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Dynamic Duo Sarasota Challenge gives local couple the chance to learn the art of ballroom dance — and fall in love all over again.

‘Cirque Des Voix’ Music and the circus arts pair up for an unforgettable performance. PAGE 4

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Art in Silos Artists talk a lot about collaboration, but this exhibit explores creating in a vacuum. PAGE 6

SEE THIS

Masterworks The Titans did not fail to disappoint in this performance. PAGE 12

NIKI KOTTMANN BLACK TIE REPORTER

Peter Walsh recently learned to walk again.

Or, rather, that’s the metaphor he uses to describe how foreign it felt learning the proper way to cross a dance floor with his wife, Carrie, during their recent ballroom dance classes — his first dance lessons of any kind.

The pair started taking lessons in November from Joshua Alexander at Empire Ballroom Studios after deciding they want to surprise their friends with a choreographed routine at their 20th wedding anniversary. The celebration will be their third vow renewal — they “get married” every five years — and this time it will be May 21 in Napa Valley, California.

Five minutes into an interaction

with them, the couple’s choice of anniversary festivities begins to make sense.

“They know that we’re taking dance lessons, but they think that’s just something fun that we decided to do together,” Carrie says of the five couples joining them for the celebration. “Most people think we’re crazy anyway.”

Some might agree after learnSEE PAGE 2

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Taking a new step FROM PAGE 1

ing what the couple agreed to do after a couple months of lessons.

Carrie and Peter will compete in the Sarasota Challenge ballroom dance competition March 26 at Hyatt Regency Sarasota. It will be their first time performing in front of a crowd other than a small “mini match” held Feb. 5 at the studio.

Alexander persuaded the pair to perform in the mini match by purposefully forgetting to inform them there would be a judge, meaning it was less of a showcase and more akin to a legitimate ballroom dance competition.

“We certainly didn’t know what we were showing up for because we brought a couple bottles of wine, and the judge was like, ‘You’re not opening that yet,’” Carrie says. “We thought it was kind of a party.”

“It was!” Alexander says in response.

“In the end,” Carrie replies.

After she danced 64 dances over five hours, that is.

BALLROOM EDUCATOR

Photos by Niki Kottmann

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

IF YOU GO SARASOTA CHALLENGE When: Saturday, March 25 and Sunday, March 26 Where: Hyatt Regency Sarasota Tickets: From $65 for professional shows to $185 for formal dinner and show Info: Call 800-619-4252.

Pocius, owner of Empire Ballroom Studios, says he has continued to dance since childhood because he loves competitions.

He believes ballroom dancers are lucky because not every genre of dance offers the competition experience.

In his native Lithuania, Pocius says it was not uncommon to open the local newspaper and find the results from the previous week’s ballroom dance competition. He understands that’s not the case in the U.S. because, unlike many European countries, ballroom isn’t considered a sport. But he says he felt obligated to create an outlet for the public to gain a better understanding of the dance genre.

“I wanted to extend my experience — my love for dance competitions, to Sarasota,” he says.

Peter and Carrie agree that ballroom dance — and especially preparing for a competition — is much harder than they ever anticipated.

“Half of it is learning how to dance and half of it is learning how to actually walk and place your feet and transfer your weight — things you think you’ve known how to do since you were a kid,” Peter says. “Just placing your feet and being intentional with it — it’s surprisingly strange to be so intentional.”

Another obstacle for Peter is that in ballroom dance, the male partner is expected to be the leader, meaning it falls on him to decide what step to take next, what direction to move, when to turn Carrie, etc.

The weight of this responsibility becomes clear upon learning that, at a traditional ballroom dance competition, there is no such thing as a choreographed dance routine. Instead, competitors are broken into categories by skill level and subgenre — tango, foxtrot, etc. Once they hit the floor with nine of so other couples, they don’t know what song is going to play. All they know is the style of dance they’ll be performing. The second the music begins, their feet have to start moving.

When asked what the biggest challenge has been for her, Carrie is quick to respond: “everything.”

It’s easy to dance in a club after she’s had a few drinks, she says, because she doesn’t care what she

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Joshua Alexander practices with Carrie Walsh during rehearsal on March 17 at Empire Dance Studios.

Sid Pocius created the Sarasota Challenge dance competition nine years ago because, when he first moved here from Lithuania in 2001, he was shocked to find the city had no contest.

“There are much cheaper venues in Fort Myers or St. Pete, but I love Sarasota and that’s my motivation, that’s my mission.”

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looks like. On the ballroom floor, however, she has to remember the steps while trying not to look ridiculous.

The Walshes agree the physical exertion required for ballroom is another challenge they didn’t expect.

“It’s a lot of work,” Carrie says.

“And it is a workout. After the first few classes that we did, we were sore everywhere. Our arms were sore, our shoulder were sore.”

“Even just holding up your arm in the frame,” Peter adds. “You wouldn’t think just doing this (he demonstrates a hold) is giving you a workout, but it is actually using your upper body muscles.”

The two say they also have trouble staying focused during lessons — especially when there are so many things to be aware of.

“If I’m thinking about my feet, I’m giving Carrie spaghetti arms,” Peter says. “Women are so good at multitasking, and men are not, and I’m particularly bad at it, so I focus on my feet or on my frame or on the next thing.

Carrie’s focus issues stems more from her inability to forget about all the other things she has to do when she leaves the studio.

She says when she’s practicing with Alexander, he often makes a funny face to make her laugh and snap her back into reality because he can tell that she’s not totally present.

Alexander and Peter agree that when ballroom dancers are finally able to stay focused on the dance and clear their head of anything else, the reward is a nice escape from the outside world.

“Half of it is learning how to dance and half of it is learning how to actually walk and place your feet and transfer your weight — things you think you’ve known how to do since you were a kid. Just placing your feet and being intentional with it — it’s surprisingly strange to be so intentional.”

— Peter Walsh

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

3

BALLROOM LESSONS Empire Dance Studios Owner Sid Pocius says at a time of great division in America, ballroom dancing offers a chance for people to come together over a beautiful art form.

“It’s a feel-good event,” he says. “We have beautiful music, people smiling.

People are happy, so you’re going to feel good. We need more feel-good events, especially at this day and age.

There will be no time and space for politics.”

He also believes the formal nature of ballroom dancing and the competitions in particular makes it the perfect medium for teaching etiquette.

