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Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DIA to take its final, viral '7 Mile + Livernois' dance party outside this weekend
A simple dance party at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) turned into Detroit's biggest event of the winter season. When word got out, a follow-up event in March drew record numbers. This weekend, one final bash is taking place – and it's so big that they're taking it outside. On Friday, May 9, another dance party will be held on the DIA museum grounds from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to commemorate the closing of Detroit artist Tiff Massey's historic '7 Mile + Livernois' exhibition. Detroit-based DJs KESSWA and Donavan Glover will provide sounds for the evening. '7 Mile + Livernois' is an installation featuring sculptures commissioned by the DIA and is a vibrant, inclusive peek into Detroit's artistic ecosystem. February's dance party, in association with Massey's show, drew over 1,700 attendees to the DIA in a massive flex of multigenerational, cross-cultural community support. 'It was honestly the most incredible crowd I've ever seen at an art museum anywhere,' Katie Pfohl, DIA Associate Curator of Contemporary Art, said ahead of the March event. 'The whole city turned out for the set. It was just … it was amazing. I moved here from New Orleans, and so I've worked with a lot of musicians as artists in my own curatorial past. Tiff is also so connected to the city's music scene, and as we were talking about programming for the show, it just seemed like such a natural fit, for an exhibition that is really about celebrating the city's culture of creative expression, to invite musicians from the city to activate the museum. 'It's an incredibly fun, powerful event, but there's also such an interesting throughline in the evolution of some of the city's musical forms. The histories of the automotive industry and factories, music production, and artists like Tiff working with metalsmithing, they feel to me like an intrinsic part of the show, not just a program that we're doing on the side. It's an intrinsic part of Tiff's vision for the project, and her aspiration to really showcase and celebrate the city's creative work.' 'It's one thing to put on an exhibition,' said Pfohl, 'and it's something else to really invite people in to have a conversation with it. People were there, dancing in Rivera Court, but they were also seeing the exhibition and talking with their friends about it and having an incredible time. For me, it's really feeling the art merge with the music to activate a whole vibe. I'm not trying to get all cheesy about it, but it was really special the last time, and I just can't wait to feel that energy in the museum again.' The energy was definitely felt again: More than 2,500 revelers showed up for the March party, with lines stretching out the museum's front doors, down the steps, across the lawn, and all the way out to the street as people waited in freezing rain and snow to get in on the action. Popular now: 12-year-old Oxford girl stuns in school shooting drama at Detroit Public Theatre DIA board vice chair Marsha Battle Philpot expressed awe and gratitude at the size and vibe of the crowd in March. "I was unprepared for the extraordinary outpouring of people that visited not just the exhibit," she said, "but came to the DIA, so many of them for the very first time. We have a generation or even two here in Detroit, in particular, that had not had the advantage of doing field trips to the DIA because of the budget issues in the school systems. For many, this was their first foray in here, and that was astonishing to see their wonderful reactions. "The crowd itself was overwhelming. It was shoulder to shoulder, and it was such a wonderful thing. I thought that Diego Rivera might be smiling down at us to see this many human beings congregated beneath his beautiful work in the courtyard. I think that was a real measure of how Tiff's work has impacted the museum, not just because of the work itself, but what she has brought to bear in engaging the community here with the DIA, which has been really extraordinary." DIA chief operating officer Elliott Broom said the museum is 'thrilled' with the exhibition and all the interest generated around it. 'The exhibition has surpassed 200,000 in attendance, which is quite a feat for our museum,' said Broom, 'and the feedback from the visitors has been overwhelmingly positive. To celebrate the close of the exhibition, we really wanted to do something special, and so – weather dependent – we're going to move the party outside onto the front plaza of the museum. That is something that we have only reserved in the past for Fash Bash. 'The idea is that the guests will be able to dance on the plaza, and we'll have, of course, bars set up if people want to drink, and some light snacks will be available for purchase. But the aim is to do this closing party in a very special way, outside, in open air, which also gives us a chance to welcome a few more visitors. We're guesstimating that we will hit that 2,500 mark, but I wouldn't be surprised if we crest 3,000.' Broom said that, in addition to the outdoor party, Kresge Court will be open with music and an extra bar to serve overflow or host guests seeking a break from dancing. The museum, he said, also has a rain plan that moves the party back indoors. 'It's been incredible to see momentum build around this show, right up through its finish on May 11,' Pfohl told the Free Press this week. 'Tiff's work has truly brought the city into the museum, creating a citywide celebration of Detroit and its story that will continue to shape the DIA long after this exhibition closes.' Admission to Friday's 6:30 p.m. party is free with museum general admission at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave. General museum admission is free for residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Non-resident entry is $20 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, and $8 for children ages 6 – 17. At press time, advanced registration for the event was at capacity. For more information, visit Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Last DIA dance party to be held outdoors this weekend
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
DIA's massive dance party last month was like no other. Now it's happening again.
