A weekly guide to what’s happening.
ARTS AND MUSIC
ART SHOW Emerging from sheltering in place, Ben, a lifelong artist, photographer, actor and writer, was always looking for the next opportunity to translate everyday experiences into artistic expressions. At the start of shelter-in-place in mid-March, Ben began painting as a hobby, but his painting has since evolved into one of his favorite artistic forms of expression. Meet and greets will be held Saturdays and Sundays 8:30-10:30am with face masks and proper distancing. Ben’s paintings and fine art prints can also be viewed and purchased in the comfort of your home through artevolutionstudio.com. Wednesday, Feb. 24, 7am-11:30pm-Tuesday, March 2, 7am-11:30pm.
BANFF CENTRE MOUNTAIN FILM FESTIVAL VIRTUAL FESTIVAL New lineup of films announced! This year, bring the adventure home! Fluff up your couch cushions, grab a snack of choice, and make sure you have a good internet connection, because the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is virtual! Travel to the most remote corners of the world, dive into daring expeditions, and celebrate some of the most remarkable outdoor achievements, all from the comfort of your living room. Visit riotheatre.com for more information about the online programs and how you can support your local screening. You may also go directly to the Banff affiliate link for the Rio at filmfest.banffcentre.ca/?campaign=WT-163945. $28.
WDCC’S WINTERDANCE FEST 2021 Throughout the month of February, Tannery World Dance and Cultural Center (TWDCC) will return with their fifth annual Winter Dance Fest (WDF), featuring four premieres from a lineup of world-renowned and emerging choreographers, airing for free, every Saturday via the TWDCC website. Winter Dance Fest 2021 will feature returning artists Gregory Dawson (dawsondancesf), Taliha Abdiel (Abdiel Dance Project), and debut Winter Dance Fest features Norwood Pennewell (Garth Fagan Dance), and Angela Chambers (TWDCC). Winter Dance Fest 2021 honors Black History Month by centering and highlighting a full lineup of Black choreographers. Gregory Dawson’s fifth consecutive appearance at WDF offers an excerpt from his new work, “The Human Project,” exploring themes of change, sacrifice, community, and death. Taliha Abdiel, in her third WDF feature, will premiere “This Is Why I Can’t Go Home,” a self-choreographed solo exploring the complex freedoms of longing, escapism and finding a destination. Norwood Pennewell, renowned principal dancer with Garth Fagan Dance, choreographed a solo for TWDCC’s own Artistic Director and Fagan principal alum, Micha Scott, titled “…And Still She Moves,” to find the balance between opposing elements. And TWDCC’s well-beloved teacher and administrator, Angela Chambers, will make her WDF debut with Ode, a dancerly dedication to her students, who have shared their moments of uncertainty, heaviness, and resilience. Angela has incorporated youth dancers into Ode, uniting her dedication with some of the dancers who inspired it, for the first time TWDCC youth have performed for WDF. These four artists are an inspired cast for WinterDance Fest 2021. To read more about the WDF features, please visit tanneryworlddance.com/winterdance-fest. Artist videos will premiere on each Saturday of February, along with interviews of each artist on the podcast Speak For Change, hosted by Thomas Sage Pederson. Saturday, Feb. 27, 4pm.
COMMUNITY
ALIENS! ESCAPE FROM EARTH During a midnight meteor shower, something mysterious falls from the sky toward Earth—but it’s not a shooting star. Two kids venture out to investigate and soon find themselves mixed up with a family of visitors from another planet! Trapped by a crazy space scientist, the kids must risk everything to rescue the aliens and help them escape from Earth! Throughout this amazing intergalactic story, we will use science experiments to bring the story to life! Don’t miss this action-packed and educational alien adventure. It’s totally out of this world! Virtual event brought to you by Talewise. Register online at santacruzpl.libcal.com. Saturday, Feb. 27, 3-4pm.
BE THE SOLUTION: A WORKSHOP ON HOW YOU CAN HELP TO END HOMELESSNESS IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY Homelessness is a huge issue that needs solving, but where do we begin? Join community activist and former Santa Cruz Mayor Don Lane and Housing Matters Community Engagement Manager Andrea Feltz in an interactive workshop to discover how you can be a part of the solutions to homelessness. We will walk through a simple five-step process, with big and small group discussions, to uncover what you can do today to join us at Housing Matters in solving homelessness in our community. Bring your questions, a notebook and a pen and get ready to make your personal plan to help join the forces in your county and beyond! Learn more at bethesolutionssc.eventbrite.com. Monday, March 1, 9-10am.
