The Mayoress of San Francisco comes under fire after she was accused of breaking her own COVID rules while dancing maskless in a crowded nightclub. On Thursday evening, Mayor of London celebrated Breed without covering his face at the Black Cat Club – and someone recorded everything on tape. CBS5 KPIX reports that the mayor is now defending her behavior. “We don’t need the funny police force coming in to micromanage us and tell us what to do or not to do,” said Breed. She insists that she obeyed her town’s health codes because she was actively drinking at the time; ergo no masks were necessary. But video footage shows her getting up to dance. “I got up and started dancing because I felt the ghost and wasn’t thinking of a mask,” said Breed. In the previous weeks, she had warned San Francisco residents to avoid large gatherings. Breed previously faced controversy after attending the infamous French Laundry Dinner with California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Read it below CBS5 KPIX

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At the biannual Genting World Lion Dance Championship in Malaysia in 2018, a row of 21 poles with a height of 1.20 to 2.40 m lined the arena. On top of each was a platform 12 inches in diameter. Suddenly a light blue Chinese lion with white fur trimmed to the rhythm of a beating drum and clinking cymbals jumped onto the stilts. The lion cocked its head and reared on its hind legs and seemed to jump effortlessly between the bars – some even up to 6 feet apart. The Chinese lion dance is supposed to look lovely and whimsical, but beneath the colorful costume were two immaculately coordinated performers who had been practicing stunts and acrobatics for nearly a decade.

“As lion dancers, we always follow this motto that 10 years of practice equals one minute on stage,” says Calvin Zhen, who currently plays the lion head for Leung’s White Crane Dragon and Lion Dance Association, a competitive team based in San Francisco. Zhen, now 24, performed as a drummer in that competition in 2018 and has been training in the sport since he was 13. Watch the lion dance and see what the culture is like, “says Zhen. “I’ve just fallen in love with the lion dance since then.”

The lion dance is performed to herald happiness and prosperity and is an integral part of the Lunar New Year and other celebrations such as birthdays, weddings or corporate events. Mime performance has always required a certain level of style and athleticism, but over the past 30 years Chinese Malaysians have stepped up the stakes and turned the old tradition into an extreme sport. High pole lion dancers must seamlessly jump between these tiny platforms while performing stunts and mimicking the playful nature of a lion. A single misstep – which is common in competitions – can result in serious injury.

The lion dances are both acrobatic and emotional performances. Courtesy of the Khuan Loke Dragon & Lion Dance Association

“Oh, I’ve hurt myself so many times,” says Willson Hoang with a laugh. Hoang is Zhen’s partner, who played tail in the 2018 championship. The 23-year-old has been practicing the lion dance for 11 years. “Fortunately, I’ve never broken a bone, I’m very grateful for that.”

The specific origins of the lion dance are unclear, but scholars believe the custom probably began during the Three Kingdoms Period in China between the years 220 and 280. Emissaries from Persia and Central Asia gave lions to the imperial court and the popularity of cats percolated into the common classes. In addition, lions play an important role in Buddhist mythology, which spread to China in the first and second centuries.

“There are different stories about how the lion dance began, but we usually say that the lion dance was done to drive away ghosts or bad auras,” says Tony Sin, who trains and is the Yuen Wei Dragon and Lion Dance Group in Malaysia an occasional competition judge. According to a popular legend, the dance was performed to scare away the nian, a mythical animal that terrorized Chinese villagers every winter. The lion dance was joined by fireworks and the color red – allegedly also to drive away the Nian – as part of the Lunar New Year traditions, which took place in January or February. The Chinese diaspora has since spread the custom around the world, where it has changed and evolved.

The Bildkunst / Alamy collection

Sin explains that there are two main types of lions in China: northern and southern. The Northern has a shaggy red and gold coat, while the Southern comes in a range of colors and is most commonly seen on the international scene. In addition, the southern lion dance style can be divided into the Futsan and Hoksan styles. “The Futsan lion has a sharp horn on its head and its mouth is U-shaped,” says Sin, while the Hoksan has a rounded horn and a flat mouth. “The Hoksan doesn’t look that wild compared to the Futsan and is a bit cuter,” he says. Both styles can be seen in competition on the international stage.

The lion dance also has a long history associated with martial arts as the two share many athletic postures and movements. In fact, during the first half of the 20th century, the lion dance was a way for rival martial arts schools to show off their talent. For additional flair, the actors played on an obstacle course manipulated by juries made of stacked furniture, balance beams or upturned vases. As the custom spread to Malaysia in the 19th century, Chinese Malaysians took the sport to new heights.

“When the lion dance seeds were sown in Malaysia, we decided that we had to be great at it – the best,” says Master Ho Phiew Siow (translated from Mandarin) from his workshop where he makes lion dance costumes. Siow, 66, is a second generation Chinese Malaysian who has practiced the lion dance for over 40 years. He describes himself as the “leading hand” in the development of the multi-pole lion dance in Malaysia. As he strolls through his workshop, which is lined with rattan lion head frames and partially painted costumes, Siow explains that the dance was built on martial arts traditions of jumping through improvised acrobatic arenas that sometimes included wooden stilts. Working with other lion dance lovers in Malaysia, Siow helped standardize the performance arena with arranged metal stilts and a 10-point scoring system.

“We Malaysians are very persistent,” says Siow. “We wanted people from all over the world to recognize Malaysian lion dancers as the best in the world.” The first Genting World Lion Dance Championship was held in 1994, and Siow wanted a Malaysian team to win the biennial competition every time .

“We’re pretty strict on the trigger,” says Albert Fong, director of the Khuan Loke Dragon & Lion Dance Association in Malaysia. Fong himself came second in the 2000 Genting Competition as a Tail Dancer. “A small slip gets a deduction of 0.1 and can lead to losing a championship, so everything is really tense for a performance.”

The 2020 competition was postponed until further notice due to the pandemic, but 36 teams from 16 countries competed in 2018. More recently, the International Lion Dance Federation has also updated the row of stilts to resemble the Chinese character wang, which means “king,” with three parallel rows crossed by a long line.