A simple dance party at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) turned into Detroit's biggest event of the winter season — and if you missed it, there's another happening this weekend. Friday, March 7, another dance party will be held in the museum's Rivera Court from 6:30-8:30 p.m., in conjunction with Detroit artist Tiff Massey's historic '7 Mile + Livernois' exhibition. '7 Mile + Livernois' is an installation featuring sculptures commissioned by the DIA, and is a vibrant, inclusive peek into Detroit's artistic ecosystem. February's dance party event in association with Massey's show drew over 1,700 attendees to the DIA in a massive flex of multigenerational, cross-cultural community support. 'It was honestly the most incredible crowd I've ever seen at an art museum anywhere,' said Katie Pfohl, DIA Associate Curator of Contemporary Art. 'The whole city turned out for the set. It was just … it was amazing. I moved here from New Orleans, and so I've worked with a lot of musicians as artists in my own curatorial past. Tiff is also so connected to the city's music scene, and as we were talking about programming for the show, it just seemed like such a natural fit, for an exhibition that is really about celebrating the city's culture of creative expression, to invite musicians from the city to activate the museum. 'It's an incredibly fun, powerful event, but there's also such an interesting throughline in the evolution of some of the city's musical forms. The histories of the automotive industry and factories, music production, and artists like Tiff working with metalsmithing, they feel to me like an intrinsic part of the show, not just a program that we're doing on the side. It's an intrinsic part of Tiff's vision for the project, and her aspiration to really showcase and celebrate the city's creative work.' Also this weekend: 'Young and the Restless' star Victoria Rowell heads to Detroit in 'Jason's Lyric: Live' Also this weekend: Detroit Public Theatre's 'Confederates' examines struggles of Black women in America The spectacularly named DJ Problematic Black Hottie will serve up tunes during the March 7 event, and during a May 9 dance party celebrating the exhibition's closing, DJ Kesswa, a favorite of Pfohl's, will preside. 'I think that it's one thing to put on an exhibition,' said Pfohl, 'and it's something else to really invite people in to have a conversation with it. People were there, dancing in Rivera Court, but they were also seeing the exhibition and talking with their friends about it and having an incredible time. For me, it's really feeling the art merge with the music to activate a whole vibe. I'm not trying to get all cheesy about it, but it was really special the last time, and I just can't wait to feel that energy in the museum again.' Pfohl's advice for people who didn't make it last time? 'Come early,' she said. 'Bring your friends. It ends at 8:30 p.m., but the museum will remain open till nine o'clock. We want to make sure there's enough time for people to experience everything.' Admission to Friday's 6:30 p.m. party is free with museum general admission at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 5200 Woodward Ave. General museum admission is free for residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties. Non-resident entry is $20 for adults, $10 for seniors and college students, and $8 for children ages 6 – 17. Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: DIA to hold another dance party in Rivera Court on March 7
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Detroit Public Theatre's 'Confederates' examines struggles of Black women in America
There is much to love and learn in 'Confederates,' Detroit native and Tony-nominated playwright Dominique Morisseau's thoughtful deep dive into racism and gender bias in the dual American institutions of slavery and academia, running through March 16 at Detroit Public Theatre. The glaringly obvious problems inherent to slavery are shown through the eyes of Sarah, who has lived her entire life on a plantation and has had enough and decides to take action. Her story runs parallel with that of Sandra, a modern-day, tenured professor at a mostly white private university; through Sandra's tale, we zoom in on the great cracks that remain in today's society when it comes to Black women. Sarah's story is the more straightforward: Bright and savvy enslaved woman chooses rebellion – will she succeed? It's incredible how much mileage Morisseau gets from this, and how much new material she mines from a format even the script itself acknowledges audiences have seen many times. Sandra's is something more complicated, for she appears to 'have it all.' An obviously free woman with a highly respected career, she finds herself locked in another kind of cage. A cleverly done mystery is woven through her side of the plot, and you're never sure whether it will even be solved or not. Is it solved in the end? Is the solution really the point? See also: Detroit Opera's joyful 'Rinaldo' a whimsical, wonderful delight: Review More: 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' at Detroit Repertory Theatre delivers a solid performance In weaving this double narrative spanning more than a century, Morisseau peels back layer after layer on the struggles of Black women in America and their 'damned-if-you-do' existence that, at the root, hasn't fundamentally changed nearly as much as one might believe. Systemic issues that constantly hold them back from true freedom or greatness remain in place, they just exist in more insidious ways in the modern era. Skillfully directed by Goldie E. Patrick, the two leads are impeccable. As the exasperated Sandra, Whitney Johnson delivers steely elegance and unleashes, simmering rage. As the fiery Sarah, Rebecca Rose Mims gives a raw, knowing, quippy performance. Both women stand on the shoulders of a uniformly quality ensemble. The dynamic Vanessa Mazhangara pulls off two different roles – an opportunistic slave and Sandra's treacherous coworker – with such skill that it feels like two completely different actresses. The hysterical Meredith Parker steals scene after scene with a wildly campy double performance, particularly memorable as the master's clueless daughter in the Civil War scenes. (Her shrill, plaintive wails are still ringing in my head.) And Will Street, a familiar face in Detroit theater, shines brightly with his layered work as Malik, Sandra's combative student, and Abner, Sarah's brother. Moníka Essen's practical set is simplistic but serves the action well. A beautiful touch is the cotton plants that wrap around the stage and walls on both the past and present sides, indicating that the true struggle has not yet ended. As with the Black experience in full, laughter, tears, and abject horror stroll hand in hand in 'Confederates.' It's a thrilling time in the theater. 'Confederates' runs through March 16 at Detroit Public Theatre, 3960 3rd Ave. Tickets are $49 and can be purchased at Contact Free Press arts and culture reporter Duante Beddingfield at dbeddingfield@ This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Public Theatre's 'Confederates' examines struggles of Black women