“We’re losing manners for gentlemen and manners for ladies,” Pocius says. “This art promotes manners, so it’s a good educational tool.”

This is the ninth Sarasota Challenge ballroom dance competition that Empire Dance Studios Owner Sid Pocius has organized.

BETTER TOGETHER

Although they always leave exhausted, there’s a reason why the Walshes continue their 90-minute lessons two or three times a week — and then practice in their living room at home.

“We wanted to do something together that we’ve never done before, and Carrie’s a huge fan of ‘Dancing With The Stars,’ so we thought let’s try ballroom dancing — if we can find someone who can teach us, that is,” Peter says of their decision to start. “Joshua was the brave fool who stepped up to that challenge.”

The couple agrees that Alexander’s fun-loving teaching style is what’s made this experience truly enjoyable.

“We’ve made a super friend in Josh, and we really, really look forward to coming and hanging out with him,” Carrie adds.

“We’re trying to do things that are completely not natural for us.

But he makes us comfortable — he makes us laugh, we make him laugh.”

But ballroom lessons are more than a fun experience that has led them to a new friend.

The Walshes start and end every ballroom lesson with a kiss. The way they look at each other while they dance shows they share a genuine, loving connection that is expressed on the ballroom floor.

“This is actually time that we spend together, just the two of us, and I just love that,” Peter says.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

THURSDAY GREAT ESCAPES 5: ‘SOUNDS OF AMERICA’ 7:30 p.m. at Holley Hall, 709 N. Tamiami Trail, $38 Call 953-3434.

Sousa; Copland; Gershwin; Does it get any more American?

Sarasota Orchestra showcases some of America’s most defining musicians in this concert. Runs through Sunday.

‘BORN YESTERDAY’ 7:30 p.m. at Asolo Repertory Theatre, 5555 N. Tamiami Trail $27 to $80 Call 351-8000.

A Broadway triumph and 1950 Academy Award-nominated film, this comedy packs an important message on politics and empowerment. Runs through April 15.

FRIDAY JAZZ AT 2: MARC MANNINO AND FRIENDS 2 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 3975 Fruitville Road $15; $10 for members Call 366-1552.

Guitarist Marc Mannino performs with trombonist George Mancini, bassist John Miller, drummer Bob Lunergan and vocalist Shari Morningstar.

ROB SCHNEIDER 7 and 9:30 p.m. at McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, 1923 Ringling Blvd. $38 Call 925-3869.

The Rob man. Makin’ jokes.

Rob Schneider, former “Saturday Night Live” star who created such quoted characters as the copy machine guy, has also starred in the “Deuce Bigalow” movies, as well as numerous Adam Sandler films. Schneider

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performs at McCurdy’s through Saturday.

‘CIRQUE DES VOIX’ 7 p.m. at the Circus Arts Conservatory Big Top UTC, 140 University Town Center Drive $20 to $55 Call 355-9805.

Circus Sarasota and Key Chorale present this blend of high-flying circus arts and live choral music.

Runs through Sunday.

‘DIALOGUES OF THE CARMELITES’ 7:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. $19 to $135 Call 328-1300.

The Sarasota Opera presents this 1953 opera in three acts by Francis Poulenc, which tells a harrowing, fictionalized version of the story of the Martyrs of Compiègne. Set during the French Revolution’s infamous “Reign of Terror,” a group of Carmelite nuns were guillotined in Paris for refusing to renounce their religion. Centered on Blanche de la Force, who joins a Carmelite order to devote her life to God, her story explores the true meaning of faith.

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SATURDAY

9TH ANNUAL SARASOTA CHALLENGE BALLROOM DANCE COMPETITION DINNER 7 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Sarasota, 1000 Boulevard of the Arts $185 Call 799-0800.

DON’T MISS ‘UNFORGETTABLE’ Curated by Mark Ormond, ‘Unforgettable’ features works by Craig Rubadoux, Dolores Coe and Dee Hood. Rubadoux is considered a Sarasota master. Coe will show seven new paintings, and Hood’s video work was recently accepted to the Cannes Film Festival. Runs through April 1.

IF YOU GO When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday Where: Allyn Gallup Contemporary Art, 1288 N. Palm Ave. Tickets: Free Info: Call 366-2454.

SUNDAY ‘SIBLING REVELRY’ WITH LIZ CALLAWAY AND ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY 3 p.m. at Church of the Palms, 3224 Bee Ridge Road $45 Call 306-1202.

Artist Series Concerts of Sarasota brings the world-famous Callaway Sisters to perform locally. Ann Hampton Callaway is considered a great jazz pianist and singer, and Tony-nominated singer Liz Callaway starred in “Cats” for five years on Broadway, along with “Merrily We Roll Along” and the original cast of “Miss Saigon.” The two will present their classic, “Sibling Revelry.”

To close out the opera season, hear your favorite arias and ensembles featuring the Sarasota Opera Orchestra, chorus and soloists, under the direction of maestro Victor DeRenzi.

COOLIN’ UNDER THE BIG TOP 7 p.m. at Big Top Brewing Co., 6111 B Porter Way Free Call 371-2939.

ONLINE Find more information on these events and more at

YourObserver.com.

NICK’S PICK

WHISKEY OBSESSION FESTIVAL KICKOFF DINNER

SPRING OPERA SPECTACULAR 7:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Opera House, 61 N. Pineapple Ave. Tickets $19 to $99 Call 328-1300.

This pro-am ballroom dance competition returns for its ninth year, featuring participants from all over the world dancing at The Hyatt. Continues Sunday.

Art, Rhymes & Beer presents the second installation in its monthly Coolin’ Under The Big Top series, featuring live music, live art and locally crafted food. Live musical performances include DJ Eyez,

A Chicago transplant is shocked to learn his new small farm town has outlawed dancing and rock ‘n’ roll music. Runs through April 9.

Entering its fifth year, the Whiskey Obsession Festival is back and bigger than ever. In fact, this year, the event will become the largest festival of its kind in the country. Featuring 2,500 guests, whiskeys from around the world and 25 different classes and tastings spanning four days, Whiskey Obsession lives up to its name.

This year, things kick off with

MONDAY NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND 8 p.m. at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall, 7777 N. Tamiami Trail $36 to $56 Call 953-3368.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, known for its hits, “Fishin’ In the Dark” and a cover of “Mr. Bojangles,” perform in Sarasota.

