$35
Thinking about an end-of-summer escape to Ptown? Check out these two same-sex partner Ballroom Dance Tournaments. The goal of these tournaments is inclusiveness, along with all the flashy costumes, thrilling footwork and incredible grace of ballroom dance. And what with the Supreme Court decision, audience and competitors alike have a little extra reason to cheer this year.

This September, we've got two incredible arts festivals happening at locations all over Boston three weekends in a row. Looking to do some dancing? Don't worry. We've got you covered.

Wed - Sat, September 16 - 19 @ 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Sun, September 20 @ 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Let's Dance Boston
Presented by Celebrity Series of Boston
At Rose Kennedy Greenway (185 Kneeland Street Boston, MA)

Free!

I'm so excited for this I might have bounced up and down in my seat a little while writing this post. Each night, on the Rose Kennedy Greenway, there will be a two hour dance party with live music in a particular style (salsa, swing, disco) preceded by a 45 minute free dance class taught by area professionals. Wednesday is Latin Dance, Thursday is Swing, Friday is Disco, Saturday is Salsa, and Sunday afternoon is a return to golden-era Swing. All classes will be conducted on a specially erected dance floor just for the occasion. I'm going every night.

Fri - Sun, September 25-27 @ 8:15 am - 10:15 pm
Fri - Sun, October 2-4 @ 8:15 am - 10:15 pm

ArtWeek Boston
Presented by Local Artists and Arts Organizations
At Various (Multiple Boston, MA)

Varies by event, most under $25

I want to tell you about everything that is happening for this festival but there is so much going on that I literally can't. Go to the website and check out the calendar, there is just so much to see and do.  There are a ton of kid friendly events, including this amazing thing where the marquis on the citi Shubert and the Wang Theaters will be showing work by children in the Boston Public schools. Free and low-cost concerts abound. Go to the website, I'm sure there is at least one thing you'll want to see.