Category Archive Seattle

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Ballard Seafood Fest

Ballard Seafood Fest Stage

It’s hard to get photos from the beer garden.

I’ve lived in Frelard, that liminal space between Fremont and Ballard, long enough to remember when Fremont was cool and Ballard was home to dive bars for fishermen. I frequent the Ballard Library and their Sunday Market as often as I visit the library and Sunday Market in Fremont. When my kids were little, I fed an unwholesome cupcake habit at Cupcake Royale. But I’ve never been to the Ballard Seafood Fest before. Because really, how much street seafood can you eat in one day? Plus, parking in Ballard is bad enough on a regular weekend. Silly me. I didn’t realize it’s a music festival.

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Solstafir at El Corazon

Solstafir live in Seattle

I always remember how amazing it was the first time Solstafir came to play Barboza in Seattle. I love that place. Sometimes I forget that they came back through in May of 2015 and played El Corazon, too. I don’t love that space, but I can’t seem to get away from it. For over 20 years, through a variety of names, it seems to always be the venue that books the bands I like.

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NEXT STEP: IN at Pacific Northwest Ballet

NEXT STEP ProgramNEXT STEP is Pacific Northwest Ballet’s annual choreographers showcase. NEXT STEP is a one-night-only, all-premiere event with choreography by company dancers, dancing by the PNB School’s Professional Division students, and music by the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra. This year called NEXT STEP: OUTSIDE/IN, the evening began OUTSIDE, with three free performances. The ticketed second part took place IN McCaw Hall.

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NEXT STEP: Outside

Kreielsheimer FountainIn the past, my ballet exposure was limited to regular season performances. But this year I busted out of that narrow approach. I attended preview dress rehearsals, lectures, the season encore, and now, NEXT STEP. NEXT STEP is Pacific Northwest Ballet’s annual choreographers showcase. Managed by former PNB soloist Kiyon Ross, NEXT STEP is a one-night-only event where company dancers rise as choreographers, and the PNB School’s Professional Division students take center stage in an all-premiere program. This year it busted out of McCaw Hall, spilling onto the grounds of Seattle Center. Called NEXT STEP: OUTSIDE/IN, it featured (almost) all-new choreography (mostly) by PNB dancers. Appropriately, the evening began OUTSIDE.

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Pacific Northwest Ballet Season Encore

Pacific Northwest Ballet corps de ballet dancers Amanda Morgan and Sarah Pasch with company dancers in Diamonds from Jewels, choreography by George Balanchine © The George Balanchine Trust. PNB is presenting Jewels, with new sets and costumes designed by Jerome Kaplan, September 22 – October 1, 2017. Photo © Angela Sterling.

Pacific Northwest Ballet dancers Amanda Morgan and Sarah Pasch with company dancers in Diamonds from Jewels, 2017. Photo © Angela Sterling.

This is the first season that I’ve attended any of Pacific Northwest Ballet’s “extra” events – like performance previews, lectures, and now the Season Encore performance. Although it’s called a season encore, it’s not just a highlights reel of the past season. As I wrote yesterday, it’s also a farewell to departing dancers. In fact, several pieces performed at Season Encore were not even from the last season.

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