Mercedes Ellington News

Mercedes Ellington, President of The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts, has announced that the 114th Birthday of her grandfather Duke Ellington will be celebrated with two events this year -- today, April 28, and Monday, April 29 (the Duke's actual birthday).

Rolex presents BROADWAY & BEYOND! Celebrating Theatre & Dance - Career Transition For Dancers' 28th Anniversary Jubilee on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 7pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6th & 7th Ave) NYC. It will be followed by dinner at the Grand Ballroom at the Hilton New York. Broadway is a truly an American form of entertainment.

Mercedes Ellington, President of The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts, has announced that the 114th Birthday of her grandfather Duke Ellington will be celebrated with two events this year -- on Sunday, April 28, and Monday, April 29 (the Duke's actual birthday).

The Girls in the Band is a documentary about female jazz and big band instrumentalists that chronicles their inspired journeys and struggles for recognition from the late 1920s to the present day. The film will be screening for one week beginning May 10 at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center at Lincoln Center. Written and directed by Judy Chaikin and executive produced by Michael Greene, who are also the film's producers, The Girls in the Band is being hailed as a "real crowd-pleaser" by Variety and "extraordinary" by The Hollywood Reporter. The film won the Audience Choice Awards at the Palm Springs Film Festival, the Victoria Film Festival and the Omaha Film Festival as well as the Best Music Documentary Award at DocUtah Film Festival. The film has also screened at many other festivals including the Atlanta Film Festival, the Dubai International Film Festival, the Cleveland International Film Festival and the Washington D.C. International Film Festival. Screen Daily International declared The Girls in the Band to be "a fascinating, moving and wonderfully tuneful documentary." More info on the film can be found at the film's website: http://www.thegirlsintheband.com/home/.

Juilliard Dances Repertory presents repertory works by acclaimed choreographers Murray Louis, Juilliard alumnus Paul Taylor, and William Forsythe, tonight, April 3 - Sunday, April 7, in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater.

Rolex presents BROADWAY & BEYOND! Celebrating Theatre & Dance - Career Transition For Dancers' 28th Anniversary Jubilee on Tuesday, October 8, 2013 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6th and 7th Ave) NYC. It will be followed by dinner at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. Broadway is a truly American form of entertainment.

Dancers Over 40 is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that celebrates the lives and legacies of dancers and choreographers. 'DO40 was created as a not-for-profit organization to provide a community of support in response to the fiscal - as well as physical - needs of mature dancers, choreographers and related artists. Its goals are to seek educational opportunities, present seminars, showcases, film nights, socials and panel discussions on topics important to mature dancers concerned about their ability to live and work in a creative environment and continue the legacy to those dancers about to begin their journey.' On March 4th DO40 hosted 'TAP! The Tapping Continues' at New York City's St. Luke's Theatre. The evening honored the toe-tapping legacies: the Radio City Rockettes and June Taylor Dancers.

TAP!, Part Two! continues Dancers Over 40's examination of the art form that America loves. For those watching TV in the mid 50's, 60's and 70's, choreographer June Taylor was the lady with the precision dance team seen on the Ed Sullivan and Jackie Gleason shows on a weekly basis.

Juilliard Dances Repertory presents repertory works by acclaimed choreographers Murray Louis, Juilliard alumnus Paul Taylor, and William Forsythe, Wednesday, April 3 - Sunday, April 7, in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater. Juilliard dancers perform Four Brubeck Pieces by Murray Louis; Sunset by Paul Taylor; and One Flat Thing, reproduced by William Forsythe. Performances take place on Wednesday, April 3, Thursday, April 4, Friday, April 5, Saturday, April 6, at 8 PM, with a Sunday matinee on April 7 at 3 PM, in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater.

TAP!, Part Two! continues Dancers Over 40's examination of the art form that America loves. For those watching TV in the mid 50's, 60's and 70's, choreographer June Taylor was the lady with the precision dance team seen on the Ed Sullivan and Jackie Gleason shows on a weekly basis.

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to present its latest feature series: The Performer of the Week! Get to know these amazing talents as they share a bit about themselves, their work and life! Today, we're thrilled to introduce you to Troy Blackwell-Cook!

The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts will present its annual holiday party and fundraiser for its Scholarship Fund and other programs in the key of Ellington - Ring Dem Bells! - on Monday, December 10, 6 to 9 PM, at Landmark on the Park, 76th Street and Central Park West.

The 1st Annual Bob Stewart Tuba Competition, created by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, will be held today, October 20, 2012 from 12 Noon to 5 PM as part of The 37th Annual 52nd Street Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. The competition has been created to provide enhanced exposure to the many dynamic tuba players who perform in improvisational music ensembles in and around the New York area. The five groups chosen for the competition perform in a wide range of genres from traditional and contemporary Jazz to Blues, hip-hop, funk rock and world music.

The stars came out for Andre De Shields' SRO return Friday night Oct 5 to the Laurie Beechman theatre (downstairs at the West Bank Cafe). De Shields will perform his new theatrical concert, I PUT A SPELL ON YOU, for one more show this Friday Oct. 12 at 11PM.Tickets are available atwww.smarttix.com or by calling 212-868-4444.

The 1st Annual Bob Stewart Tuba Competition, created by The Duke Ellington Center for the Arts, will be held on Saturday, October 20, 2012 from 12 Noon to 5 PM as part of The 37th Annual 52nd Street Duke Ellington Jazz Festival. The competition has been created to provide enhanced exposure to the many dynamic tuba players who perform in improvisational music ensembles in and around the New York area. The five groups chosen for the competition perform in a wide range of genres from traditional and contemporary Jazz to Blues, hip-hop, funk rock and world music.

The Duke Ellington Center Big Band and the Bobby Sinabria Multiverse Big Band will perform a joint concert at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College in the Bronx on tonight, June 8, at 7:30 PM, featuring some of Duke Ellington's iconic works, as well as those of his greatest collaborators.

The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, and Jazz at Lincoln Center invite you to the Tribute to Phoebe Jacobs, in memoriam. The event will be held at Rose Theater, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center tonight, May 24, 2012 at 1 p.m. There will be no printed tickets for this event. Doors will open at 12:30pm, and attendees will be seated on a first come, first served basis.

The Duke Ellington Center Big Band and the Bobby Sinabria Multiverse Big Band will perform a joint concert at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College in the Bronx on Friday, June 8, at 7:30 PM, featuring some of Duke Ellington's iconic works, as well as those of his greatest collaborators.

The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, and Jazz at Lincoln Center invite you to the Tribute to Phoebe Jacobs, in memoriam. The event will be held at Rose Theater, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center on Thursday, May 24, 2012 at 1 p.m. There will be no printed tickets for this event. Doors will open at 12:30pm, and attendees will be seated on a first come, first served basis.

The Duke Ellington Center For The Arts and The Players co-present a Benefit Cocktail Reception and Concert by the Duke Ellington Center Big Band at The Players, 16 Gramercy Park South, tonight, Sunday, April 29, 2012, - Duke Ellington's 113th Birthday. The concert will feature performances of Duke Ellington's most memorable musical pieces performed by the Duke Ellington Center Big Band, under the direction of Frank Owens, plus vocals by Antoinette Montague and Marion Cowings; a performance by The Mickey Davidson Swing Dancers; and the ballroom artistry of Michael Choi.