Leung’s White Crane Dragon and Lion Dance Association trains for a performance. Courtesy Leung’s White Crane Dragon and Lion Dance Association

“Once we’ve figured out the setup, we try to choreograph a lion dance with a storyline and a routine,” says Zhen. Her 2018 performance had an oceanic theme where the lion pulled a stuffed fish out of a bucket and tossed it around with its mouth.

In order to be ready for competition, Zhen’s team, Leung’s White Crane, consisting of the two lion dancers and five musicians, practices three to five times a week for three to six hours at a time, “he says.

The bars differ in height by 20 cm, so training begins with setting up shorter stilts to get used to hopping the distance between the bars. “We have a muscle memory for the distance we need to jump,” says Zhen. Zhen and Hoang first cultivate this muscle memory individually and then practice the movements in coordination. Once the couple can safely move between the bars, they can start working on the stunts. In order to impress the jury, they need to prepare 10 different types of stunts, including some that they invented.

Dancers practice their routines on lower platforms before starting their performances. Courtesy of the Khuan Loke Dragon & Lion Dance Association

In a sort of motion, a “double stack” lifts Hoang Zhen by the hips onto his head as he leaps over the stilts. On other trains, the team has to perform synchronized jumps backwards – difficult because Hoang and Zhen cannot see where they are going. “I think the hardest part is finding the timing between the two jumping partners,” says Zhen.

In fact, it was a small time lag that caused Hoang and his partner to slide off the bars onto the blue safety mats during the 2018 competition. “We were just very disappointed at the moment,” says Hoang, because the slip cost the team a whole point. “But if there weren’t any mistakes, how would you learn?” Fortunately, neither was injured and while the audience cheered them on, Hoang and his partner dusted off, climbed back on the bars, and ended the show.

Despite the performance setback, Leung’s White Crane team believes their best is yet to come. Zhen and Hoang dream of a top three at the Genting World Championship whenever the next one takes place. “It’s like the Olympic Games for the lion dance,” says Hoang.

At home in California, the two share a common desire for dance to become more popular in their communities and for people to take it seriously as a competitive sport. “It’s a way for us Asians to connect with our culture,” says Hoang, who is of Vietnamese-American descent. “I feel like our job is to keep them alive.”

Preserving culture and striving for excellence are common themes across continents and generations. “It doesn’t matter where you are in the world,” says Siow, “you have to preserve the best parts of your culture. If everyone comes together to do this, I believe if it’s good today, it will be bigger tomorrow. “

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It’s a Saturday afternoon in August, nearly a year after the death of one of the most iconic burlesque performers to grace the stages of San Francisco’s bygone nightclubs. 

A group of former dancers, friends and family members are gathered at the Showgirl Magic Museum in the basement of the Clarion Performing Arts Center in San Francisco’s Chinatown, laughing and sifting through old photo albums as they snack on matcha ice cream and listen to cabaret music on a crackling turntable. 

They’re in the middle of a conversation about Coby Yee.

Arlene Dark, a longtime dancer at the Chinese Sky Room, points to a photograph of her and grins. “I was always doing Coby’s number backstage. She had a very good act, and the crowd just loved her.”

Cynthia Yee, a past nightclub performer crowned Miss Chinatown in 1967, fondly refers to one area of the museum she now helms as “the Coby Corner.” It’s filled with an assortment of glitzy gowns and lavish sequined headdresses that glimmer from the walls, as well as paraphernalia from the club that came to be known as “Coby Yee’s Forbidden City,” including a ’50s-era dinner menu with a filet mignon priced at $5.50, and the tap shoes of popular dancer Tony Wing.

Shari Matsuura, Coby Yee’s daughter, walks down the steps into the museum and takes in the scenery, nodding to herself. 

“It’s the first time I’ve come back to San Francisco without my mom,” she says with tears in her eyes, adding that she flew in from Honolulu just a few days before. “I think she would be so surprised by all of this. But it’s wonderful to be surrounded by all of these people — all of my mom’s friends. This is home to me.” 

Some of the memorabilia on display at the Showgirl Magic Museum in San Francisco on July 29, 2021. The museum is a tribute to San Francisco’s rich mid-20th century nightclub culture.

Mariah Tiffany/Special to SFGATE

Described as “China’s most daring dancing doll” in aging newspaper clippings, Coby Yee’s electrifying stage presence enchanted crowds of hundreds at the peak of the Chinese American nightclub scene in San Francisco, which lasted from the mid-1930s to 1970. Not only was she a headlining act who crafted all of her own costumes, but later in life, she also owned and operated the largest and most famous of the clubs, the Forbidden City on 363 Sutter St., plus a cocktail lounge on Broadway (the Dragon Lady) and her own dance and clothing studio in Waverly Place. 

“You could go to Chinatown, see Coby Yee perform, be seated by her at her own bar, go take a dance class from her and then commission a dress. And then you could pop over to another club and see a show that she created,” said Burlesque Hall of Fame museum curator Darby Fox in an episode of their podcast “Quimm City Presents.”

The Las Vegas-based museum presented Yee with a “Living Legend of Burlesque” award in 2020, though she passed away at the age of 93 on Aug. 14 of that year — one day before she would have received the honor in a virtual ceremony. An exhibit titled “Coby Yee: The Hardest-Working Woman in Chinatown” is currently on display at the Burlesque Hall of Fame, showcasing her legacy and contributions to the art form. 

“I have a lot of admiration for her,” said Fox. “There’s a lot of hardworking women and exotic dancers that came after Coby, and they had a venue and a place to perform because she kept stages like that going in a changing landscape of live entertainment. She was a pioneer and a powerhouse.”

A photo of Coby Yee in the late 1950s. 

Courtesy of Shari Matsuura

The child of two Cantonese immigrants, Yee was born in Columbus, Ohio, on Nov. 2, 1926. Early in life, she demonstrated an affinity for tap dancing, according to Matsuura. She had an uncle who owned a supper club in Washington, D.C., where she performed as a teenager and had her first brush with show business, her daughter said. After World War II, her parents expressed a desire to return to China, and brought Yee and her sister with them to San Francisco to catch a boat and cross the Pacific. When they arrived, Yee refused to leave San Francisco.

