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Artistic Director Jelon Vieira infuses Afro-Brazilian movement, contemporary dance and Capoiera

Three performances only!  February 6-7, 2015

BEVERLY HILLS, CA- Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts (“The Wallis”) will bring DanceBrazil (Jelon Vieira, Artistic Director), an Afro-Brazilian dance group, to the Greater Los Angeles Area for three performances only, February 6-7, 2015, in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. The program includes the West Coast premieres of Gueto, choreographed by Vieira to music of Marcos Carvalho, and Búzios, choreographed by Guilherme Durarte to music of Leo Jesus.  The program also features Viera’s 2013 Fé do Sertão, also set to music by Carvalho.  The company will also conduct masterclasses in Afro-Brazilian movement (February 5) and Capoeira (February 7).

For over 30 years, New York City-based DanceBrazil has thrilled audiences across the United States and throughout the world with its dazzling artistry, which is inspired by the cultural tapestry of Brazil. Whether in the streets or on stage in the most prestigious theaters, the dancers of DanceBrazil never fail to enthrall audiences with the company’s unique fusion of Afro-Brazilian movement, contemporary dance and Capoeira, the traditional dance form that had its origins from African slaves from Angola and Mozambique and evolved in colonial Brazil. Afro-Brazilians represent the largest ethnic group in Brazil, approximately 49.6%, and are the largest Black population outside of Africa.

DanceBrazil will premiere two pieces new to Los Angeles audiences: Gueto (“Ghetto”), a testimony to the abiding vitality and humanity that sustain the people living in the many marginalized, disenfranchised communities in Brazil and around the world, and Búzios, which explores the role that “jogo de búzios,” an enigmatic and mystical game of divination, plays in everyday life in Brazil.

The company will round out its program with its 2013 dance Fé do Sertão. Sertão, a largely rural area of Northeastern Brazil is known for its extremely arid climate and brief growing season, which has also helped foster its strong faith and the close-knit communities that support one another through many lean months of the year. Viera’s piece honors that community with a dance that fetes the esteemed Festival of São João, which celebrates the end of the rainy season and the annual corn harvest.

Artistic Director Jelon Vieira – one of the staunchest proponents of Capoeira, a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music – founded DanceBrazil in 1977. Initially formed from grassroots workshops at the Clark Center for the Arts in New York City, Vieira and Loremil Machado were among the first artists to bring traditional Afro-Brazilian dance to the United States. Alvin Ailey, who would join his board of directors in 1980, was the one who suggested the name and in its early days helped focus the objectives of the company.

For 38 years, Vieira has led the company in breathtaking performances for audiences in Europe, Asia and the United States, as well as in his home country of Brazil. In 2008, he was awarded one of 11 National Heritage Fellowships, the United States’ highest honor for those in the folk and traditional arts.

The New York Times said, “the performers of DanceBrazil exist in a ravishing, hard-working paradise … what matters here above all is the gorgeously full physicality of movement, allied to music.  The beauty and style of these dancers is already a treat to the senses.  Legs maintain powerful extensions like searchlights.  The pliancy of those torsos is often breathtaking — not just in the way backs tip so powerfully and freely this way and that, but also in the ways that shoulders or stomach muscles contract and pulsate rhythmically.  The dancers glow enthusiastically as they let rip at highest energy.”

DanceBrazil is also offering student masterclasses with a limited number of places held for the public.   On February 5 at 6pm, an Afro-Brazilian Class (all ages welcome) is based on the traditional and contemporary dances developed in the northeastern state of Bahia. The movements are based on the gesture of the Orixás dance, the energetic Maculele and the beautiful samba de roda and other influences from the folkloric dances in the region of Bahia. The class will be accompanied by live drumming.