SPICE: SAL MARINA 7 p.m. at Baker & Wife, 2157 Siesta Drive $75 Call 960-1765.

Spice Pop-Up Restaurant presents a celebration of seafood.

The Circus Arts Conservatory & Key Chorale present

Cirque des Voix ®

a dinner at the Sarasota Yacht Club, followed by a cocktail academy with industry experts, a VIP dinner, tasting and discussion with whiskey panel experts and of course, the grand tasting and after-party. New this year, the festival wraps up with a downtown street party featuring live music, food and drinks.

IF YOU GO When: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday Where: Sarasota Yacht Club, 1100 John Ringling Blvd.

Tickets: $125 Info: Call 400-9880

The five-course meal includes blueberry-cured salmon or oyster with blueberry mignonette, fresh catch fish ceviche, steamed mussels, sous vide swordfish and banana bread, as well as live music.

WEDNESDAY CELTIC BRASS 4 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2256 Bahia Vista St. $20 Call 928-0296.

The First Brass of Sarasota presents this concert, in which brass, bagpipers, drums and dancers lead a musical journey to the shores of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Galicia and Breton.

THIS WEEKEND ONLY! Unique & Exhilarating Featuring Circus Artists, the 100+ voices of Key Chorale and the Cirque Orchestra

FRI MAR 24 – SUN MAR 26 Nathan Benderson Park, behind The Mall at UTC

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The concept is simple: Chug a beer; run a quarter-mile; repeat, then tag your partner to do the same, until you’ve run a mile, collectively. Cost includes admission, the four in-race beers, a post-race beer and a T-shirt.

Awards for fastest male, fastest female, best costume and first to throw up.

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‘FOOTLOOSE’ 7:30 p.m. at the Players Centre For Performing Arts, 838 N. Tamiami Trail $25 to $30 Call 365-2494.

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THE BEER MILE 5 p.m. at Mr. Beery’s, 2645 Mall Drive $20 Call 343-2854.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Monteasy and Ocean Symphony, a.k.a. Michael Mendez. Luther Rosebaro and Sean Snapp will create interactive live art. Full Belly Stuffed Burgers, chef Craig B. Chasky and PizzaSRQ will provide food. A silent auction and raffle will benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

‘GIRL GROUPS: THE ‘60S EXPLOSION’ 2 and 8 p.m. at the Westcoast Black Theatre, 1646 10th Way $39.50; $22 for students and active military Call 366-1505.

Turn back the clock with Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe to the days when girl groups ruled the airwaves. Created and directed by founder and director Nate Jacobs, this musical revue features the music of groups including The Shirelles, The Marvelettes, The Supremes and The ShangriLas. Runs through April 9.

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CURATION AS ART

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Nathan Skiles returns to Art Center Sarasota with Spectrum II, an exercise in isolated collaboration.

NICK FRIEDMAN A+E MANAGING EDITOR

Nathan Skiles doesn’t like to collaborate. He prefers to contaminate.

Spectrum II, the latest exhibit he’s curating at Art Center Sara-

sota, embodies this outlook. In the installation, which is a follow-up to last season’s Spectrum, Skiles makes curation as much a part of the art as the work itself.

“The idea came about last season, when I was offered an opportunity to collaborate,” he says.

“But sometimes, I’m a bit suspi-

cious of what that might mean.

I thought, ‘What if I changed it to contaminate?’ I wanted to see how artists’ completed individual works affected one another, as opposed to creating something harmonious, together.”

Working with three visual artists, he forages bits of each of their work, presenting it in a way that provokes them to see their work in a new light and viewers to see how they complement and con-

flict with one another.

To do this, he insisted the artists work in isolation. He didn’t even allow them to know who else was participating. Selecting local artists with whom he was familiar with their styles, he prompted them each with a few topics and left them to their work.

“If you let people work in the dark, you have an opportunity to produce something unforeseen,” he says. “If they worked together,

Nick Friedman

Shawn Pettersen’s work for Spectrum II focuses on outer space as a hopeful frontier.

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they might manicure it to death and create something really unified. This way, they can be themselves separately and produce conflicts, both visually and in content.”

Skiles, an artist and Ringling College of Art and Design professor, says this approach is a logical extension of his own work, which he describes as piecemeal creations — Frankenstein-esque assemblies of dissimilar, even contradictory fragments pieced together to create something whole.

When we spoke, Skiles was in Belgium, buying antique wallpaper and other fabrics to bring back to his studio to replicate, accent, reproduce, or otherwise alter it into a final work.

He follows a similar approach in Spectrum II, sifting through elements of the participating artists’ work and cultivating them into a new, cohesive whole. The challenge, he says, is to make them work together aesthetically while doing justice to each idea.

“It’s like a person making a soup,” he says. “Some ingredients are too salty, so you add something else. You move ingredients around until you get harmony — the flavor you’re trying to get. And I want to find some way to make them see their work in a new way.”

The artists in this proverbial soup include Shawn Pettersen, who Skiles says has a more esoteric style with a restless, melancholy character.

“There’s a darkness about where we’re at and an optimism about the future, especially in terms of outer space as a frontier,” says Skiles. “So, I wanted to bring in someone whose work was more playful to play against that.”

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IF YOU GO SPECTRUM II When: Runs through April 21 Where: Art Center Sarasota, 707 N. Tamiami Trail Tickets: Free Info: Call 365-2032.

OD O F

ART CENTER SARASOTA’S CYCLE 4 ALSO INCLUDES “Beginning to End” by Peppi Elona; Intangible Corporeal, curated by Dustin Juengel and “From Within,” an open, all-media juried exhibition.

On view through April 21.

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Cody Berringer’s impressionistic work, dealing in light and color, and incorporating synthetic and natural patterns reminiscent of “Miami Vice,” fit the bill.

Caitlin Burns, the final artist in the exhibit, interprets Florida politics through a pop-culture lens, often using digital elements.

Skiles will use three gallery walls to showcase one artist’s work, with the other two’s work contrasted in front. He hopes viewers will look for common threads in the art, as well as the way in which they differ.

“I want people to first simply experience the exhibit before dissecting it,” he says. “It may elicit more reaction than critique. The goal is to see if we can find some commonality or conflict between these elements, and to see how these artists’ work contaminates each other.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

The world’s a stage

For five years, Asolo Repertory Theatre has explored the American character. In its 2017-18 season, the repertory theater is thinking globally.