LATINO ROLE MODELS 2021- VIRTUAL CONFERENCE Please join us for Latino Role Models Virtual Conference. This 11th annual conference provides an exciting opportunity for Santa Cruz County students (grades six through college) and their families to be inspired to achieve their dreams for college and career. Hear from Latinx professionals and college students about their educational pathways and participate in informational workshops. The free conference is presented in Spanish (with English translation). Register online at tinyurl.com/latin9osmodelos. This year USC Distinguished Professor Manuel Pastor will deliver the keynote address: Racial Justice: Education as a Tool of Liberation. For more information, please contact Senderos at 831-854-7740. Saturday, Feb. 27, 9:30am.
TEN O’CLOCK LUNCH WITH SPECIAL GUEST TED WELTY A collaboration of our crossover joy and love of Motown classics and sweet soul music. Jerry Whitney brings his James Jamerson, Motown bass lines and jazz influenced groove to the mix. George Zaferes’ passion for the soul/gospel sounds that have shaped his vocal style and rhythm guitar playing. Joining Ten O’Clock Lunch is special guest, ace guitarist and singer Ted Welty of Locomotive Breath and Spun. Bring your face mask. No cover. Artist sites and sounds available at facebook.com/TenOClockLunchBand. Friday, Feb. 26, 5pm. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel.
GRATEFUL DUETS WITH MATT HARTLE AND SCOTT COOPER: DINNER AND A SHOW: Matt Hartle and Scott Cooper of the China Cats get together for a wonderful evening of acoustic duets. Matt and Scott have a 10-year history of playing Grateful Dead music together. Don’t miss this intimate evening of dinner and a show with Matt and Scott. Bring a face mask. Artist sites and sounds available at matthartlemusic.com. Purchase your tickets now by calling 831-479-9777, ext. 2. Saturday, Feb. 27, 6:30pm. $50. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel.
GRATEFUL DEAD TUNES New weekly link: Grateful Sundays live online can be found every Sunday at facebook.com/gratefulsundays. We need everyone to help us all stay safe. We are asking that everyone hang at their tables. Masks are required at all times unless you are seated at your table. Socially distanced dancing will be allowed at your tables only, not in the spaces between the tables. Artist sites and sounds. facebook.com/gratefulsundays. Purchase your tickets now by calling 831-479-9777, ext. 2. $15. Sunday, Feb. 28, 5:30pm. Michael’s on Main, 2591 S Main St., Soquel.
SALSA SUELTA FREE ZOOM SESSION SALSA SUELTA FREE ZOOM SESSION Keep in shape! Weekly online session in Cuban-style Salsa Suelta for experienced beginners and up. May include Mambo, ChaChaCha, Afro-Cuban Rumba, Orisha, Son Montuno. No partner required, ages 14+. Contact to get the link. salsagente.com. Thursday, Feb. 25, 7pm.
TENANTS’ RIGHTS HELP Tenant Sanctuary is open to renters living in the city of Santa Cruz with questions about their tenants’ rights. Volunteer counselors staff the telephones on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays from 10am-2pm. Tenant Sanctuary works to empower tenants by educating them on their rights and providing the tools to pursue those rights. Tenant Sanctuary and their program attorney host free legal clinics for tenants in the city of Santa Cruz. Due to Covid-19 concerns, all services are currently by telephone, email or Zoom. For more information visit tenantsanctuary.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/tenantsanctuary. 831-200-0740. Thursday, Feb. 25, 10am-2pm. Sunday, Feb. 28, 10am-2pm. Tuesday, March 2, 10am-2pm.
URBAN CYCLING VIRTUAL WORKSHOP Are you curious about how to ride your bike safely and confidently around town? Want to learn the rules of the road and how you fit in as a cyclist? How about gear selection, avoiding bike theft, riding during the dark and wet winter months, or choosing a low-traffic route? Get answers to these questions and more at this free urban cycling workshop. Ecology Action staff will run through all the basics of urban cycling and guide curious cyclists of all levels and backgrounds. Register today for this free event at bit.ly/2MPWZFa. Thursday, Feb. 25, Noon-1pm.
WEBINAR: THE AYURVEDA SOLUTION TO TYPE-2 DIABETES Presented by Jackie Christensen, MA-Ayur, Ph.D., an internationally recognized author, clinician, and educator in natural health, herbology, and Ayurveda. Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) represents one of the most significant public health challenges in the 21st century and Ayurveda provides many solutions to the t riddle. Through Ayurveda we can understand the various factors that cause T2D.Personalized medicine is a new concept for modern healthcare, but it is well-established in Ayurveda. In this workshop we will explore how one’s natural constitution affects treatment options. Dr. Jackie will review the foods used in Ayurveda for T2D to balance blood glucose, optimize digestion, and reduce the buildup of toxic internal waste. Through Ayurveda, we can learn how to use food as medicine and reduce our dependence on chemically laden foods. In fact, research shows that 80-90% of T2D cases can be prevented through diet and lifestyle. Learn how to upgrade your lifestyle with proven sleep habits, workouts, stress reduction and herbal support to beat T2D. For more information, visit: eventbrite.com/e/webinar-the-ayurveda-solution-to-type-2-diabetes-tickets-130201260475. Saturday, Feb. 27, Noon.
