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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2012)
KAREN DALY AND MOLLY EVERTS DANCING ALITO ALESSI’S ‘ONE ANOTHER’ DANCEABILITY CELEBRATES 25 YEARS Twenty-fi ve years have passed since Alito Alessi and his dance partner Karen Nelson pioneered DanceAbility (DA), an internationally-renowned dance method that employs movement to explore artistic expression be- tween people with and without disabilities, and Dec. 7 marks the beginning of their week-long anniversary cele- bration with a free First Friday ArtWalk event, 6:30 pm at the Broadway Commerce Center including performances by disabled and able-bodied dancers. The goal of DA is to challenge misconceptions and prejudices that people have about themselves and others. “I wanted to see in action, the idea that all people can dance,” Alessi says. The Dec. 7 event will include a silent art auction with donations by local artists such as Jerry Ross, Brian Lanker, Bob DeVine, Jill Atkin and Shannon Knight. The artwork will be displayed in wheelchairs in the Broad- way Commerce Center. Emery Blackwell, a professional dancer with cerebral palsy (he’s been with DA for more than two decades), will be dancing and donating art — Emery is also a graphic artist who crafts digital art by employing his feet to use a computer mouse. DanceAbility Week continues with a free video pre- sentation and discussion hosted by Alessi, currently the artistic director for DanceAbility International, 5 to 6:15 pm Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Eugene Public Library. The presentation will include documentaries about dance workshops, examples of award-winning DA choreog- raphy and dancers with and without disabilities will be available for questions. The celebration comes to a close with the DanceAbili- ty 25th Anniversary Workshop, 12:30 to 3:30 pm Sunday, Dec. 16, at WOW Hall. Both Alessi and Blackwell will be leading participants through choreography. This will be a rare opportunity to learn from Alessi, an award-win- ning choreographer who was selected as a Fulbright Se- nior Specialist and a Guggenheim Fellow. The workshop has a sliding scale entry fee of $15 to $45. The event is free for veterans. Some scholarships are available; email info@danceability.com or call 342-3273. — Alex Notman PHOTO: MICHAEL BRINKERHOFF ACTIVIST LERT • Springfield City Club will host James Whitty, manager of ODOT’s Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Funding, at 11:45 am Thursday, Dec. 6, at Willamalane Center, 250S. 32nd St. Whitty will talk about funding road and highway improvements in the future as vehicles become more fuel efficient and fuels taxes shrink. City Club meets for lunch on the first and third Thursday of each month. • City Club of Eugene will host UO President Michael Gottfredson at noon Friday, Dec. 7, at Boulevard Grill, 2123 Franklin Blvd. He will speak on “The Evolving State of Higher Public Education.” The following week, City Club will have its annual “Gifts to the City” program at noon Friday, Dec. 14, in the O’Neil Room at the Hilton downtown. Speakers will include Scott Landfield, Jackman Wilson, August Sabini, Abrella Luvert, Mia Nelson, John Fisher, Jean Stacey, Danuta Pfeiffer, Josh Skov and more. • Cascadia Wildlands’ 10th annual Wonderland Auction is from 6 to 10 pm Saturday, Dec. 8, at the EMU Ballroom at UO. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the door and include dinner and drinks. More information at cascwild.org or call 434-1463. • Free meditation gatherings focusing on world peace and the ending of the Mayan calendar are being planned Wednesday evening, Dec. 12, at the Saraha Nyingma Buddhist Temple, 477 E. 40th Ave. in Eugene. Susan Klein will lead the 5 to 7 pm “Happy Hour Meditation for World Peace.” At 7:30 pm Leia Hart will lead a Mayan ceremony “Bring Heaven on Earth, Creating Earth Star Despacho.” For more information, call 686-9518 or visit Star Gate at 1374 Willamette St. Office visits starting at $99 Same Day Appointments Justin Montoya, MD 1410 Oak St, Ste 102 in the Keiper Spine building kjg7hhn7ihmf5R51118*,)"&." '#&3'##(8)' WE’VE MOVED! classic. inspired. delicious. 769 monroe (next to sweet life) noliitaliancafe.com | 541.844.1663 LUNCH: Tues-Sat 11:30am-2:30pm DINNER: Tues-Thurs 5pm - 9pm Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm eugeneweekly.com • December 6, 2012 7