On February 7 at 11 am, a Capoeira class (all ages welcome) will concentrate on the Afro-Brazilian art form which combines fight, dance, rhythm and movement.  Capoeira was originally developed by Africans brought to Brazil as slaves in the 1500s. The class will introduce basic movements (ginga) with emphasis on the roda (circular formation) – where the dialogue between players takes place and becomes a conversation through movement which can take on many shades of meaning.  Students will be introduced to the instruments used in Capoeira (berimbaus, pandeiros and atabaque) and songs that are sung in the roda. For more information that celebrates the Afro-Brazilian culture, visit afro-brazilian.com.

Tickets are available at www.thewallis.org or by calling 310-746-4000 or in person at The Wallis Ticket Services located at 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

Clive Davis (Photo Source: Google Images)

LOS ANGELES, CA- Award-winning record producer and renowned music business executive Clive Davis will be honored with the prestigious Vanguard Award at THE 46^th NAACP IMAGE AWARDS, broadcast live from the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, Friday, Feb. 6 (9:00-11:00 p.m. ET live/PT tape-delayed) on TV ONE.

The NAACP Vanguard Award is presented to a person whose groundbreaking work increases understanding and awareness of racial and social issues. Previous honorees include Wyclef Jean, Tyler Perry, Russell Simmons, Aretha Franklin, Stanley Kramer, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas.

“The NAACP is proud to honor Clive Davis this year’s Vanguard Award for his continued contributions of exceptional work to the music industry,” said NAACP President and CEO Cornell William Brooks. “His meticulous work ethic, extraordinary vision, and tireless dedication have built a prolific career that sets a remarkable example for so many who dream of following in his footsteps.”

Clive Davis’s devotion to the music industry has resulted in working closely with a large list of landmark artists through his tenures at Columbia, Arista and J Records. From early signings with Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Chicago, Aerosmith, Billy Joel and Earth, Wind & Fire, to Patti Smith, The Grateful Dead, Santana, Dionne Warwick, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys, Jennifer Hudson, and many others, Davis has made a profound impact on popular culture. Clive Davis, is currently the Chief Creative Officer of Sony Music Entertainment. He has won five GRAMMYS and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer. Davis’s autobiography “The Soundtrack Of My Life,” published by Simon & Shuster in 2013, became a New York Times bestseller. The Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at NYU is continuing to extend his legacy and looking to the future of the music business.

The NAACP Image Awards celebrates the accomplishment of people of color in the fields of television, music, literature and film and also honors individuals or groups who promote social justice through creative endeavors. Winners will be voted upon by NAACP members and announced when the envelopes are opened on Thursday, February 5 during the Awards Ceremony for non-televised categories. The remaining categories will be announced LIVE on stage during the two-hour star-studded TV One telecast on Friday, February 6 (9:00 – 11:00 p.m. ET/PT tape-delated). The telecast will also include a one-hour pre-show airing live from the red carpet (8:00 – 9:00 p.m. ET/PT tape-delayed).

The 46TH NAACP Image Awards are sponsored by: AT&T, Bank of America, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Gilead Sciences, Hyundai Motor America, Southwest Airlines and Wells Fargo.

For all information and latest news, please visit the official NAACP Image Awards website at http://www.naacpimageawards.net.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- February is going to be a busy month for local music lovers in the Inland Empire as the San Bernardino Symphony will be offering three consecutive days of uniquely American fare as part of their current season themes, “By Request: The Music You Want to Hear.”

The first notes will sound less than four weeks away on the evening of February 5 at a special event to honor local arts and education supporters, Assemblywoman Cheryl Brown and Mr. Hardy Brown, Sr.  Attendees will sample local restaurant fare and enjoy the smooth sounds of the Cal State San Bernardino Jazz Ensemble, under the direction of Symphony Board Member Dr. Bob Knop.

“The Browns have actively supported the region for many years, setting the consummate example of selfless and focused community service,” said Symphony conductor Frank Fetta. “To be able to set aside an evening to say thank you to these pillars of the community is a true privilege.”