“I don’t know how she convinced my grandparents,” said Matsuura, noting that Yee’s sister was already married and not expected to go back. “But she stayed put.” 

Eager to show off her talents, Yee started performing in chorus lines and ensemble acts before becoming a top-billed performer at the Forbidden City, which had been spearheaded by Charlie Low in 1938 following the success of his previous venture, the Chinese Village (known as the first cocktail bar in Chinatown). The popularity of the bar inspired many similar businesses, including Kubla Khan and the Lion’s Den, where Yee also performed. 

It was a time when at least five busloads of people from across the country would descend upon San Francisco every evening for a taste of the nightlife, said Cynthia Yee. They’d make their way from the drag club Finocchio’s on Broadway to Bimbo’s 365 on Columbus before finally arriving at the Chinese Sky Room and the Forbidden City, where a revue combining mime, comedy, live music and scantily clad dancers cycled through three performances a night, which regularly sold out. 

Coby Yee performs in a magic act at the Forbidden City on Sept. 24, 1966.

Courtesy of the Showgirl Magic Museum

Yee was undoubtedly the star and a local celebrity of sorts, with her name splashed across newspaper ads and regularly appearing in nightlife columns. 

“Mona Fong and Coby Yee have made Charlie Low’s show at the Forbidden City the best that Charlie has produced … just what the doctor ordered,” reads an excerpt from a 1959 review penned by the San Francisco Chronicle’s Hal Schaefer.

That same year, Herb Caen detailed how King Baudouin of Belgium came to see her perform while on a visit to the city.

“She curtsied — whereupon he smiled and waved to her,” wrote Caen. “Before she went on, though, she asked Boss Charlie Low nervously: ‘Shall I censor the act?’ Charlie: ‘Heck no, let ‘er rip!’”

Other stories depict her shrewd sense of humor. Once, when interviewed by the San Francisco Examiner after a man had drunkenly wandered into her dressing room, she remarked, “I have never been so embarrassed. He caught me standing there completely clothed!” 

Chinese dancers Mae Tai Sing and Tony Wing perform an elaborate floor show circa 1955 at Forbidden City, a nightclub in Chinatown, San Francisco.

Orlando/Getty Images

That’s not to say clubs like the Forbidden City were universally revered. At first, they drew a mixed response, with some in the Chinese community viewing them as exploitative, not to mention a fetishization of their ethnicity that catered to mostly white tourists. And though the Forbidden City was marketed as an all-Chinese nightclub — a three-page spread in a 1940 issue of Life Magazine hailed it as “the No. 1 all-Chinese nightclub in the U.S.” — apprehension from Chinatown’s residents led to the recruitment of many Japanese, Korean and Filipino performers from around the Bay Area as well, according to Arthur Dong’s book “Forbidden City, U.S.A.”

However, dancers would often subvert the so-called “Orientalist” stereotypes they promoted, playing with the racial expectations of their clientele and ultimately defying societal norms to pursue the performance art they were passionate about. And the truth was their talent couldn’t be ignored.

“Coby really pushed boundaries back then, and encouraged me to continue to explore what it means to be a Chinese American woman, especially in burlesque,” said Frankie Fictitious, an East Bay burlesque performer. “We were raised to keep our heads down and blend in, but [performers like Coby] redefined what it meant to be an Asian American woman or a woman of color, subverting the idea that we are docile and submissive, when we’re women being unapologetically powerful and reclaiming our sexuality.”

A photo of burlesque performer Frankie Fictitious, left, wearing one of Coby Yee’s, right, handcrafted costumes she sewed during the height of her career. 

Courtesy of Frankie Fictitious

If there’s one thing those close to Yee remember her for, it was her ambition. When Low decided to retire and sell the Forbidden City in 1962, Yee took over, owning the club until its eventual closure in 1970, while still going back and forth between multiple venues to perform, often within the same night. 

“I don’t think she realized she was going to become a trailblazer. In her mind, she was just going to work,” said Matsuura. “And to me, it was normal. I had a working mom — a single mom. She did the regular things to get me ready for school. She dropped me off and picked me up. We went to family dinners. There was nothing too out of the ordinary, except my mom worked at night.”

Eventually, a shifting nightlife scene and the rise of clubs featuring go-go dancers and topless acts like Carol Doda at the Condor Club led to the demise of Chinatown’s nightclubs, said Cynthia Yee. The Chinese Sky Room was the last to shutter.

Two chorus girls prepare for their act in the dressing room of the Forbidden City nightclub circa 1955 in Chinatown, San Francisco. 

Orlando/Getty Images

After the Forbidden City days, Coby Yee quietly opted to leave show business. That is, until Cynthia Yee saw her teaching a ballroom dancing class at a senior center in the East Bay about six years ago.

“I asked her to come and do a show with us,” said Cynthia Yee, referring to the Grant Avenue Follies, a touring dance troupe she founded in 2004 with a group of other former Chinatown performers and community members. “She was like, ‘No, no, no. I’m not doing any more of that. Forbidden City is over with.’ And I said, ‘Please. Come down with me to Las Vegas to the Burlesque Hall of Fame. You just have to walk across the stage, that’s all you have to do.’”

Eventually, Coby Yee relented and joined the group in traveling across the world, from Las Vegas to Havana, Cuba, and Shanghai, China. Her last performance was in February 2020 at a show produced by Cynthia Yee at the Clarion Performing Arts Center, just a floor above the museum that now serves as a tribute to her burlesque career. 

Coby Yee dancing in Cuba in 2019.

Courtesy of Patricia Nishimoto

“I remember that day. She was so… tired,” said Fictitious, who also performed at the event. “But then when she got up on stage, she lit up and was the biggest ball of energy. She made everyone in the audience smile. They gave her a standing ovation, but then again, she always gets one. I just remember thinking how happy the stage made her … and I’m so happy that she was able to rediscover her passion for burlesque toward the end of her life.”  

Coby Yee resided at her home in San Pablo for 40 years, where she spent hours behind her sewing machine each day, continuing to create thousands of intricate garments that filled up every corner of her house but never made it to the stage.  

Fictitious wanted to change that. 

