Liberty Station Blog

The beautifully renovated North Chapel at Liberty Station will provide a traditional Christmas setting for several local community groups to present holiday performances throughout the month of December. Performers range from children’s and professional choirs to actors, dancers and a guitarist.  December performances scheduled at the North Chapel include:

5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19

11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 20
A children’s choir, Cherubs & Joyful Praise, will perform Christmas and classical religious songs. The choir has 20 members ranging in age from 7 to 12 and is under the direction of Choir Director Alicia McMillin, a music teacher at Loma Portal Elementary School, and member of the Organist Guild of San Diego. Admission is free.
 
1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20
The Capoeira Brasil Holiday Dancers will perform their traditional cultural dance.
 
7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20
The San Diego School for the Creative and Performing Arts Choir will perform Christmas favorites, holiday gospel music, cultural Christmas songs and more.  The group earlier in the year won first place in the United States as the finest High School Choir in America. Admission is free. 

Click on the thumbnail below to view the flyer.

Located at 2881 Roosevelt Road in San Diego, the North Chapel was built in 1942 on the old Naval Training Center grounds. For more than 50 years it served thousands of sailors and recruits, and is now home to weddings, memorial services and cultural performances. The North Chapel is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, and from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays. Private tours for groups may also be arranged. All are invited to see the newly refurbished Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, enjoy the sounds of the rebuilt original pipe organ and see the beautiful stained glass windows depicting religious and naval scenes. For more information, call 619-573-9306 or 619-573-0124, or visit www.thenorthchapel.com.

The three resident dance companies at Dance Place San Diego, located at NTC Promenade at Liberty Station, have a holiday gift for the entire community:  a Free Day of Dance on Friday, December 26 beginning at 9 a.m.  Malashock Dance, Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater and San Diego Ballet invite the public into their studios for free classes that last throughout the day.  This is the third year these companies have presented Free Day of Dance, an opportunity to sample the state-of-the art facilities that are part of this growing arts and culture district and learn more about what each company has to offer throughout the year. Classes for 12 and up and all levels include Stretch, Ballet, Afribellydance, Yoga, and Modern.

 A complete schedule is available on their respective websites:  www.malashockdance.org, www.sandiegodancetheater.org, and www.sandiegoballet.org.  Dance Place San Diego Studios are located at 2650 Truxtun Road, San Diego, CA 92106.

On January 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2009 at 5:00 pm, you are invited to enjoy a sophisticated, yet casual early evening of modern dance, culture, music, food and wine…all with that certain jazz flair.

The Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater tradition of presenting Sexy Smart Art continues with the presentation of the 8th annual Cabaret Dances – this time at Anthology, San Diego’s world class dining and jazz supper club.  Cabaret Dances has been traditionally been presented at the San Diego Museum of Art Copley Auditorium, currently being used by the Old Globe Theatre. Anthology offers some of the most legendary acts on stage and this is a unique opportunity to present dance in this classy, jazz-infused environment. Patrons can enjoy food and drink before and during the show from a full Anthology menu featuring the New American Cuisine of award-winning culinary superstar Bradley Ogden.

Jean Isaacs and her company of ten dancers continue to make the viewing of dance a new adventure by programming their annual Cabaret Dances 2009 in this exciting new venue. “The first time I went to a concert at Anthology, I knew I wanted to book the dance company in this extraordinary 130,000 square foot venue,” said Isaacs. “I love the idea of streaming video throughout the evening, to enhance the intimacy that Cabaret Dances is known for. Anthology’s million dollar sound system and reputation as San Diego’s premiere jazz venue folds nicely into our concept of an all-live jazz and blues evening of music by pianist Steve Baker and vocalist Rachel Drexler and dance by the gorgeous dancers of the San Diego Dance Theater.”

The sizzling, sexy and steamy program takes its cue from the sultry nightclub atmosphere and includes the premiere of “Eyes of Love,” a collection of duets and trios created by Artistic Director Isaacs and danced to jazz standards sung by Ms. Drexler and performed by pianist Baker. The dances, set on the company, are performed to music by Duke Ellington, Cole Porter, Thelonious Monk, Irving Berlin and Cassandra Wilson.

The program also includes “Sippie,” a suite of five blues songs by the legendary singer from the 20’s Sippie Wallace, played and sung by Steve Baker. Wallace was a major influence on a young Bonnie Raitt, who recorded several of Wallace’s songs and performed live with her.

Guest choreographers/performers include Daniel Marshall and John Diaz, who join company dancers Sadie Weinberg, Annie Boyer, Liv Isaacs-Nollet, Veronica M Lamm, Anthony Diaz, Julio Catano, and new dancers Minaqua McPherson and Danielle Eldred.

Anthology is located at 1337 India Street, San Diego, CA  92101.  Public parking is available, and valet is available for $10. Doors open at 3:30, and the performance begins at 5:00.  Please call 619.595.0300 for dinner reservations.

Tickets are $35 for exclusive VIP seating, $30 for general seating, $20 for seniors and military, and $15 for students.  Purchase tickets online at www.sandiegodancetheater.org or www.anthologysd.com, or call 619.595.0300.  For Information, call San Diego Dance Theater at 619.225.1803