The following morning, Maestro Fetta will lift his baton for back-to-back student concerts as the Symphony performs “Musical Genius in America” including Ragtime selections from Scott Joplin, a medley of tunes from Duke Ellington, and William Grant Still’s Afro-American Symphony. This free student concert came out of a series of conversations with the San Bernardino City Unified School District as the two organizations sought to build an academically meaningful musical experience for the annual school event.

Said Symphony Executive Director Dr. Anne Viricel, “We felt this set of selections would both support and broaden the multi-cultural emphasis in the classroom during Black History Month.” As in years past, the schools will also be provided with corresponding teaching materials developed in line with California’s new Common Core standards. Students will learn about the composers, the historical context of each piece, and the contributions of American musicians to the various genres of orchestral music, as well as the historical venue.

Then, the evening of Saturday, February 7, the community will once again return to the California Theatre for the full presentation of Musical Genius in America, which will also include Gershwin’s iconic Rhapsody in Blue interpreted by gifted pianist Yana Reznik.

The young Russian-born classical pianist has performed as a soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Toyota Concert Series at Disney Hall, was the winner of the 2010 Artists International Competition, and gave a sold-out recital at her Carnegie Hall Debut in New York in 2004. As the only classically endorsed pianist for Roland Corporation US, Reznik has presented the World Premier concert of V-Piano Grand at Zipper Hall (Los Angeles) and Lincoln Center (New York). In addition to her solo appearances with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, San Bernardino Symphony, Redlands Bowl Orchestra, the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, University of Southern California Symphony Orchestra and Concert Symphony Orchestra, the Torrance Symphony Orchestra and the Stanford Wind Ensemble, she has performed at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, Santiago’s Gabriela Mistral and the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Zipper, Thayer and Steinway Halls in Los Angeles, and has as well been presented by the Jacaranda, Los Angeles Bach Festival, the Maestro Foundation, Laguna Beach Live, Sundays Live at Four (KUSC), the Sunset Series in Los Gatos, Classical Underground, the Colburn Chamber Music Series, the Huntington Arts Festival in New York, Classical Music Encounters of Orange County and the Western Society of Chamber Music. In 2008, as a Founder and Artistic Director of the Southern California Brahms Festival, Reznik performed the complete piano chamber works of Johannes Brahms. An active collaborator, she is a regular guest artist with the Gold Coast Chamber Players in San Francisco, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber orchestra, and the San Francisco Symphony, Opera and Ballet.

The presenting sponsor for these concerts is the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

“This wonderful organization never fails to support activities that benefit the vitality of our community and we are so thankful to have them as part of our Symphony family,” added Viricel.

Up-coming Concerts

April 11, two Symphony musicians – Concert Master Todor Pelev and First Chair Cellist Ana Maria Maldonado – will team up to play Brahms’ Concerto for Violin and Violincello. The evening’s concert, “Beethoven, Brahms & Bartholdy” will also include Beethoven’s Egmont Overture and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’s Symphony No. 3, The Scottish Symphony. This event will also include an exhibition of artwork by gifted local students based upon their interpretations of the pieces to be played.

Wrapping an amazing season will be the “Triumphant Season Finale” on May 23.  The concert will include Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G Minor, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, and Strauss’ Horn Concerto No. 1 featuring Icelandic horn soloist Joseph Ognibene. An internationally-known recording artist, Ognibene originally hails from Claremont and has been principal horn of the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra since 1981.

“We are thrilled to provide this outstanding season full of beautiful music and exciting surprises,” added Maestro Fetta, “and we invite the community to come and enjoy all their San Bernardino Symphony has to offer.”

Tickets and Venue Information

All regular season concerts will be performed at the historic California Theatre, 562 W. 4^th Street, San Bernardino.  Both season and individual tickets may be purchased by calling (909) 381-5388 or visiting the Symphony box office at 198 N. Arrowhead Ave., San Bernardino. General admission tickets are also securely available on line at www.sanbernardinosymphony.org, and with limited availability at the theater box office the evening of each event. (Students: $11; General: $20, $35, $45, $55.)