With the help of the Bay Area burlesque community, many of Yee’s remaining costumes were donated or sold on a pay-what-you-can basis to local burlesque performers. Some are on display as part of the exhibit at the Burlesque Hall of Fame. Others are still available for purchase through Pistil Dance Studios in Vallejo, with the proceeds going toward the Grant Avenue Follies, the Burlesque Hall of Fame, the Clarion Performing Arts Center, among other organizations that keep the art of burlesque alive.

“I know my mom would be very pleased to see other people wearing her designs, to be enjoying and making use of her work in this way. Tickled, really,” said Matsuura. “Can you imagine?”

Coby Yee and Frankie Fictitious at Yee’s San Pablo home. 

Courtesy of Frankie Fictitious

A photo of Coby Yee, circa 1945. 

Courtesy of Shari Matsuura

From left to right: Patricia Nishimoto (a member of the Grant Avenue Follies), Shari Matsuura (Coby Yee’s daughter) and Coby Yee in Chinatown, taken in 2019. “Coby loved seeing me in her white leather coat,” said Nishimoto.

Courtesy of Patricia Nishimoto

Coby Yee, right, gives one of her handcrafted headdresses to Mimi Chin, a member of the Grant Avenue Follies, at the Burlesque Hall of Fame in Las Vegas.  

Courtesy of Cynthia Yee

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Nicolas Dromard has worked his way up from the ensemble to the lead role in two high-profile musicals: Wicked, in which he jumped from swing on the first national tour to an acclaimed run as Fiyero in the San Francisco production, and Mary Poppins, in which he jumped from swing in the original Broadway cast to a star-turn as Mary’s chimney sweep buddy Bert. When the show ends on March 3, Broadway.com had a chat with the Canadian-born actor about his emerging career and dream role.

How does it feel to come full circle with Mary Poppins and end the Broadway run as Bert?
Great! It’s such an honor. At first we were shocked and saddened that the show was coming to an end, but six and a half years on Broadway is a great run. The show has an incredible message and it makes the audience so happy. It’s a privilege to say I was the last Bert on Broadway.

What is fun about playing Bert?
I think Bert is one of the best male roles on Broadway. He is the narrator, he sets the mood and he is omnipresent – he is constantly on stage and dancing. What other role can you dance on the ceiling in?

To the right! What is this moment like?
It’s a roller coaster ride. “Step In Time” is my favorite part of the show. There’s an adrenaline rush and I get butterflies in my stomach every time. They trap me and I just do it. It’s such an impressive stunt: I go up a wall and 30 seconds later I’m back down. It’s over so fast! I wish it was longer.

You danced on ceilings all over America. Does the New Amsterdam Theater feel different?
The set is different on tour – the Banks house opens up like a pop-up book, unlike the Broadway set which is a three story house! But coming back to New York was like riding a bike again.

What memories do you have of playing Fiyero in Wicked’s San Francisco Company?
It was so much fun. In 2009 I left Poppins on Broadway to join Wicked. Fiyero is a dream role because you can kiss the blonde, kiss the green, swing on a rope and bow! Bert is a beast compared to Fiyero. It’s very physical.

You were also on The Boy From Oz ten years ago. Any good Hugh Jackman stories for us?
He’s just great and I want to work with him again. He’s so excited; I’ve never seen anyone work that hard before. And his dressing room was always open – when your mom and dad came backstage after the show, he chatted with them.

You were born and raised in Ottawa, Canada and didn’t speak English until you were seven. Are you still fluent in French?
Oh yes, with my family. My grandmother doesn’t speak a word of English, but my parents do. You translated for the Canadian government.

At what age did you lose your French accent?
I still have a slight French accent, but I can hide it. It still comes out when I’m tired or have had a glass or two of wine.

You’ve played squeaky clean roles for quite a while now. Desire to be bad?
Naturally! I would love to play in Jersey Boys and play Tommy DeVito.

The post What’s Up, Nicolas Dromard? Mary Poppins’ Last Bert on Kissing Depraved Witches and Dancing on the Ceiling | Broadway Buzz appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

ABC revealed the cast for Season 29 of “Dancing With the Stars” on Tuesday, with “Tiger King” star Carole Baskin, “Selling Sunset’s” Chrishell Stause and “Catfish” host Nev Schulman set to compete on the ballroom dancing competition next month.

Other cast members include Nelly, “One Day at a Time” star Justina Machado, “Cheer” coach Monica Aldama, Kaitlyn Bristowe of the “Bachelor” franchise, Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean, former NBA player Charles Oakley, and former Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir. See the full cast list and bios below.

The new season of “Dancing With the Stars” is set to premiere Monday, Sept. 14 on ABC.

Also Read: ABC Sets Fall Premiere Dates for ‘The Bachelorette,’ ‘Supermarket Sweep,’ Other Unscripted Series

Returning pros include Sharna Burgess and Keo Motsepe, who will be joined by new professional ballroom dancers Britt Stewart and Daniella Karagach. The other pros who will compete on the new season are Brandon Armstrong, Alan Bersten, Cheryl Burke, Val Chmerkovskiy, Sasha Farber, Jenna Johnson, Peta Murgatroyd, Pasha Pashkov, Gleb Savchenko and Emma Slater.

The list of pairs will be revealed on the season premiere, which will also mark the debut of the show’s new host, Tyra Banks. The “America’s Next Top Model” and “America’s Got Talent” host will bring a “fresh take on the competition,” according to ABC, as she takes over for outgoing hosts Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews and joins the series as an executive producer.

Also Read: ‘Dancing With the Stars’: Tyra Banks to Replace Tom Bergeron as Host

Check out the promo above and learn more about Season 29’s cast:

MONICA ALDAMA – One of the most successful athletic coaches in the country, Monica Aldama became an overnight sensation after starring in the hit Netflix docu-series “Cheer,” which chronicles her tremendous leadership in building one of the country’s most successful cheerleading programs from the ground up. Celebrated for her hallmark phrase, “You keep going until you get it right, then keep going until you can’t get it wrong,” Aldama is her students’ biggest advocate, always encouraging them to be the best versions of themselves. She has been with Navarro College for 25 years and has led the cheer squad to win 14 national championships, and was inducted into the inaugural class of the Navarro College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019. A true force and inspiration that has captured the hearts of the world, she brings her empowering messages on leadership, resilience, teamwork and success to audiences worldwide. Aldama also shares messages of inclusivity and acceptance, drawing on her experiences working with racially diverse, LGBTQ+ and low-income students in an insular, small town.