NICK FRIEDMAN A+E MANAGING EDITOR

For the past five years, Asolo Repertory Theatre has looked inward.

Through its American Character Project, its programming has asked what it truly means to be an American.

Subtitled, “Our Lives On Stage,” the project, through its plays and musicals, has explored our country’s roots and identity, telling stories about its formative people, issues and events.

Racially charged productions, such as “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” and “Josephine,” political character studies, such as “The Originalist” and “The Great Society,” and religiously focused plays, such as “Disgraced,” seek to define the American experience.

On Monday, March 20, Asolo Repertory Theatre announced its 2017-18 season, called “Staging Our World: Here and Now.” Kicking off Nov. 18, the season will widen its focus to include stories on a global scale, while presenting issues relevant to our Don’t worry, political and cultural landscape.

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“To me, it’s not wrapping up,” he says. “The American Character Project has done so many things.

One of them is that it’s opened our perception, and caused us to look at the stories we want to tell from around the world. The American Character Project has not let me go. But I knew we had to open the aperture to include a bigger, broader world.”

Edwards offered his insights on next season’s productions.

‘EVITA’ NOV. 18-DEC. 30

Courtesy photo

Asolo Repertory Theatre Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards says the upcoming season will take an expanded view, with productions that are relevant on a global scale.

“We wanted to start with a musical that immediately took us away from America,” says Edwards.

“The story does that, and it also features a non-American composer.”

The 1976 musical centers on

Courtesy photo

Director and choreographer Josh Rhodes returns to Asolo Rep for his sixth show with “Evita.”

the life, rise to power and death of Argentine political figure Eva Perón. Edwards says it’s a musical that’s had an impact on him personally, and it’s possibly Asolo’s largest production to date, with a cast of 29, including children and a big band.

With lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the music features the return of director and choreographer Josh Rhodes in his sixth Asolo production.

‘SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE’ JAN. 13-MARCH 31, 2018

Adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, from the film by the same name, “Shakespeare in Love” has been on Edwards’ wish list for the theater since its 2014 opening in London. Now Asolo Rep will be the third U.S. theater to present it.

Working with Disney Theatrical Productions and Chicago Shakespeare Theater as producing partners, Asolo Rep will stage this love tragedy in its regional premiere. Rachel Rockwell directs, offering a behind-thescenes look at the writing of one of the most famous love stories.

“This is a wonderful love story about the creation of ‘Romeo and Juliet,” says Edwards. “It’s a fabulous romantic comedy about

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

9

THE FSU/ASOLO CONSERVATORY’S 2017-18 SEASON INCLUDES: ‘Oedipus’ Nov. 1-19

By Sophocles Directed by Greg Leaming ‘The Motherf***er With the Hat Jan. 3-21, 2018

By Stephen Adly Guirgis ‘The Rehearsal’ Feb. 21-March 11, 2018

By Jean Anouilh

File photo

Courtesy photo

“Roe” at Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 2016

Shakespeare falling in love, but it’s also championing for why art matters in the first place. It was a perfect fit for us.”

‘MORNING AFTER GRACE’ JAN. 20-MARCH 4, 2018

To counter balance the previous story of young love, “Morning After Grace,” a 2016 play written

by Carey Crim, offers a story of romance later in life.

Peter Amster, who previously directed “Deathtrap,” “The Perfume Shop” and “This Wonderful Life” at Asolo Rep, will return to direct “Morning After Grace.”

Set in a “not-so-distant Florida retirement home,” the play tells the story of a couple that finds love in an unexpected place, when they meet at a funeral.

“It’s a story about people who think their lives are over,” he says.

“They find that they’re not.”

‘RHINOCEROS’ FEB. 9-APRIL 14, 2018

Written by French avant-garde playwright Eugéne Ionesco in 1959, “Rhinoceros” is considered one of the most important, yet rarely performed theatrical pieces of the 20th century.

“Rhinoceros,” tells the story of a small French village whose residents, one by one, transform into rhinoceroses. All, that is, but Bérenger, a heedless everyman, and the play’s main character.

Through its absurdity, this philosophical play tackles issues of conformity and mob mentality and has been considered a criticism of rising communism, fascism and Nazism in pre-WWII Europe. Frank Galati directs, working with the Ionesco estate to make some cuts and make the play more accessible to a contemporary audience.

Frank Galati will work with the Eugéne Ionesco estate to make several cuts to “Rhinoceros,” to make it more accessible to a modern audience.

Courtesy photo

“It’s a great European play, but there is certainly a metaphorical connection to the pressures people here are feeling today,” says Edwards. “It has striking comedic elements, but it’s a provocative political parable. It’s a play that needs to be seen and heard now, and that excites us.”

‘ROE’ MARCH 16-APRIL 14, 2018

This 2016 play by Lisa Loomer, directed by Lavina Jadhwani, centers on an especially topical issue, both in the United States and the world abroad.

“Roe” unfolds like a docu-drama, following the story of the two women at the center of the Roe v.

Wade Supreme Court case, from start to near present day.

“All voices involved get an authentic representation,” says Edwards.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ 2015 play, “Gloria,” takes an intense look at life in the contemporary workplace.

‘GLORIA’ APRIL 6-29, 2018, IN THE COOK THEATRE

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has been called one of the most talented, unpredictable voices in contemporary theater. As Michael Donald Edwards puts it, “We’re lucky he hasn’t yet been snatched up by TV and movies.”

His 2015 play, “Gloria,” joins the Asolo Rep this season. The play is set in present-day Manhattan, in the corporate publishing industry, where young employees struggle to find footholds at a time when older employees are living longer, healthier lives — and remaining in their jobs longer.

The play, an intense examination of modern professional life, deals with loss and grief and the people who attempt to exploit —

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even monetize it.

The production takes place in the Cook Theatre, where Edwards says he hopes it will engage an enthusiastic, younger audience and benefit from a more intimate setting.

‘RAGTIME’ MAY 4-27, 2018

The once enormous “Ragtime,” among the most influential musicals of the 20th century, brings show-stopping flair to the season, with scaled-down treatment by director Peter Rothstein.

“Where we normally open with a world-premiere musical, this is a whole new version of ‘Ragtime,’” says Edwards.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

RED AND WHITE

ALL OVER Wine Walk to Cà d’Zan returns, pitting wine’s two main varieties against one another to raise money to maintain John and Mable Ringling’s historic mansion.

