The weather may be chilly but there are plenty of fun activities around town this weekend. Here are a few ideas to consider.
Celebrating 50 years, The Warren Center – a nonprofit agency providing professional evaluations, therapy services and support to children with developmental delays and disabilities – presents its annual Art of Music Gala at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 10, at the South Side Ballroom, 1135 S. Lamar St., Dallas, TX 75215. The evening is a festive night packed with musical performances, stunning visuals, food and drink, and topped with headliner, rhythm and blues superstar Vivian Green.
Vivian Green is a critically acclaimed R&B singer from Philadelphia. A musical prodigy, Green began her career in music at the age of five. By the age of 17, she had recorded with music group Boyz II Men and received her first professional songwriting credit on the song “Dear God.”
She made her film debut in the Oscar-nominated biopic “De Lovely,” portraying a jazz singer performing the classic “Love for Sale.” She appeared in the TV series “American Dreams” as Brenda Holloway, singing “Every Little Bit Hurts.”
Children with disabilities are near and dear to Green. In 2004, Green gave birth to her son Jordan, who was born with an undiagnosed syndrome. As he grew older, he had to undergo multiple surgeries, which led her to take a hiatus from releasing albums and focus her time and attention to the care of her child. Her strength and resilience pushed her to continue making music through this difficult time.
“Being Jordan’s mom is my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” said Green.
Today Green is an advocate for children with special needs and has created her own PSA campaign, which accompanied the release of her fifth album, “Vivid.” The vision behind her #IamDifferentIamHuman campaign is to fight for the rights of special needs children nationwide, an issue that has personally touched her life.
Tickets and more info available at http://www.theartofmusicgala.com/artofmusicgalatickets/.
Black History in the Arts
Bishop Arts Theatre Center presents Thurgood by George Stevens, Jr. through Feb. 25. The 2017 Dallas Critics Award Winning performance of Selmore Haines III, engages audiences in this one-man, tour de force performance of the retelling of Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court justice. Tickets and info at bishopartstheatre.org.
14th Annual Weekend Festival Of Black Dance hosted by The Black Academy of Arts at 11 a.m. Saturday morning at TBAAL room T 314, tickets available at the door.
Black Cinematheque Filmmaker Series is celebrating black filmmaking this weekend and throughou the month. Enjoy these films at the South Dallas Cultural Arts Center for only $1 each.
Sat 2-10 – BOYZ IN THE HOOD – (1991) – – 2K Restoration – Directed by John Singleton – At The Texas Theatre
Sun 2-11 – THE BLOOD OF JESUS – ( 1941) – Directed by Spencer Williams – Screens at the Black Cinematheque (inside the South Dallas Cultural Center)
Sat – 2-17 – SUPER FLY (1972) – 35mm – Directed by Gordon Parks Jr – At The Texas Theatre (post-show after party TBA!)
Sun 2-18 – MY BROTHERS WEDDING – (1983) – Directed by Charles Burnett – Screens at the Black Cinematheque (inside the South Dallas Cultural Center)
Sat 2-24 – MALCOLM X (1992) – 35mm – Directed by Spike Lee – At The Texas Theatre
Mardi Gras Time
Laissez les bons temps rouler! 10th Annual Oak Cliff Mardi Gras Parade is scheduled for Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. on Davis Street.
If you prefer a parade which features four-legged participants the 2018 Krewe of Barkus is the parade for you. Held in Historic Downtown McKinney at 111 N. Tennessee St. on Sunday, Feb. 11 at 2 p.m. They expect up to 250 dogs and more than 4,500 parade watchers.