CAROLE BASKIN – Carole Baskin is the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, the world’s most influential, accredited rescue facility for exotic cats. She and her family volunteer for the Tampa-based nonprofit as unpaid staff and have 100+ volunteers and a dozen interns from around the world. Successfully rehabilitating and releasing a number of bobcats and other native animals since 1992, Baskin and the organization have been featured on CNN, Animal Planet, Discovery, People Magazine, “The Today Show,” Sports Illustrated, local media outlets and many more national and international programs. She also recently gained public attention in “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” Netflix’s documentary series about Oklahoma-based private zoo operator Joe Exotic in a true murder-for-hire story from the underworld of big cat breeding. Over the years, Baskin has lectured in Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama, Brazil, Australia and countless cities across the U.S. as the host of Big Cat Rescue’s Cat Chat Show, a live interview with cat experts from around the world. Additionally, she lectures at universities, law colleges and in numerous animal association conferences on cage construction, legislative affairs and sanctuary standards.

KAITLYN BRISTOWE – From the small town of Leduc, Alberta, Canada, to the global stage, Kaitlyn Bristowe is the Canadian girl making waves – in a big way. Perhaps the most controversial and well-liked Bachelorette to date, Bristowe started out with big dreams and ballet shoes. Since the end of her season of the hit ABC series “The Bachelorette,” Bristowe has taken the social media world by storm (with 1.8 million loyal Instagram followers) and continues to showcase her personality and unique perspective with KaitlynBristowe.com. She has launched Dew Edit, a stylish hair accessories line; her own line of wine, Spade & Sparrows; her own digital series; and a country-pop song, which reached No. 2 on the U.S. charts within the first 24 hours of release. Her notoriously unapologetic style has landed her appearances on major network talk shows, including the likes of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Good Morning America” and “Entertainment Tonight.”

VERNON DAVIS – Vernon Davis is a former American football tight end. The 15-year NFL veteran was selected by the San Francisco 49ers sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft and played his first 10 seasons with the 49ers. He joined his hometown team, the Washington Redskins, in 2016 and spent four seasons there before retiring after the 2019-2020 season. Off the field, Davis is a budding entrepreneur, dedicated philanthropist and actor. Davis owns multiple Jamba Juice franchises in Northern California. He also has his very own supplement company, Timeless; is the co-owner of Q-Collar Innovations; and the co-owner and marketing advisor for Pescavor Jerky. In addition, he is partnered in PathWater as well as RASA. In addition, Davis is a limited partner of Next Play Capital. In 2012, Davis created the Vernon Davis Foundation for the Arts as a way to promote art education and art appreciation among youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. In 2019, VDFA evolved into the Vernon Davis Foundation, which services at-risk youth of all interests and demographics. Davis played roles in movies such as “Baywatch” (2017), which starred Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron, and “Hell on the Border” (2019). His latest role will be the male lead in the upcoming thriller “Red Winter.”

ANNE HECHE – Anne Heche is an accomplished Emmy® Award-winning actor with a wide-ranging body of work. Heche can currently be seen in “The Vanished,” where she co-stars with Thomas Jane. Other recent feature films include “Best of Enemies,” where she starred opposite Taraji P. Henson and Sam Rockwell, and “My Friend Dahmer.” Heche also starred in Lionsgate feature film “Wild Card,” opposite Jason Statham. She followed that with the films “Catfight,” opposite Sandra Oh and Alicia Silverstone; “The Last Word,” opposite Amanda Seyfried and Shirley Mclaine; and “Opening Night” with Topher Grace, Taye Diggs and Rob Riggle. Heche’s television credits include a starring role on “Chicago PD” as Katherine Brennan. Before that, she starred as Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Patricia Campbell, on the NBC series “The Brave.” Heche co-created, executive produced and wrote for the NBC series “Bad Judge,” starring Kate Walsh. Heche has three Emmy nominations and one win. She was nominated for a Tony® for Best Performance by a Leading Actress for her performance as Lily Garland in “Twentieth Century.”

SKAI JACKSON – At the age of 18, Skai Jackson has already been named to The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural Top 30 Stars Under 18 List, Variety’s Youth Impact Report, been deemed one of TIME Magazine’s Most Influential Teens and was listed among EBONY’s Power 100 honorees. Jackson became a household name after her starring role as Zuri Ross in the Disney Channel hit series “Jessie” as well as the spinoff series “BUNK’D.” Her performance earned Jackson a 2016 NAACP Award nomination in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Youth. Jackson is a passionate advocate for anti-bullying and is quickly becoming a role model for younger generations using her large following to stand up to bullies on social media. She hopes to continue to do so with her first memoir, “Reach for The Skai: How to Inspire, Empower and Clapback,” which was released last year.

JUSTINA MACHADO – A talented and versatile actress, Justina Machado continues to endear audiences and earn critical acclaim for her work on stage, television and film. Machado currently stars in the hit comedy “One Day at a Time,” opposite Rita Moreno. Machado stars as Penelope, a newly single war veteran, raising her two children with the help of her mother. In 2018, Machado earned her first Critics’ Choice Television Award nomination, for her portrayal of Penelope Alvarez. She was also awarded an Imagen Foundation Award for Best Actress and the show won for Best Comedy. Machado is perhaps most well-known for her role as Vanessa Diaz in HBO’s “Six Feet Under.” Additionally, Machado appeared alongside Gina Rodriguez in the fourth season of CW’s Emmy Award-nominated comedy series, “Jane the Virgin” and voiced the character Carmen in Disney’s animated series “Elena of Avalor.” In 2009, Machado made her Broadway debut in the Tony® Award-winning musical “In the Heights,” starring Lin-Manuel Miranda. In 2010, Machado joined the production of award-winning director George C. Wolfe’s “A Free Man of Color.”