NICK FRIEDMAN A+E MANAGING EDITOR

Every year, wine enthusiasts meet at the Cà d’Zan to mingle, sample food and taste a variety of wines with a stunning view of the bayfront. They’re not only enjoying one of Sarasota’s most scenic locations; they’re also helping to preserve a piece of its history.

The annual Wine Walk to Cà d’Zan is a self-guided wine-tasting tour of the Ringling grounds that ends at the historic mansion that served as the home of John and Mable Ringling.

It’s the primary annual fundraiser for the Cà d’Zan Preservation Fund, which oversees annual repairs and maintenance of the estate.

The event features food from Sarasota caterers, including Fête Catering, Onsite Modern Events,

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On March 31, the Wine Walk to Cà d’Zan will enjoy its fifth year with a new theme: red or white.

The playful branding asks guests to pick a side in the proverbial wine-color tug of war (rosé, of course, is somewhere in the middle and will have its own station, in addition to a beer garden) before embarking on the tour, which features several tasting areas, as well as live music by DJ Imminent.

“We wanted to play with that idea,” says Public Functions Coordinator Stevie Ramsey. “We loved the idea of people picking their sides, then going on their own path through the different food and drink stations.”

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Public Functions Coordinator Alyssa Esteban, Brandon Clayton and Jessica Collard illustrate ths year’s theme, which pits red and white wines against one another.

mansion’s eight air conditioners, some of the exterior terra cotta and its grout and the roof of the gold bedroom, which has consistent water issues.

For him, the event serves as a reminder of what the Cà d’Zan represents.

“I love when people come and see what the house would have been like during a party the Ringlings would have thrown,” he says.

“I’ve been here 36 years, and I’ve grown to love the estate and the legacy of John and Mable and appreciate that it’s such a prominent part of Sarasota’s history. It’s important to preserve it in a way they would have, if they were here to do so.”

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The function raises money to keep the mansion looking like it might have when the Ringlings hosted a party there in the 1920s. Located just feet from the harsh bayfront environment, the Cà d’Zan is in a constant battle against the forces of nature.

Ron McCarty, keeper of the Cà d’Zan, says the efforts to maintain the estate are never-ending. With an operating budget between $150,000 and $200,000, the museum’s main battles are with the estate’s handmade terra cotta, windows and patio marble, all of which endure the brunt of the bayfront Last year’s event raised $78,540 in revenue. This year, McCarty says he hopes to replace the

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REVIEWS

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A ‘Titan’ of a program at Sarasota Orchestra’s Masterworks concert JUNE LEBELL MUSIC CRITIC

Putting works by Bernstein, Tchaikovsky and Mahler on the same program may not make much sense when you first look at it, but when you think they’re all Titans of music, it makes all the sense in the universe. And that’s exactly what Sarasota Orchestra Music Director Anu Tali did in this past weekend’s Masterworks VI series.

Beginning with a sprightly Overture to Bernstein’s opera, “Candide,” the concert got off to a fast start with the orchestra sounding spry and agile.

Maybe a little too spry for my taste. It was one of the fastest readings of this well-known, beloved overture, and in its straight-forward performance, it passed over some of the nuances Bernstein wrote into the score. Tali seemed to lose track of some of the melodic lines, giving us a reading that lost some of the intrinsic color and humor Bernstein wove into the work.

Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on a Rococo Theme” came next but in an unusual setting.

Originally written for cello and orchestra, this performance featured virtuoso flugelhorn player Sergei Nakariakov, not only in his transcription but

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

also on an instrument that sported an extra valve so he could adjust to the range of the cello, keep the work in the original key and with only minor adjustments. It came out with a mellow, cello-like warmth that made his unusual instrument into something sounding like a cross between a French horn and a trumpet.

Nakariakov is a virtuoso player, be it on flugelhorn or trumpet, and to prove the point, he followed the Tchaikovsky with an encore that delighted the audience: a set of theme and variations for “The Carnival of Venice” that showed off the soloist’s double and triple tonguing and buttery sound. It’s actually not a big sound for a brass player, but it’s so musical and sensitive, it makes one want to listen forever.

Tali and the orchestra were excellent accompanists throughout both works, giving support and adding color to these familiar works.

The entire second half of the program was given over to Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D, “The Titan,” in an unusual but agreeable performance.

Like many conductors these days, Tali chose to drop the fifth movement, which was discarded by Mahler, himself, making this a shorter, more

concise work. But, like the Tchaikovsky that preceded it, this symphony is filled with folk material, including one movement based on what we know as “Frère Jacques” in a somber, minor mode, and a few songs from Mahler’s own “Songs of a Wayfarer,” plus allusions to music by Engelbert Humperdinck (“Hansel and Gretel”) and a bit of Richard Strauss here and there.

I found this a well-constructed symphonic reading that Tali tied up neatly by starting it and driving it to the conclusion with a very pastoral feeling, almost like a village awakening, yawning and stretching and finally getting down to business. For my taste, there was too much business, too much seriousness, and not enough of Mahler’s contrasts, playfulness and dancing. Mahler purposely wrote a Klezmer-like part for the clarinet but Tali chose not to go that route, showing off the contrast between Jewish and Catholic traditions. I missed it.

I missed the fun, cavorting and impishness of Mahler in what, until the very end, was a very strict, precise reading of a work that usually has me going from giggles to tears in a matter of phrases.

The playing, though, was exquisite, from the offstage

Courtesy photo

Flugelhorn player Sergei Nakariakov delighted audiences with his virtuosity.

brass at the start to principal bassist John Miller’s “Frère Jacques” solo, then taken up by the winds and other members of the orchestra. Harp, flute, oboe, trumpets, horns — well, the whole ensemble sounded

mighty and strong. And the finale did what Mahler wanted — whisked us to heaven as few other composers are able. It was here that Tali let loose and gave us the Mahler we know and love.

ON THE FLIP SIDE: A+E BALLROOM BLITZ: Sarasota Challenge entices local couple.

BALLPARK BASH: Orioles host country charity concert. 9

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Left: Pat and Larry Thompson make their grand entrance at An Evening at the Avant-Garde on March 18 at Ringling College of Art and Design.