Drs. Ed McField (left) and Sherma Charlemagne-Badal.

LOMA LINDA, CA- Loma Linda University School of Public Health (LLUSPH) received a $1.158 million award from the County of San Bernardino to implement an 18-month initiative to improve health equity by increasing access to health care.

The project, titled “San Bernardino County MediCal Outreach, Retention, and Enrollment” (SBC-MORE for short), was developed and proposed by Sherma Charlemagne-Badal, PhD, assistant professor at LLUSPH, who will serve as principal investigator/project director, and Edward McField, PhD, associate professor at LLUSPH, who will serve as co-investigator/project associate director.

“We can all agree that San Bernardino County can be ‘MORE,’ and with this in mind, we have selected a name and a corresponding acronym which aptly conveys our expectations for our county,” says Charlemagne-Badal, who also serves as special advisor for health equity at LLUSPH.

On Jan. 6, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors approved the award, which aims to improve health equity in the region by increasing access to health care among underserved and low-enrollment populations.

The target population includes persons with mental health disorder needs, persons with substance use disorder needs, individuals who are homeless, young men of color, families with mixed immigration status, persons with limited English proficiency, and individuals who are in county jail, in state prison, on state parole, on county probation, or under post-release community supervision.

Students and faculty will actively engage the community utilizing principles of community-based participatory research while partnering with local community organizations such as 2-1-1 United Way, the African American Health Coalition, Congregations Organized for Prophetic Engagement and El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center.

McField shares that, “while the focus is on outreach and enrollment efforts, the project will explore individual-level factors as well as systems or policy-level factors that influence behaviors associated with health choices, including factors influencing decision to enroll into health plans — an increasingly critical issue particularly in the context of the Affordable Care Act.”

Another unique feature is the collaboration with a historical coalition of San Bernardino County departments and agencies, including the Department of Public Health, Department of Behavioral Health, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Probation Department, Sheriff’s Department, and Transitional Assistance Department.

SBC-MORE was developed in the context of the reorganization of LLUSPH into multi-disciplinary academic centers focused on regional and global health equity. Charlemagne-Badal and McField are affiliated with the Center for Leadership in Health Systems, but SBC-MORE was designed to involve at least two LLUSPH centers, as Samuel Soret, PhD, executive director of the school’s Center for Community Resilience, will have a role for program evaluation.

“We are very proud of the outstanding team and the equally outstanding proposal,” says Anthony J. Zuccarelli, PhD, associate vice president for research affairs.

SBC-MORE stems from the commitment of Loma Linda University Health to build sustainable community partnerships and actively promote health and wellness.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The San Bernardino Black Culture Foundation is happy to announce the 2015 Senior King and Queen.  They are Joyce Payne and Mansie Booker and they will be crowned Friday, February 6, 2015.  This is an invitation only event, so if you would like to attend, please contact Margaret Hill at (909) 864-3267.

JOYCE PAYNE – SENIOR QUEEN

Joyce Payne was born in Los Angeles, CA, and attended school there.  She received her Bachelor of Arts in History and her Administrative Credential from California State University, San Bernardino, Pre-Doctorial Studies at Mercer University, Macon, GA and Master of Educational Administration from Boston State College.

Joyce has been a teacher, vice principal and principal for the San Bernardino City Unified School District and recently retired.  She was a long time principal at Dr. Howard Inghram Elementary School but completed her career at Davidson Elementary School.  She also taught in Peach County, Georgia, and Middlesex Community College, Burlington, Massachusetts.  She also served on the school board in Lincoln, Massachusetts.

Joyce is very active in the community.  She is a member of Temple Missionary Baptist Church where she is the director of Christian education.  Other activities include:  Charter member of National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., Delta Rho Chapter, Our Children Sing, Board of Directors, Former Member, California State University Alumni Board, Lifetime Alumni Member, California State University, San Bernardino. She also participates in Community Outreach Programs addressed parenting, literacy, career development and goal setting.