JEANNIE MAI – Emmy® Award-winning host Jeannie Mai can be seen each weekday on the nationally syndicated talk show “The Real” and on ABC’s hit summer series “Holey Moley.” Mai serves as a sideline correspondent for the extreme mini-golf competition series. In 2018, Mai and her fellow “The Real”  co-hosts received a Daytime Emmy  Award  for Outstanding Talk Show Host. A style expert and producer, Mai recently launched her web series titled “Hello Hunnay,” which takes fans on her journey through fashion, fitness, finances and relationships. Mai also hosts the podcast “Listen Hunnay.” Deeply committed to charities that advance women’s interests, Mai serves as a board member for various organizations, including Dress for Success and Same Sky. As a first-generation daughter of immigrant Vietnamese and Chinese parents, Mai strives to give back to her homeland by traveling to Asia to volunteer her time with organizations dedicated to helping those who are less fortunate. For the last several years, she has served as an advocate to fight human trafficking and has been an ambassador for the Pacific Links Foundation, Step Up, Nightlight International,  Not For Sale  and Heartbeat Vietnam. In 2017, Mai executive produced “Stopping Traffic: The Movement to End Sex Trafficking,” a documentary that investigates the international crisis of human sex trafficking from a deeply personal point of view. She is currently working on the follow-up.

AJ McLEAN – For 27 years, AJ McLean has been a part of the Backstreet Boys, one of the most successful groups in music history. He may be a legend of the ’90s boyband era, but McLean has always been a cultural vanguard. A multiple award-winning and GRAMMY®-nominated performer, McLean has continually delivered the finest pop music one has to offer – tightly crafted songs, floor-shaking rhythms and unmistakable harmonies – making him one of pop’s most influential performers. Along with the other members, McLean received a star on the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame, performed for the president of the United States, and made an unforgettable appearance in the Seth Rogen hit film “This Is The End,” which earned the guys a Best Musical Moment award at the MTV Movie Awards. McLean’s work with BSB has gone gold and platinum in 46 countries; the group’s first nine albums all debuted in the Top 10 on the Billboard Top 100, and the Los Angeles Times recently raved “the Boys’ talents … will survive almost any pop-culture apocalypse.”

JESSE METCALFE – One of the busiest actors in Hollywood, Jesse Metcalfe is clearly among its most coveted stars. Most recently, Metcalfe was seen as the lead in action-packed thriller “Hard Kill,” opposite Bruce Willis. On television, he continues to be featured (and contribute original songs) as former country star Trace Riley of the popular Hallmark family drama “Chesapeake Shores.” Last year, his presence drew audiences to two action films including the thriller “Escape Plan 2: Hades” with Sylvester Stallone and the horror flick “The Ninth Passenger.” In 2006, Metcalfe showcased his comedy chops as the title character in the 20th Century Fox feature “John Tucker Must Die.” Metcalfe recently portrayed a bachelor on the Hallmark Channel’s original holiday movie “Christmas Next Door,” and a country music sensation on the network’s original romantic drama “A Country Wedding.” Metcalfe is well remembered for his breakout role as forbidden teen lover John Rowland opposite Eva Longoria on the Golden Globe®-winning ABC series “Desperate Housewives.” He earned a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Performance-Male and shared a SAG Award for Best Television Comedy Ensemble. He is also active in several charities including North Texas Food Bank, The Go Campaign, Weingart Foundation and UNICEF.

NELLY – Diamond-selling, multiplatinum, GRAMMY® Award-winning rap superstar, entrepreneur, philanthropist and actor Nelly has continually raised the bar for the entertainment industry since stepping on the scene in 2000 with his distinctive vocals and larger-than-life personality. Currently, Nelly has again topped the country music charts with a collaboration with Kane Brown, “Cool Again,” and hit the No. 1 spot with “Good Times Roll” with Jimmie Allen. Some of his other hits include “Hot in Here”; “Dilemma” featuring Kelly Rowland; “Country Grammar”; “Ride Wit Me”; “Just a Dream”; “Cruise”; “The Fix” sampling Marvin Gaye; and summer sixteen’s dance anthem “Millionaire” with Cash Cash and Digital Animal Farm. He has won three GRAMMY Awards, released six top-selling studio albums, and graced both the small and big screens alongside Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, as well as played himself in BET’s “Real Husbands of Hollywood” with Kevin Hart. Nelly’s “Country Grammar” album and his song “Cruise,” his collaboration with Florida Georgia Line, both achieved diamond status in 2016; and he is only one of seven rappers to reach this honor. He is also the CEO of his own label Derrty Ent. and co-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats with Michael Jordan. Nelly supports Make a Wish and is the only rapper/music artist to own his own college, EI University, which provides education surrounding the music industry and personally provides scholarships for students.

CHARLES OAKLEY – Charles Oakley is a basketball legend and one of the most beloved Knicks players of all time. The ninth overall pick in the first round of the 1985 NBA Draft, Oakley went on to play 19 years in the NBA, 10 of which were with the New York Knicks – and all 10 of which the Knicks made the playoffs. Oakley was named to the NBA All-Star Game and the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 1994. He was also named to the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1986 and the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1998. As a power forward, he ranked as one of the best rebounders in the NBAand was known for his tough defense, such that he is often referred to as “The Enforcer.” Most importantly, he was beloved by his teammates and always respected by his fellow competitors. Oakley is now a player and coach for the Killer 3s in the NBA Big3 Basketball League. Alongside his playing and coaching, Oakley’s dedication to giving back to the community and passion for cooking led him to start the Charles Oakley Foundation, a nonprofit organization that is focused on helping impoverished and underprivileged communities through direct impact projects with the mission to #OakOutHunger. He has long been an advocate for the cause of hunger relief and has cooked and served thousands of meals as a part of the Foundation’s 2020 Feed America Campaign.