Above: Diane Sulimirski with her mother, Eileen Schineller

An Evening at the Avant-Garde:

‘Light Years Ahead’ Saturday, March 18, at Ringling College of Art and Design | Benefiting Ringling College of Art and Design NIKI KOTTMANN | BLACK TIE REPORTER

O

n March 18, in a galaxy far, far away (the Ringling College of Art and Design campus), art education supporters from across the galaxy (Sarasota County) dressed in their finest space attire to blast off into one of the most unique fundraisers of the season.

Guests at the Ringling College of Art and Design’s 21st Annual Scholarship Event, An Evening at the Avant-Garde: Light Years Ahead gathered to benefit and celebrate the school that recently saw 23 of its graduates receive an Oscar for their work on the best animated feature film “Zootopia.” PAGE 2

THE KOSKIS: CONEHEADED CO-CHAIRS Vicky Randall and Ann Albritton

Co-Chairs Tom and Sherry Koski went all-out with their alien-inspired costumes — they even stayed in character on stage by speaking in a conehead voice and going by Beldar and Prymaat.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

FROM PAGE 1

The evening began with a lively cocktail hour during which guests took advantage of some stellar activities such as viewings of the mini planetarium and trips to another galaxy à la virtual reality simulations. Cocktail hour was interrupted, however, when a mysterious spacecraft (spacecraft-shaped bouncy house) was unveiled on the lawn of the school. Several green-skinned extraterrestrials (students) crept out of the UFO before their leaders appeared: Ringling College of Art and Design President Larry Thompson and his wife, Pat Thompson.

After cocktail hour and its dramatic intermission were over, guests enjoyed a Michael’s On East dinner.

The program then began with opening remarks and recognition of the finalists for the 2017 Avant-Garde Endowed Scholarship for Campus Volunteerism.

The 2017 award winner, Nahman L’hrar, received a $5,000 scholarship thanks to Susan Palmer and her late husband, Roy. L’hrar’s acceptance speech detailed his difficult past and ended with a standing ovation.

Guests then took part in an interactive paddle raise that garnered nearly $187,900 — which got everyone in the right spirit to dance to the energetic Blonde Ambition Band.

Steve Schember and Linda Wallin

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Janet Miles, An Cantor and Roberta Stacey

Robin and Brenda Cote

AN OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD EXPERIENCE

Between mingling and perusing the silent auction items, guests got the chance to experience several virtual reality simulations.

Here, Elena Williams tries to grab a floppy disk from a robot.

Kevin Friedman with Chris and Amy Shaffer

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

BLACK TIE STAFF

Voting is open!

TIE

After more than 10 years, our Black Tie Standouts issue is back! We’ve compiled a list of all our favorite fashion-forward black tie scenesters — basketball tournament style — and we want your help narrowing it down. You can now go to YourObserver.com/ contests/BTBracket once a day this week and vote for who you think were the four best-dressed men and women for the 20162017 season. Every Monday between now and the end of voting on April 9, we’ll narrow it down in each category, so keep tuning in each week as the bracket slims down to the finalists. We will announce the winners May 4 in our Black Tie Standouts special section.

Niki Kottmann

Orioles infielder Chris Davis was surprised with a birthday cake March 17.

Tidbits

Asolo Rep's Crystal Society now shines even brighter Two couples have joined the Asolo Repertory Theatre's Crystal Society: Larry and Debbie Haspel and Herman and Sharon Frankel. All are long-time supporters of the theater. Larry Haspel is president of the Asolo Rep Board of Directors. The Crystal Society recognizes donors who give $1 million or more to the company. Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards made the announcement at the March 17 dinner preceding the opening of Lillian Hellman's "Little Foxes” at the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Rochelle Nigri

Charlie Ann Syprett

Melissa Howard

Diana Buchanan

3

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Photo courtesy of Fondren Watts

Charlotte Watts celebrates her third birthday March 19 at Columbia Restaurant.

A magical birthday celebration Birthday dreams came true March 19 when Charlotte Watts, daughter of Blush Bridal Sarasota owner Fondren Watts and Danny Watts, got a unicorn-themed party for her third birthday. Charlotte celebrated with her family at Columbia Restaurant followed by a fun day in the sun at the Ritz-Carlton Beach Club on Lido Key. Fondren ordered a custom cake from Gigi's Cupcakes for the party. She based the design on images she found on Pinterest. “Charlotte is the epitome of a girly girl,” says Fondren. “So for the final touch, we ordered her a custom pink sparkle tutu and birthday shirt with the number "three" spelled out in gold on the front, from Etsy.”

THE SWEET SIXTEEN

BLACK TIE BRACKET

James Helmich

Baby bliss … Sarah and David Horvath welcomed their baby girl, Phoebe Marie Horvath, into the world at 6:43 a.m. on March 19. Sarah informed her Instagram followers that their “hearts are full!” … Late-night bites …

Guests at Ringling College’s An Evening at the Avant-Garde got a sweet surprise upon leaving the event on March 18: Moon Pies. To infinity and beyond! …

A year of love … Erin and Worth Graham celebrated their oneyear wedding anniversary March 19. The couple enjoyed a saved portion of their wedding cake and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot to get in the nuptial spirit ... Starstudded occasion … Guests at Nashville’s Music Row Comes to the Ballpark on March 17 included many familiar names, including Grammy award-winning songwriter Liz Rose, Orioles infielder Chris Davis (who celebrated his birthday with a surprise cake at the event) and “Wheel of Fortune” star Pat Sajak.

Umbreen Khalidi-Majeed

Margaret Wise

Lauren Walsh

Renee Phinney

Bart Lowther

Who will be the standout stars of the Black Tie scene?

Scott George

Nati Shabat

Ian Howard

Vote for your favorites at YourObserver.com/contests/BTBracket and check the brackets in the Observer each week.

Chris Cogan

Winners will be announced in our Black Tie Standouts special section May 4.

Bob Bartner

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Sen. Greg Steube

BLACK TIE

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YourObserver.com

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Glitz at the Ritz Thursday, March 16, at The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota | Benefiting the Salvation Army

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Left: Maj. Ethan Frizzell, honoree Gerri Aaron, Chairwoman Kim Cornetet, Betty Schoenbaum and Maj. Sue Frizzell

Brent Greeno and Carolyn Michel David Lipton and Heidi Brown

Above: Kitty Galica, Anthony Newfield and Denise Barker Right: Anita Dunlap, Stephanie Church and Jane Seyfried

Elyse Chaplin and Barbara Brizdle

Guests bid on a football helmet and jersey autographed by former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith.