MANSIE BOOKER – SENIOR KING

Mansie Booker, Jr. was born in Burlington, North Carolina on March 18, 1944 to Rev. Mansie Booker, Sr. and Gladys Marie Booker. He is the youngest of two children. At the age of four his family relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina where he received his elementary education at St. Monica’s Catholic School. He graduated from J.W. Ligon High School in 1962 and entered the United States Air Force.

In addition to the above, Mansie has been an active member of the Highland Family YMCA and Temple Missionary Baptist Church where he continues to use his production skills. Annually Mansie provides the Black Culture Foundation a video profile of the Humanitarian of the Year awardees. He also videotapes the annual Black Rose event.

Mansie is widowed and is the father of two children, seven grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He attended Yuba College, The University of Maryland, University of Oklahoma and The University of Minnesota and is a graduate of the Community College of the Air Force.

Volunteers are needed to participate in a survey of homeless people in cities and communities throughout Riverside County on January 28.

The Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Homeless Programs Unit has commissioned the bi-annual homeless counts since 2005, when a count and survey was first required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This year, DPSS will organize the event using volunteers from the community, county agencies and nonprofit organizations that serve the homeless population.

The federally mandated count takes place every year in late January. In January 2014, DPSS received funding through the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs to do a special count of homeless veterans.

DPSS is recruiting about 400 volunteers at community meetings countywide.  Prospective volunteers can register and receive information at www.riversidehomelesscounts.com. Volunteers must be willing and able to walk into areas where homeless people might be living, and conduct the brief survey on streets, in abandoned buildings, at freeway overpasses and underpasses, in vehicles, encampments and other areas. The survey is scheduled from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Volunteers are also being sought to go to places where homeless people may be receiving services, such as soup kitchens, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Each volunteer will be required to participate in a 90-minute orientation.  A schedule of orientations throughout the county is available on the website.

In 2013, 2,098 homeless people were identified in Riverside County during the annual survey.

For more information, please send an email to RivCoPIT@RiversideDPSS.org or (951) 358-4470.

REDLANDS, CA- Jasper’s Corner, a free tutoring program offered by the University of Redlands, is again being offered at the Redlands Community Center.

The University of Redlands, in partnership with the City of Redlands, is pleased to offer “Jasper’s Corner,” a free tutoring service for middle school children in grades 6 to 8 at the Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave, every week, Monday through Thursday, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The Jasper’s Corner program was started by the University of Redlands to provide free homework assistance from college tutors to children and teens throughout the community, and assists students with a variety of subjects including math, English, and science.

To inquire about openings in the program, please call the Jasper’s Corner main line at (909) 335-5116, the University of Redlands Office of Community Service Learning at (909) 748-8288, or contact the Redlands Community Center at (909) 798-7572, or contact the Community Center by e-mail atRecreationStaff@cityofredlands.org.

Your ticket to Philadelphia

WHAT-TA STEAK is the name of the Inland Empire’s number 1 restaurant for lovers of Philadelphia’s name-sake sandwich, the world famous Philly Cheese-Steak Sandwich, says Cornelyo, the restaurant’s owner. Best known for its Philly sandwiches, (cheese-steak, pastrami, and the What Ta Steak) and its delicious chicken bowls, WHAT-TA STEAK offers more sandwiches, bowls, burgers and many delicious sides.

The restaurant is a mom and pop business owned and operated by Cornelyo and Lue Maria Bueno.  They want you to feel like you’re at home, whether you are dining in or taking out. According to Cornelyo All the food is made with real family recipes using the high quality meats and ingredients that you serve at home to your loved ones.

He states, “I am proud of our food. Not just because I know what it is, but because my customers say it is very delicious.”

Cornelyo smiled and confidently closed with, “And they prove they mean it by coming back! Our goal is to serve and satisfy our customers 100 percent.”