NEV SCHULMAN – Nev Schulman is an American producer, photographer and TV host. He is best known for the 2010 documentary film “Catfish” and the follow-up TV series “Catfish: The TV Show,” of which he is the host and executive producer on MTV. Aside from his impressive entertainment career, Schulman spends time supporting local organizations and charities in New York City and nationwide. He served on the youth board for the Canadian-based organization Leave Out Violence and hosted the annual Dance Against Cancer. In 2014, Schulman published his first book, “In Real Life: Love, Lies & Identity in the Digital Age,” in which he gives both personal history and observations gleaned from his work on “Catfish.” “Catfish” is more than just a popular TV series, but it is a commentary on our society today. It was because of Schulman and older brother Rel Schulman that the phrase became so widely understood today and has since been added to The Merriam Webster Dictionary. Schulman and his wife, Laura Perlongo, host the Facebook series called “We Need to Talk.” Additionally, Schulman and Laura have created series of socially focused videos online (around issues like parental leave and gender roles) which have garnered over 250 million views.

CHRISHELL STAUSE – Chrishell Stause is from Kentucky and can most recently be seen starring in “Selling Sunset​,” an original docu-series for Netflix. A realtor in the high-end luxury market, the show follows Stause breaking into the industry. In addition, Stause has made herself a known name in the daytime community. She has starred on “All My Children,” “The Young and the Restless” and as Jordan Ridgeway on “Days of Our Lives,” which earned her a Daytime Emmy® Award nomination this year for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Drama Series. She also recently starred in the Netflix thriller “​Staged Killer​.” In her spare time, Stause is very active in her charity work. Having experienced being homeless at times growing up, she is passionate about raising money and volunteering at Upward Bound House. It is an organization committed to eliminating homelessness among families with children by providing housing, supportive services and advocacy. For more information, please visit ​upwardboundhouse.org.

JOHNNY WEIR – Johnny Weir is one of the superstars of figure skating and a pop-culture icon. Born in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, he is a two time U.S. Olympian, three time U.S. National Figure Skating Champion, 2008 World bronze medalist, two time Grand Prix Final bronze medalist and the 2001 World Junior Figure Skating Champion, as well as NBC’s lead figure skating commentator, ambassador to the Olympic Games and cultural icon. Weir is known for his commentary and provocative style during NBC’s coverage of the Kentucky Derby, the Super Bowl, National Dog Show and Beverly Hills Dog Show. He’s also known for producing and starring in the award-winning, Epix-produced 2014 documentary film, “To Russia With Love”; and for producing and starring in “Be Good Johnny Weir,” and hosting the Facebook Watch series “Trading Faces.” Most recently, Weir starred as Gabe in the Netflix drama “Spinning Out” and hosted Food Network’s “Wedding Cake Championship.” He continues his role as Winter Village Skating Ambassador for Bryant Park in New York City, commentating for NBC’s coverage of the 2019-2020 figure skating season, and dazzling audiences with his skating while on tour around the world.

‘Dancing With the Stars’ Career Bump: 12 Contestants Who Got Biggest Boost (Photos)

• From Kim Kardashian to Alfonso Ribeiro, TheWrap takes a look at the celebrities who have gone on to bigger and better things.

  ABC
  

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  Kim Kardashian  

  When Kim Kardashian was on Season 7 of “Dancing With the Stars,” “Keeping up With the Kardashians” was just a year old, but it went on to become one of the most successful franchises in reality TV history.

  ABC
  

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  Mark Cuban 
  

  After his stint on Season 5 of “Dancing With the Stars,” Cuban went from regular billionaire to famous billionaire when he became one of the investors on ABC’s hit “Shark Tank.”

  ABC
  

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  Julianne Hough/Derek Hough 
  

  “Dancing With the Stars'” most successful alums weren’t even stars before they were on the show. Brother-sister duo Derek and Julianne Hough entered the show as professional dancers, but have since branched out into their own acting careers. Julianne also took on the role of judge on the show beginning with Season 19.

  ABC
  

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  Brooke Burke-Charvet 
  

  Brooke Burke-Charvet won the seventh season of ABC’s reality competition series in 2008 then parlayed that success into a nine-season run as co-host of the show.

  ABC
  

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  Erin Andrews 
  

  Like Burke-Chavert before her, Andrews went from “DWTS” alum to co-host when she assumed the role for Season 18. Andrews also assumed several new roles as a sportscaster for Fox Sports.

  ABC
  

• 
  

  Lisa Rinna 
  

  Daytime soap vet Lisa Rinna competed in the second season of “DWTS,” finishing in fourth place. Since then, she’s gone on to a fruitful reality TV career, including her role as one of the regulars on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.”

  ABC
  

• 
  

  Jennie Garth 
  

  “Beverly Hills, 90210” star Jennie Garth finished in fourth place on Season 5 of “DWTS,” then went on to star in the CW’s “90210” revival the following year.

  ABC
  

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  Candace Cameron Bure 
  

  “Full House” star took home the bronze in Season 18, then wrote a book about the experience, called “Dancing Through Life.” She also serves as a host on the ABC daytime talk show “The View” and will star in the Netflix sequel series “Fuller House.”

  ABC
  

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  Melissa Joan Hart  

  In 2009, Melissa Joan Hart competed on Season 9 of “Dancing With the Stars,” and in 2010 she made her return to TV in ABC Family’s “Melissa and Joey” alongside Joey Lawrence (who also competed in Season 3). 

  ABC
  

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  Kellie Pickler 
  

  “American Idol” vet Kellie Pickler put her reality TV experience to use on Season 16, this time walking away a winner. In 2015, Pickler and her husband Kyle Jacobs scored a CMT reality series called “I Love Kellie Pickler.”

  ABC
  

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  Alfonso Ribeiro 
  

  “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” alum Alfonso Ribeiro won Season 19 of “Dancing With the Stars,” then went on to take over for Tom Bergeron as host of “America’s Funniest Home Videos” in 2015.

  ABC
  

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  Bobby Bones 

  The country-music radio host won Season 27 in fall 2018 despite landing the second lowest scores in the final 4 with partner Sharna Burgess — and then parlayed that appearance into a full-time mentor role on ABC’s “American Idol” reboot. He even subbed in as host in April 2019 when Ryan Seacrest was too sick to tape the live show.

  ABC
  

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From Kim Kardashian to Alfonso Ribeiro, TheWrap takes a look at the celebrities who have gone on to bigger and better things

From Kim Kardashian to Alfonso Ribeiro, TheWrap takes a look at the celebrities who have gone on to bigger and better things.

