The 2012 National Black Arts Festival
The National Black Arts Festival is an Atlanta festival that celebrates the art, music, and culture of people of African descent. The family friendly festival is scheduled from July 6-15 and includes activities such as literary, musical, and theater performances, fine arts exhibits, and an international market. Although a few events are ticketed, many of the activities are free.
The main weekend of the festival is July 12-15, with many activities taking place at Centennial Olympic Park in downtown Atlanta. Festival attendees can visit the International Marketplace, which will feature artisans from all over the world. Offerings will include paintings, sculpture, clothing, jewelry, and other items. In past years exhibitors have come from such diverse places as Jamaica, Haiti, South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Brazil, Canada, and India. The kids will be entertained at the Childrens Educational Village. This years theme will be Destination Africa and Beyond. There will be musical entertainment all weekend from the concert stage. Local and international chefs will be giving cooking demonstrations at the Publix Healthy Cooking Pavilion. Attendees can learn to prepare healthy and balanced foods as well as enjoy tasty samples. All of these activities are free to the public.
Several other free events are planned during the festival. City Gallery at Chastain will present JOuvert: At the Devils Playground, featuring the work of Jamaican born photographer Radcliffe Roye. The exhibition, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of Jamaican independence, will run from June 14-July 28. An artist talk is planned for June 30 from 1-3pm. Pre-registration is required for the talk. Jah Music- A Celebration of Traditional Jamaican Music, featuring the Tallawah Mento Band, will take place on June 24 at the Auburn Avenue Research Library. The program is scheduled for 3-5pm, and pre-registration is required.
There will be two free screenings of A Raisin in the Sun at the Southwest Arts Center. This will be the original film version of Lorraine Hansberrys play starring Claudia McNeil, Sidney Poitier, and Ruby Dee. Screening dates are July 6, and a special screening for seniors and students on July 11.
The Hagedorn Foundation Gallery will host an exhibition of intimate photos of Michael Jackson by his personal photographer, Todd Gray. The Gray Room with Act 1 of the Performance Piece, Caliban in the Mirror is scheduled for July 6-August 31. The Coretta Scott King Book Fair will be held on July 11 at the Central Branch of the Atlanta Fulton Library. Attendees will meet award winning author Walter Dean Myers and award winning illustrator Michele Wood. The event is free, but pre-registration is required.
The festival also includes several ticketed events. Those events include a gala fundraiser and tribute to actress Ruby Dee on July 14. The play Guess Whos Coming to Dinner? will run July 10-29. There will be an exhibition of the art of Vivian Schuyler Key at the Hammonds House Museum and the exhibition Rise Up: Hale Woodruffs Murals from Talladega College at the High Museum of Art. A benefit event for the National Black Arts Festival, Slavery By Another Name: The Dialogue is planned for July 12.
Concussion Protection For Mixed Martial Arts & Judo
Mixed Martial Arts is a dangerous sport; many fighters end up with serious brain and head injuries if they are not using the proper Concussion Protection. Mouth guards are an essential protection item for Mixed Martial Arts fighter and while most mouthpieces will only protect directly the upper jaw, fighters agree; a solid and strong mouth guard protecting the upper and lower jaw decreases the risk of head injuries, helps keeping the eyes open even during impact and minimizes the chances of getting knocked out during combat.
The WPR-300 High Performance mouth guard from Brain-Pad, for example, is a revolutionary Concussion Protection specifically designed for Mixed Martial Arts fighters. This specific mouthpiece protects efficiently the lower jaw and the upper jaw while allowing for better breathing it also absorbs blows otherwise destined for the skull or the head. Many world-renowned Mixed Martial Arts fighters have been openly advertising wearing similar mouth guards; Cung Le, Frank Shamrock, Jerome LeBanner, Jorge Rivera and Mat Horwich have all agreed that the protection offered by a type of mouthpiece like the WPR-300 is far superior to an upper-mouth only protection.
To avoid any serious head injuries related to concussive blows, it is important to wear the proper type of mouth guard when practicing Mixed Martial Arts. Effective Concussion Protection will give fighters a chance to breathe properly, to increase their chances of winning a fight instead of getting knocked out and to lengthen their career by minimizing potential injuries.
It might be a bit puzzling at times to try and find the right Concussion Protection for Judo. The ultimate goal is to find a mouth guard, or mouthpiece, that will protect you from possible head trauma and reduce the risks for brain injuries. The main feature in Judo is the competitive feature the object is to throw the opponent on the ground, by immobilize him or otherwise subdue the opponent during the combat. Such practice needs good protection; the ideal Concussion Protection for Judo will be something like the Brain Pad 3XS.
The 3XS is designed especially for athletes practicing high-impact sports. It is conceived especially to help absorb the impact of concussive blows to the base of the skull. It protects both the upper and lower jaw, which is a rare feature for any type of mouth guards but can greatly make a difference in the level of comfort of an athlete. It features high impact gel-pad inserts, extended wrap-around outer bumper and tapered channel ends to offer the maximum level of comfort, protect against impacts and blows and allow for maximum breathing through the windows at the front, unlike many other mouth guards used for Judo.
For any Judo athlete, Concussion Protection is a main concern and should not be addressed lightly. Finding the right Concussion Protection for Judo is essential head injuries can be traumatic experience and leave your brain damaged. Using a mouthpiece like the 3XS can increase your chances of winning but can also save your life and optimize your fighting experience.
For more information on high-quality mouth guards, visit BrainPads.