WHAT-TA STEAK is close to the freeway and three blocks East of the 215, located at 546 W. Baseline Street, one block West of “E” Street in San Bernardino (92410).  You can call-in you order by dialing (909) 885-5288.

Assemblymember, Cheryl Brown,(47th AD) introduced Keynote Speaker, Assemblymember, Chris Holden,(41st AD).

Photo by John Coleman

SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches (IECAAC) presented their “35th Anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Prayer Breakfast.” The breakfast was held on Monday, January 19 at the National Orange Show in San Bernardino.  The morning’s program included prayer, readings from the Old and New Testaments of the Bible, music and ‘spoken word (poetry)’, presentations, and special recognition/awards. (To view more photos taken by John Coleman, please visit www.wssnews.com).

Inspirational Films Sol Brothers and When Roosters Crow Examine Young Men of Color, Servant Leadership, and the Life of an Early Pioneer in the Fight Against AIDS

LOS ANGELES, CA- Amid threats to free speech across the globe and questions about the limits of police action at home, acclaimed scholar and filmmaker Dr. Daniel E. Walker launches the “Faith, Hope, and Justice” Lecture and Film Tour. A Research Associate at the University of Southern California’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture, Walker is the author of the critically acclaimed book No More, No More: Slavery and Cultural Resistance in Havana and New Orleans and the study Black Church Next: Challenges and Opportunities Facing African American Congregations in 21st Century Los Angeles,He is the writer/director of the films Sol Brothers and When Roosters Crow, Founding Director of the Long Beach Indie International Film Festival, and executive producer of the forthcoming documentary series Faith and Soul in the City in collaboration with Emmy Award-winning writer and producer P. Frank Williams (Unsung, American Gangster).

A proud product of Head Start, Dr. Walker is an otherworldly speaker called to a mission of education, inspiration, and social change. As he states, “I simply believe that the inherent nature of humanity bends towards the good and I’m just trying to remind people of that. While it’s easy to see all of the recent unrest as negative, I know that there is an opportunity for change that is both proactive and redemptive.”

Walker’s films Sol Brothers and When Roosters Crow exemplify this vision. Sol Brothers examines the triumphant journey of a group of inner city young men as they attend a revolutionary college prep camp. In the acclaimed short film When Roosters Crow he investigates the life of Emmy Award-winning choreographer Dr. Danny L. Scarborough and his public battle with AIDS in the late 1980’s.

As a speaker, Dr. Walker’s style is intelligent, humorous, and inspirational. In addition to his films and moving lectures that are tailored to the specific event or theme, he is also known for his jubilant and provocative extended workshop “Oh Happy Day: The History, Music, and Mission of the Black Church.” Rousing and informative, the stand-alone event covers everything from spirituals and Hip Hop to slavery and social justice.

In addition to his work in history, religion, and film, he is an expert on Cuba, servant leadership, and the use of film, television and digital media as tools for advocacy.

Holding a doctorate (with distinction) in Latin American and African American History from the University of Houston, Walker was formerly the Associate Director of the African American Studies Program at the University of Houston, Assistant Professor of Latin American and African American History at Indiana University, and Visiting Professor of Latin American History at Occidental College. He was also elected Student Government Association President while an undergraduate at San Diego State University.

Walker is co-founder of Leadership Excellence and the Board Chair of the BLU Educational Foundation, two of the nation’s leading youth development and college access organizations, and is the recipient of the W.K.Kellogg National Leadership Fellowship, the New York City Urban Fellowship, and the Coro Leadership Fellowship. A frequent speaker at conferences, commencements, and African American history month events, his passionate message is both timely and universal.

To watch Dr. Daniel E. Walker in action or to download a full biography, visit www.drdanielwalker.com

For questions and bookings contact OneNation Media Services atinfo@onenationmedia.org or call (909) 657-0578 ext 1.