The post ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Solid Revealed for Season 29 appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The newest program for the San Francisco Ballet’s 2021 digital season is the glorious return of George Balanchine’s jewels. This tripartite masterpiece is commonly referred to as the first full-length narrative ballet. This is a dubious claim depending on how you define “full-length” or “non-action”. It is also often described as an examination of the differences between French, American, and Russian ballet styles, or as a distillation of the intrinsic properties of emeralds, rubies, and diamonds. Personally, I find these descriptions almost annoyingly elusive and therefore not helpful at all. So – here is everything you really need to know: this whole thing is fabulous, and you really have to see it. And if you’ve seen it before, you have to see it again. It’s the kind of complex work that gets better and better with repetition, as you are bound to find new things to enjoy that you may not have noticed before.

That Jewels has stood the test of time since its premiere in 1967 is a bit of a surprise, as it was created as a “piece d’occasion” to celebrate the opening of the New York City Ballet’s new theater at Lincoln Center. It was ushered in with a level of hype unknown to City Ballet at the time, including a fashion series featuring the leading ballet flats at Van Cleef & Arpels. Our cultural landscape is littered with countless “great” new works that were commissioned for August occasions and premiered in front of a mystified gala audience, never to be seen again. Well, it turns out that Balanchine wasn’t the one to miss such a high profile opportunity and, in this case, created a ballet that is creative, quirky, and deeply engaging on an emotional level at the same time.

When I saw the SFB’s production, I was struck by the idea that the connective tissue between its three different ballets for me is that towards the end of each there is a characteristic, characteristic walking motion that crystallizes the ethos of that particular piece. At Emeralds, it’s a gentle, strolling stroll, underpinned by a weak, rhythmic pulse that creates a subtle atmosphere of romantic longing. At Rubies, it’s a brisk, arms-hunched run for the men and a lively canter with straight arms and hunched wrists for the women that capture the ancient, competitive spirit of this piece. At Diamonds, it’s a stately grand promenade with an extra kick as dozens of dancers flood the stage for the joyous finale.

(From left to right) Wona Park, Esteban Hernandez and Julia Rowe in Emeralds

Emeralds, captured in a performance here recently, are getting Jewels off to a wonderfully enigmatic start. The opening movement, set in Fauré’s beautiful suite Pelleas et Melisande, reads like a long, lazy sigh, sensitively danced by Angelo Greco, Misa Kuranaga and Sasha Mukhamedov. The pace accelerates significantly with a lively trio danced fabulously by a perfectly coordinated Esteban Hernandez, Wona Park and Julia Rowe. They are so wonderfully synchronized with one another that one moment they can move as a unit and the next break out into concise, complementary solos. The ballet ends with a slow pas de deux for Mukhamedov and Aaron Robison, which captures the overall spirit of ballet. Robison is particularly effective in this area, with his gallant manner and attention to the underlying pulse of the music.

San Francisco Ballet in Rubies

When the curtain rises again for Rubies and Stravinsky’s astringent and energetic Capriccio for piano and orchestra plays, we find ourselves in a completely different world. Suddenly everything is carefree, angular and wonderfully out of whack. The music is full of unexpectedly quirky melodies and changing rhythms that Balanchine treats like a fun house. Recorded at an SFB performance from February 2016, the dance is consistently incredibly crisp. Special greetings to the spirited 12-man corps that seem to pin down any difficult, unorthodox level. The opening section is led by Wanting Zhao, who dances with admirable clarity and speed, but may not yet feel comfortable enough with the audacity of the choreography to fully embrace it. In the years since then, Zhao has really developed as a dancer and now would probably totally crush it. The main couple are a lively and playful Mathilde Froustey and Pascal Molat. They dance well together but seem a bit miscast here. I wanted to see them dig in more, dance deeper to the ground, and really go for the more competitive, rougher, and more ready aspects of the movement.

After the idiosyncratic hijinks of Rubies, it can take a while to get used to the stately size of the final ballet Diamonds, which is based on Tchaikovsky’s gorgeous Symphony No. 3 in D major. The opening movement for the corps women is only pleasant and seems a bit indistinct. Things soon come into focus, however, as Balanchine leads us through a series of amazing sequences that inexorably lead to the bubbly finale. The second movement is an extended 10-minute adagio for Sasha De Sola and Tiit Helimets that is absolutely adorable from start to finish, though it doesn’t include a single particularly eye-catching move. While this is supposedly a nonsense ballet, it seems to me that we are watching a mature couple go through a period of uncertainty or stasis in their relationship before reconnecting. It is fascinating to me how the woman here always seems to be in control of the situation, even when she is lifted or held. It is so often that she moves away from him and it is he who runs to catch up with her.

Sasha De Sola and Tiit Helimets in diamonds

The dancing here between De Sola and Helimets is just phenomenal. They are both perfectly attuned to each other if they manage every tiny change in their relationship. I also like how they underestimate the emotions and let the movement speak for itself. When he picks her up and carries her across the stage and sets her back as gently as a caress, the effect is transcendent. The pas de deux ends with a gesture of tender indulgence, a meeting of equals. No disrespect to all of the other incredible dancers out there, but I don’t think I’ll see more glorious 10 minutes of dancing all year round.

In the Scherzo movement that follows, De Sola and Helimets finally have a chance to relax with fireworks. Helimets whips a perfect series of twists a la seconde, and De Sola shows her otherworldly ability to break up a passage of intricate, fast-moving footwork with a sudden, heartbreaking balance on one toe. Diamonds really flies when 32 dancers appear out of nowhere for the exuberant polonaise finale. How joyful it is to see so many incredibly talented dancers giving everything they have in perfect synchronicity. It’s an exciting end, and lucky for us that it has been videotaped so that we can see it all again as soon as it’s over.

(From left to right) Lauren Strongin, Wei Wang, Will Zhao, Max Cauthorn, Koto Ishihara and Daniel Deivison-Oliveira
in the joyous ending of Diamonds

(All photos by Erik Tomasson)

The San Francisco Ballet’s jewelery production can be streamed until April 21, 2021. For more information and tickets, visit www.sfballet.org or call (415) 865-2000.

The post JEWELS at San Francisco Ballet Affords a Treasure Trove of Spectacular Dancing appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.