[Top]Is Martial Arts Equal Self-Defence
The answer is no. No doubt what you learn from combative arts classes could be used for self-defence but they are just not self-defence. In reality, what you have learnt from the martial arts classes have nothing to do with the realities of protecting your personal safety. But again, we constantly attempt to find out what is the best combative arts for someone to learn about self-defence.
Realise this, if self-defence is what you are looking for, most of the martial arts school will not be able to offer you that, especially on staying safe in a modern urban environment. You may ask why do you say so?
1. Self-defence has something to do with “defusing violence”.
Violence can originate from an argument, physical contact, a date rape, a drunk friend, a fight, etc. They are all violence. Do you know that these pose different problems and there are different solutions?. How many martial arts school’s syllabus actually teach the students about how to response to such a situation? Do you think by breaking board will help you in “defusing violence”? Different violent situations will require different levels of response. You will learn such level of response in self-defense lessons but not combative arts.
2. Martial arts emphasis on fighting style.
As you know each violence situation differs, self-defense is the answer in dealing with it. Remember this, what works for one situation may not work for another. Martial arts emphasis on fighting style. Form is more important than substance. But for self-defence, your personal safety is the priority. You learn how to defuse violence or getting out of that situation. It encompasses common sense, habits, lifestyle, alertness etc.
3. Martial arts are training but not education on how to deal with violence.
Martial arts are training and sports. People constantly mistaken it for education. Self-defence by its very nature addresses specific conditions and problems. Do you think the SWAT officer’s high risk entry training is of good help in controlling a drunk in a bar? Of course not. The training that works for such an officer doesn’t work for you as well. Self defence requires education and training. In combative arts, you will learn very specific things, however, that surely doesn’t mean that you are prepared to handle all violence situations. You need to be educated about what martial art techniques can be used for self-defence in each and every different circumstances.
You must know that most martial arts have become sports regardless their combative history or self-defence use they claim. There’ is a huge difference between sport fighting and defensive movement. If you still think that any martial art could be used for self-defence then you are exposing yourself to the danger.
[Top]Your New Home For Performing Arts Information
Performing is not just a career, but it is also a passion; a passion that you cant resist. Others may say that performing on stage is like expressing ones self and later on you can say that, “Hey, this is me. This is the real me.” If your aim is to perform, then you must achieve your aspiration. But first, you must have enough information on your goal to obtain ideas that you can make use of.
Performing Arts Information Site divulges information for performers. This site is actually specifically made to assist entertainers getting together, to locate great source information as well as excellent abilities all over the world. These types of performers consist of stars, sports athletes, dancers, artists, versions, artists, in addition to performers.
You want to know Brad Pitt, Beyonce, T. Lo, Celine Dion, Tyra Banks and Alicia Keys secrets? It may look like a diverse list, nevertheless every one of these individuals offers something in common. Persistance, detramation, self belief, good resources, great teams, management, and FAITH!
For all those people who would like to end up being stars, sportsmen, dancers, artists, music artists as well as performers, you are able to search and find out ideas with this website. Learn how to train and see what resources other professionals use to achieve success, within their career, audiences, management, agents, company directors, supervisors, choreographers, creatives or even conductors.
Individuals who succeed are usually innovative, and passionate about their chosen field. Perseverance, dedication, in addition to endurance is the skills that performers need to obtain to succeed in the entertainment world. Being self employed or making the performing arts your business, means you need to produce a profitable income from your talents.
You will get to know all these things, where? Performingartsinfo.com. This website is devoted to upholding the spirit of “Performing Arts” where performing artists, performing administration, and even the spectators may partake in the trading of artistic and cultural thoughts. People who sign up for the powerful resources in our email subscription will love much more possibilities than in the past whether performing arts is a hobby, lifestyle or a career choice. Visit Performingartsinfo.com today!
[Top]OKC Arts Festival
The OKC Arts Festival or Festival of the Arts hosts performances of performing arts, visual arts and culinary arts, and there’s something for the entire community to enjoy. The 2009 OKC Festival of the Arts will be held from April 21-26 at the Festival Plaza, Stage Center and the Myriad Botanical Gardens in Downtown Oklahoma City.
144 Plaza Artists from all over the United States would be among those exhibiting in the Visual Arts category on Hudson Avenue. The Myriad Gardens would be hosting an exhibit of kinetic art called the Windscapes, while you could find a really large-scale exhibit of SculpturePark in the Stage Center Lawn. Under the Performing Arts category there would be street performers as well as non-stop entertainment and performing arts in four stages. Food lovers can sample culinary masterpieces by vendors who participate in the International Food Row held under the Culinary Arts category.
Children and families have great hands-on activities to get involved in the Children’s Area, costing only $2. Pottery Place and Creation Station are the other venues ideal for families to visit, and they can also check out face painting. The shopping venue for children only, the Young-At-Art Mart will include affordably priced artwork at or below $5.
The Festival of the Arts OKC has been held since 1967 in the city. Admission to the 2009 OKC Arts Festival is free and the timings are 11 AM to 9 PM Tuesday to Saturday, 11 AM to 6 PM on Sunday. Pets aren’t allowed.
Visitors to the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts from outside the city or state can stay conveniently in reputable OKC hotels, partaking of their innate warmth and hospitality.
The OKC Arts Festival hosts performances of performing arts, visual arts and culinary arts. Hotels Oklahoma City – The Bricktown Hotel and Convention Center is one of the finest hotels of OKC and is located only 1.5 miles from Downtown’s Bricktown center.
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