Sergei Babayan & Daniil Trifonov piano duo

Schumann

Andante and Variations for Two Pianos

Schubert

Fantasie in F Minor, D. 940

NOW PLAYING THROUGH MARCH 24

NOW PLAYING THROUGH MARCH 26

“‘Dialogues’ is an important opera to see. For impassioned singing and acting, don’t miss it” - June LeBell, The Observer

“...spectacularly beautiful production... thank goodness Sarasota Opera chose to present it...”

- June LeBell, The Observer

Brahms

Hungarian Dances

Rachmaninoff

ALSO PLAYING AT SARASOTA OPERA SPRING OPERA SPECTACULAR

Sunday, March 26, 7:30 PM Festival artists perform with the Sarasota Opera Orchestra and Chorus in the final concert of the season.

photo: Christian Steiner

ROSSINI’S

THE ITALIAN GIRL IN ALGIERS

photo: Dario Acosta

Two Suites for Two Pianos Op. 5 & Op. 17

Thursday, March 30 • 7:30 p.m.

NOW PLAYING THROUGH MARCH 25 A comic turn of events helps an Italian girl save her lost fiancé.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall

All operas sung in the original language with real-time English translations above the stage.

Paid for in part by Sarasota County Tourist Development Tax revenues.

Sponsored in part by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs, and the Florida Council on Arts and Culture.

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Sarasota Concert Association

Opera tickets start at just $19

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Tickets and information:

941-225-6500

GREAT PERFORMERS www.scasarasota.org SERIES

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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Anu & Friends Dinner Thursday, March 16, at The Field Club Benefiting Sarasota Orchestra

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Co-hosts Kim Morey Wheeler and David and Pamela Steves Photos by Niki Kottmann

Toby Siegel, Sarasota Orchestra Music Director Anu Tali and Noel Siegel

Co-hosts Audrey Robbins and Harry Leopold

Bev Bartner and Susan Brainerd

Greg Badger and Tammie Sandoval

CLYDE BUTCHER | FINE ART BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHY

Annual Spring Open House Featuring the National Parks Collection and Guided Darkroom Tours Saturday and Sunday, March 25 and 26, 2017 | 10 a.m – 4 p.m.

One Donor 35 Innovative Afterschool Programs 200 Perfect Attendance Records 600 Better Report Cards

Be The One

Join Clyde and Nik i at thei r Venice gal ler y to lea r n mo re about the the-scenes look at Clyde’s one-of-a-kind darkroom with tours throughout

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the day. Clyde will also be on hand to share stories and autograph books.

Venice Gallery & Studio 237 Warfield Ave., Venice, Florida 941.486.0811 | Regular hours: Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.

cfsarasota.org

Each one of us has the potential to impact a person, a cause, a community. For more than 35 years, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County has matched donors to the right causes, creating lasting impact. You can be the one to make a difference.

Call us today, (941) 955-3000.

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legendary photographer’s art and photographic processes. Get a behind-

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Friendship Around the World Sunday, March 12, at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens | Benefiting Friendship Centers

Nancy Pastore sings with Skip’s Dixie Mix

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Above: Johnette Cappadona and Jane Icely Left: Jim and Kathy Silverberg dance during cocktail hour at Friendship Around the World on March 12 at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens.

Bobi Sanderson and Dr. James Griffith pose in the photo booth at Friendship Around the World on March 12 at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens.

MASTERWORKS:

MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

TM

MARCH 31 | Neel Performing Arts Center APRIL 1, 2 | Van Wezel Han-Na Chang, conductor Bertrand Chamayou, piano Enjoy Beethoven’s joyous Symphony No. 7, used for the movie The King’s Speech, and Rossini’s William Tell Overture, also known as the theme for the Lone Ranger.

The concert features Mendelssohn’s audacious Piano Concerto No. 1, the perfect vehicle to showcase the brilliance of French pianist Bertrand Chamayou.

“ REMARKABLE MUSICIAN “CLEAR DYNAMIC CHAMAYOU IS A

, NO QUESTION – SOMEONE TO WATCH OUT FOR.” - THE GUARDIAN OF LONDON A RISING STAR CONDUCTOR, CHANG HAS

A

AND

STYLE.” - CINCINNATI ENQUIRER

Tickets from $33

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SarasotaOrchestra.org | 941-953-3434

The Observer

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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From laid back to flat out,

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That 's How We Roll

Left: Dr. David and Joann Nevins with Sunny and John O’Flynn

Waterfront Living on Florida’s Last Private Island from the high $400s Ahh…island time. The freedom of days set to the rhythm of the tides, the roll of the sun, and pure whimsy. Like time spent on Harbour Isle, a private island paradise where you can catch dinner on a morning kayak and the sunset from our private Beach Club overlooking Anna Maria Sound. The locals call it “Florida’s Best Kept Secret.” And you’re about to get in on it. Come take the tour, and pick up the keys to Florida’s last private island. Don’t miss your chance for the best views and pricing in the final phase at Harbour Isle!

5 minutes to world-famous Anna Maria Island beaches.

Maria El Shahawy, Dr. Mahfouz El Shahawy and Co-Chairwoman Renee Hamad

OF OFSARASOTA SARASOTA

Presents Broadway/Cabaret Legends

One incredible community. Two great ways to live it!

Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz Callaway

ISLAND COACH HOMES Back by popular demand. New neighborhood, final phase!

SIBLING REVELRY With pianist Alex Rybeck in

WATERFRONT CONDOMINIUMS Rental income opportunity!

OF SARASOTA

Sunday, March 26 – 3:00 p.m.

Church of the Palms – 3224 Bee Ridge Road at Lockwood Ridge Featuring such beloved popular songs including Color gradient Get Happy, Happy Days are Here Again, It’s Today, The Sweetest Sounds, Friendship, Meadowlark, and many more!

Island Coach Home

Waterfront Condos

TOUR 6 NEW MODELS

and Award Winning Beach Club

This dynamic sister duo’s “Sibling Revelry “ was first performed at New York’s Rainbow and Stars in 1995 to rave reviews and the sisters have been performing it ever since.

