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[click "Play" to listen to Paulie's conversation with Susan] The Telluride Dance Academy is holding its Spring Recital, Fresh Twists on Dance this afternoon, Sunday, June 6. Susan did a podcast interview with Paulie Distefano that was supposed to be...

06 June, 2010 /

1Paulie
Paulie Distefano

The Telluride Dance Academy presents its annual recital on Sunday, June 6, 3 p.m. on the stage of the Michael D. Palm Theatre. The theme, "Fresh Twists," suggests a program that reflects new ways of looking at dusty notions about dance and what dance academies teach: students who participated in the Academy's spring session, ages 3 – 18, are scheduled to perform dance forms ranging from classical ballet to hip hop, with all the stops in between.One of those students is the handsome young man in charge of all heavy lifting: Paulie Distefano. And "Fresh Twists"  is great way of summarizing exactly what's happening in his life.

After dancing only six months under the tutelage of the Academy's artistic director/former prima ballerina Valerie Madonia, Paulie, who was born and raised in Telluride, was accepted on full scholarship in to the Joffrey School of Ballet's summer intensive. He leaves just days after his performance. That's the kind of magic even Paulie, a trained magician, could not have conjured.

05 June, 2010 /
[click "Play" for Luci Reeve's and Sue Hobby's conversation with Susan]

Let's play a game of free association: I say "Telluride couture" and you say what?

Friends of Fluff - StrongHouse Telluride locals most likely would answer with two names: Sue Hobby and Luci Reeve. Fabric confections created by these two talented ladies have shown up everywhere you've wanted to be over the years: in way too many local theatrical productions to name, as well as on the stage of the Telluride AIDS Benefit and at countless other nonprofit auctions.

For the first First Thursday Art Walk of the summer season, this coming Thursday, June 3, 5 – 8:30 p.m., the dynamic designing duo are up to their old tricks. Which is to say, fashioning something completely new and different – and off the wall.
03 June, 2010 /
[To listen to Ally Crilly speaking with Susan, click "Play"]

Crillysapsucker Here's a question for Telluride locals, guests too: What do a dead bird and elephants have in common? Give up? OK, here it is. Amy Jean Boebel of Sapsucker Studios named her gallery for a dead bird found outside her door at 299 South Spruce, where she is showing the latest in a series of elephants – The Elephants III – by local artist Ally Crilly. And it's a perfect fit: all summer long Sapsucker is featuring strong women artists who refuse to pull their punches. (More on that in the weeks to come.)


The exhibition is part of  The Telluride Council for the Arts & Humanities' First Thursday Art Walk, a very popular walkabout, a time when locals and guests meander down Main Street chatting about Telluride's robust art scene. First Thursday is also an opportunity to shop: retail stores stay open late until eight.
03 June, 2010 /


The Freelance Whales, appearing in concert at Telluride's historic Sheridan Opera House starting at 9 p.m., Friday night, June 4, plays everything from guitars, banjos, tambourines, harmonium, glockenspiels, and watering cans to the occasional keyboard and laptop assist. Besides instruments, the band favors ghosts and dream-logs. Their first release, Weathervanes, has lots to do with ghosts. And dreams.

Freelance Whales met via Craigslist, went on to play on street corners and in subways, where busy New Yorkers, wanting more of their indie sound, chose to miss their trains. Drilling down in to the sound, well, it ranges far and wide from electronic indie booty-shaking riffs to what one critic described as "overalls on a front porch." And another summed up this way:

03 June, 2010 /

Babies_smallposter Iron-man-poster-2 After a busy Mountainfilm weekend, Telluride's Nugget Theatre is back on a regular schedule, with three movies on tap for the week of Friday, June 4 to Thursday, June 10.

"Ironman 2" continues its run this week. Rated PG-13, "Ironman" is a superhero with a secret, though it's not about his identity. He is known, and the government wants his power as a national asset. And of course there are bad guys to deal with. Sounds like standard superhero fare, but the cast is led by Robert Downey, jr.

"Babies" (rated PG) is a documentary about, you guessed it, babies. Babies of diferent colors, from different places, from rich places, babies from poor places, babies just being babies. Mostly there isn't a lot of voiceover, no explanation, babies doing what babies do.

Robinhood_smallteaser This isn't "Robin Hood" with a band of merry men, and Maid Marion has become the Widow Marion; don't go expecting to see Robin having a jolly time with Friar Tuck. Things are rough in Sherwood Forest: Richard the Lionhearted has died, leaving the weak but venal John in charge, and the Sheriff of Notingham is still a baddie. "Robin Hood" is rated PG-13 for violence and sexual situations.

See below for movietimes, and the Nugget website for trailers and reviews.

03 June, 2010 /
[click "Play", Susie Billings speaks to Susan from Baja]

E1274393861 Susie X. Billings is a well established mixed media artist, who shows her work locally at the Telluride Gallery of Fine Art. A protean talent (has to do with change, not meat), Susie is intent on proving all life is art, daily to herself, and on magical occasions, to her students.

Susie runs international workshops, but she returns to town this month to her regular stomping grounds, Telluride's Ah Haa School for the Arts, to teach a three-day intensive, Friday – Sunday, June 11 – June 13, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The subject is Mixed Media Collage & Watercolor. The starting point for the workshop is a love of summer alpine landscapes. Duh. All levels of student are welcome, from never-evers to accomplished professionals.
02 June, 2010 /