GROUPS
COMPLEMENTARY TREATMENT FORUM An educational group, a safe place to learn, for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every fourth Saturday, currently on Zoom. Registration required: WomenCARE at 831-457-2273. Saturday, Feb. 27, 10:30am-12:30pm.
ENTRE NOSOTRAS GRUPO DE APOYO Entre Nosotras support group for Spanish-speaking women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets twice monthly. Registration required, call 831-761-3973. Friday, Feb. 26, 6pm.
WOMENCARE ARM-IN-ARM Cancer support group for women with advanced, recurrent, or metastatic cancer. Meets every Monday at 12:30pm via Zoom. All services are free. Registration required. Contact WomenCARE at 831-457-2273 or online at womencaresantacruz.org. Monday, March 1, 12:30pm.
WOMENCARE MEDIATION GROUP WomenCARE’s mediation group for women with a cancer diagnosis meets the first and third Friday. For more information and location call 831-457-2273. Monday, March 1, 11am-noon.
WOMENCARE TUESDAY SUPPORT GROUP WomenCARE Tuesday Cancer support group for women newly diagnosed and through their treatment. Meets every Tuesday currently on Zoom. Registration required. Contact WomenCARE at 831-457-2273 or online at womencaresantacruz.org. Tuesday, March 2, 12:30-2pm.
WOMENCARE: LAUGHTER YOGA Laughter yoga for women with a cancer diagnosis. Meets every Wednesday at 3:30 via Zoom. Registration required by contacting 831-457-2273. Wednesday, Feb. 24, 3:30-4:30pm.
OUTDOOR
ROCKIN’ POP-UP Have a rock that needs identifying? Want to learn more about the geology of Santa Cruz? Like digging for fossils? Join the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History for our monthly rock-talk days. Every fourth Saturday of the month, PhD students from UCSC will be at the Museum, ready to ID your local (or not-so-local) geologic finds, as well as show off a rotating collection of specimens. So get ready to talk shop with these rock jocks! Note: Limit of three rocks per visitor. Rockin’ Pop-Ups are free with admission. santacruzmuseum.org. Watch live on Facebook at facebook.com/SantaCruzMuseumOfNaturalHistory/live. Saturday, Feb. 27, 10am.
SCIENTISTS SAVING THE OCEANS VIRTUAL EXPEDITION Expedition one: Protecting Dolphins and Whales from Oceanic Noise. Join the Seymour Marine Discovery Center for a unique virtual expedition as we go behind the scenes with UCSC’s Marine Mammal Physiology Project at Long Marine Lab to explore how Dr. Terrie Williams is racing to protect dolphins and whales from oceanic noise. Attendees will: interact with Long Marine Lab’s expert animal trainers and researchers to learn how they care for and train dolphins and seals to voluntarily participate in conservation science, observe team research in action and learn how new technologies are developed to investigate animals in the wild, and understand how lab science underpins field research aimed at protecting narwhals and other marine mammal populations around the world. Facilitated live through Zoom, this expedition consists of six engaging 90-minute classes. Each class session includes live-streaming time with the staff and resident animals cared for by the Marine Mammal Physiology Project at UCSC. Fees: Seymour Center Members $250, non-members: $320. For more details and to register, visit seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/learn/ongoing-education/scientists-saving-the-oceans. Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2:30-4pm.
VIRTUAL YOUNGER LAGOON RESERVE TOURS Younger Lagoon Reserve is now offering a virtual tour in both English and Spanish. This virtual tour follows the same stops as the Seymour Marine Discovery Center’s docent-led, in-person hiking tour, and is led by a UCSC student! Virtual Younger Lagoon Reserve tours are free and open to the public. Part of the University of California Natural Reserve System, Younger Lagoon Reserve contains diverse coastal habitats and is home to birds of prey, migrating sea birds, bobcats, and other wildlife. See what scientists are doing to track local mammals, restore native habitat, and learn about the workings of one of California’s rare coastal lagoons. Access the tours at seymourcenter.ucsc.edu/visit/behind-the-scenes-tours/#youngerlagoon. Sunday, Feb. 28, 10:30am.