(888) 358-8565 | MintoFla.com

24/7 at www.artistseriesconcerts.org

To learn more about our award-winning communities throughout Florida, visit MintoFla.com. *Please see a New Homes Sale Professional for details. For correct representations, make reference to this advertisement and to the documents required by section 718.503, Florida statutes, to be furnished by a seller to a buyer or lessee. © Minto Communities, LLC 2017. Not an offer where prohibited by state statutes. All rights reserved. Content may not be reproduced, copied, altered, distributed, stored or transferred in any form or by any means without express written permission. Artist’s renderings, dimensions, specifications, prices and features are approximate and subject to change without notice. Minto, the Minto logo, Harbour Isle and the Harbour Isle logo are trademarks of Minto Communities, LLC and/or its affiliates. CGC 1519880. 3/2017

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941-306-1202

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Enjoy them in concert on March 26th and enjoy them again on Monday, March 27th when the Callaway sisters and Alex Rybeck will be guests of June LeBell at SILL’s Music Monday series in Sarasota and Venice – details are at www.SILLsarasota.org.

12300 Manatee Ave. West, Bradenton, FL 34209

Located on SR-64 West, just before the Anna Maria Island Bridge

TICKETS $45 BY PHONE 10A-4P, M-F

Ask about our incredible incentives!*

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Showcase Luncheon Monday, March 13, at Michael’s On East | Benefiting Sarasota Ballet

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Left: Pat Golemme, Donna Matham and Bobbye Schott

Peter and Jean Huber

Above: Lenee and Conrad Owens with Barbara Jacob Right: Sally Yanowitz and Jean Volpe

TAKING RESERVATIONS NOW | CALL TODAY FOR BEST DATES Events hosted at the Sarasota Polo Club have raised millions of dollars!

Put polo to work for you.

• Host your own exclusive polo match • Sponsor a Sunday match • Rent out the clubhouse or pavillion for your corporate event • Endless opportunities and great exposure for your business or charity

Make your next fundraiser or event unique, successful and profitable.

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CONTACT SHERRI SWEENY 941.907.0000 | sherri@sarasotapolo.com

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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Nashville’s Music Row Comes to the Ballpark

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Friday, March 17, at Ed Smith Stadium Benefiting Library Foundation for Sarasota County and Nashville’s Music Health Alliance

Event organizer Kimberly Manooshian with Dr. Si and Shannon McAninch

Anolay Senenoi, Cylvia Lele and Kita Tiam with the O’s mascot

Laura Veltz sings “Drunk Last Night,” which she wrote for Eli Young Band, at Nashville’s Music Row Comes to the Ballpark on March 17 at Ed Smith Stadium.

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Christy Arndt and Bennett Fite

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Pat and Lesly Sajak

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

The Giving Tree Society Luncheon Tuesday, March 14, at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens | Benefiting Pines of Sarasota Rehabilitation & Senior Care Community

Photos by Niki Kottmann

Above: Guitty Cerf, Helen Vetter and Larry and Joan Reinebach Left: Marlene and Hal Liberman

President of Pines of Sarasota Foundation Estelle Crawford invites board members to stand at the Giving Tree Society Luncheon on March 14 at Michael’s on the Bay.

“I Chose Ketamine Infusion Therapy…

Pines of Sarasota Foundation Board Co-Chairman Jim Rutledge and Bruce Rakay

Nancy Ferraro and Kristin Elwell

Ketamine Infusion Therapy for Pain and Depression.

Ketamine Infusion Therapy for Pain and Depression.

Because I deserve to live without pain.”

If you suffer from debilitating depression or other mood disorders and nothing seems to help…

It’s time to start feeling better.

Founded by Dr. Steven Reichbach, Gulf Coast Ketamine Center is the area’s only ketamine infusion center offering rapid relief and alleviation of: • Chronic pain • Severe depression • PTSD and other mood disorders • Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) • Bipolar • Fibromyalgia • OCD

Summer Ballet at the

Ask about our discount for Veterans and their immediate family members.

STEP INTO BALLET

Introduce your child to the world of dance and dive into the story of Swan Lake.

941.213.4444

Ages 4-6

June 12-17

2415 University Parkway • University Health Park Medical Campus Building #3, Suite 215 • Sarasota, FL 34243 Like us on Facebook.

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FindPainRelief.com

CHILDREN’S SUMMER WORKSHOP

Your child can explore dance through classes in ballet, jazz, and costume design

Ages 7-10

June 12-23

sarasotaballet.org/education | 941.225.6520

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Get relief in as little as one treatment.

Call today to schedule a free consultation.

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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Protecting children is everyone’s job.

Teach children that their safety rules apply to everyone at all times.

Approach personal safety rules in the same straightforward manner that you use with other type of safety rules. Repeat personal safety guidelines often.

Be knowledgeable of those who spend time with your child and always be aware of your child’s surroundings.

Having a strong relationship with open communication between a child and their parents or guardians reduces their vulnerability to those looking to exploit their curiosity, rebellion, or need for communication.

Show interest in your child’s day-to-day lives, and get to know the people in your child’s life, including other children and adults.

Post your pictures, videos and messages on social media. #PaintSRQBlue #GetYourBlueOn #CPCSRQ

24-Hour Abuse Hotline 1-800-962-2873

/PAINTTHETOWNBLUESRQ 226784

@CPCSRQ

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THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

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Amy Miller, Erin Guzzo and Silvanna Medina

Gloria Higgins and Nancy Harris

A Conversation with Jean M. Franczyk Thursday, March 9, at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens

Above: Hugh Bettendorf, Allison Archbold and Mike McLaughlin Right: Donna and Mike Baker

Joan and Bart Levenson

THIS WEEK IN ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS

THROUGH JULY 2017 JEAN AND ALFRED GOLDSTEIN EXHIBITION SERIES PRESENTED BY

CHAGALL N I G H T S

A+E eNewsletter Learn What’s going on in Sarasota’s arts & music scene.

Every Friday. Your News Your Way

THE SARASOTA BALLET APRIL 5 • 6-9PM

The Sarasota Ballet will showcase a performance in an intimate setting overlooking Sarasota Bay at Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens.

Performance will include full access to the Gardens, hors d’oeuvres and complimentary craft cocktail, wine or beer.

SIGN UP TODAY!

yourobserver.com/email-signup

900 SOUTH PALM AVENUE • SARASOTA, FL 34236 SELBY.ORG

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