#WeeklyColumn | It’s In Queens! Jan. 25 to Jan. 31
BY QEDC It's In Queens
What cold weather? Queens responds warmly to the snowstorm with a “Burning” Korean film, sizzling Cuban music, a scorching “Fertile Ground” performance, and a guided outdoor trek. Other hot items are Greek opera, Nepalese and Laotian cuisine, Indian percussion, and a scientific drama.
Jan. 25, Burning, Jan. 26. Four screenings of a Korean thriller about an aspiring writer who takes care of an old friend’s cat during her trip to Africa. She returns with a wealthy and dashing man who changes their lives. Schedule: Jan. 25 at 7 pm; Jan. 26 at 1 pm, 4 pm, and 7 pm. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Jan. 25, Tabla Ecstasy, 8 pm. Talavya (aka “the global ambassadors for Indian percussion”) creates sounds, rhythms, and melodies that move from rousing peaks to slower, smooth meditative passages. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Jan. 25, Take Root, Jan. 26 (8 pm both nights). Brianna Taylor/Confluence Dance Project dancers use movement, sound, food, and saran wrap to examine ways family supports and confines. Marion Spencer explores the beauty and imminent future of nature today, happiness, and the memory of trauma, whiteness, cleaning, and transformations. Green Space, 37-24 24th St., Long Island City.
Jan. 26, La Cumbiamba eNeYé, 3 pm. This 10-piece Colombian band offers a workshop at 3 pm, family concert at 4 pm, and then a jam and party at 5:30 pm. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Jan. 27, The Havana Cuba All-Stars, 7 pm. This high-energy group celebrates Cuban music and dance with rhythms and melodies from rumba to salsa. The All-Stars are accompanied by three of Cuba’s finest dancing couples. The Ralph & Ricky Lauren Theater at The Lexington Center, 25-26 75th St., East Elmhurst.
Jan. 27, Maria by Callas: In Her Own Words, 3 pm and 6 pm. Two screenings of a documentary on legendary Greek-American opera singer Maria Callas. Interviews, letters, diary entries, memoirs, and performances. Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35th Ave., Astoria’s Kaufman Arts District.
Jan. 27, E-Waste Recycling, 10 am to 4 pm. Dispose of electronic products in an environmentally responsible way. Queens Botanical Garden Parking Garden, 42-80 Crommelin St., Flushing.
Jan. 27, Fertile Ground, 7 pm. This is a monthly new works showcase for dancers and choreographers. Kathleen Dalton/Eva Goodman, Caeruleus Dance Collective, Sara Brians, MobPo Dance Collab, withJOYdance, and Rebecca Van Dover are scheduled. Green Space, 37-24 24th St., Long Island City.
Jan. 27, Nature of the Muse’s Sixth Year Anniversary, 5 pm. A cozy, fireside literary event with poetry, prose, essays, music, and live writing. LIC Bar, 45-58 Vernon Blvd.
Jan. 27, Winter Seasonal Stroll, 11 am. Naturalist Virginia Dankel leads a wintery, interactive stroll. Free hot cocoa. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston.
Jan. 27, Hip Hop Hooray, 1:30 pm. A free, drop-in children’s workshop that honors National Opposite Day with dance and crafts. Story-telling at 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. Queens Museum, NYC Building, Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Jan. 28, Queens Dinner Club, 7 pm. All are invited to a Nepali BBQ. The menu features tangy shredded goat with house masala; crunchy soybeans with ginger, garlic, green chilies, and lemon; gizzards with onions and green chilies; pan-fried potatoes with ginger, garlic, and cumin; and deep-fried eggplant in ginger-garlic curry. Bajeko Sekuwa, 43-16 Queens Blvd., Sunnyside.
Jan. 30, The Man Who Fell to Earth: Tribute to David Bowie and Nicolas Roeg, 5 pm. A film screening of Roeg’s 1976 sci-fi cult classic “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” followed by a Q&A with authors Susan Compo and Joseph Lanza. Compo penned “Earthbound: David Bowie” and “The Man Who Fell to Earth.” Lanza wrote “Fragile Geometry: The Films, Philosophy, and Misadventures of Nicolas Roeg.” Queens Central Library, 89-11 Merrick Rd. Jamaica.
Jan. 30, Winter Soups Lao Style, 7 pm. Chef Penn Hongthong demonstrates how to make four gluten-free soups – Rice, Lemongrass, Watercress and Tofu, Chicken Ginger — from one whole chicken. A tasting follows. Alley Pond Environmental Center, 228-06 Northern Blvd., Douglaston.
Jan. 31, Queen, Feb. 16. The Astoria Performing Arts Center presents this play about two female scientists who have spent seven years researching vanishing bee populations across the globe. Just as they are about to publish a career-defining paper, one stumbles on an error which could damage their reputations, careers, and friendship. Shows are Thursdays and Fridays at 8 pm and Saturdays at 2 pm and 8 pm. The Black Box at the Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens, 21-12 30th Rd. Astoria.
Continued from the previous week
18th Annual Winter Art Show, until Jan. 27. Queens-based artists share works in styles such as representational and abstract painting, drawing, mixed media, and photography. Gallery hours are Thursdays and Fridays, 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 4 pm. Bayside Historical Society, 208 Totten Ave.
In Practice: Other Objects, until March 25. This exhibition presents new work by 11 artists and artist teams that probes the slippages and interplay between objecthood and personhood. SculptureCenter, 44-19 Purves St., LIC.
How Many Zombies Are Too Many Zombies? until Feb. 15. With 20-minute games that can have as many as 25 players, participants take on the role of scientists, helping the “Center for Calamity Control” simulate a zombie outbreak. Via mathematical modeling, players simulate, analyze, and make predictions about this complex, real-world phenomenon. New York Hall of Science, 47-01 111th St., Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
Red Envelope Show, until Jan. 27. This show honors the Year of the Pig with pieces by professional visual artists. It’s an homage to the red celebration envelopes the Chinese community distributes during Lunar New Year. Artwork is for sale. Many envelopes include a special gift for only the buyers. On display noon to 5 pm on weekends and weekdays by appointment. Flushing Town Hall, 137-35 Northern Blvd.
Wall Floor Positions, until Feb. 23. As part of the exhibition “Bruce Nauman: Disappearing Acts,” artists make themselves into minimalist prop sculptures, moving through various poses in relation to the floor and wall. Live performances every hour from 1 pm to 5 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., LIC, http://bit.ly/2T10FRQ.
Top image: Talavya; bottom image: La Cumbiamba eNeYé