The Chinese classical dance spectacle “Shen Yun” promotes itself as “5,000 Years of Civilization Reborn.” The New York-based ensemble revives narrative dance and music traditions that existed in China before Communist rule. “Shen Yun” is created and promoted by practitioners of the Falun Gong spiritual discipline. The performances feature a full orchestra, elaborate costumes and backdrops and dozens of performers.
“Shen Yun”’s latest Connecticut shows are Dec. 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Dec. 23 at 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the Palace Theatre, 100 E. Main St., Waterbury. $88.50 to $138.50. 203-346-2000 and palacetheaterct.org.
Schall At Funny Bone
The bio on her website describes Robyn Schall’s path to stand-up comedy this way: “Wearing leg braces like Forrest Gump as a child, illiterate to the age of 16 and at one point weighing 215 pounds, Robyn was a walking sitcom.”
Schall overcame some personal obstacles, got a degree in acting from the University of Connecticut and has become a busy and widely traveling comedian. She’s been to Japan and North Korea on military tours and on a multi-city tour of Australia.
In the past few weeks you could have seen her at the New York comedy clubs Carolines on Broadway, the Comic Strip, the Broadway Comedy Club and the New York comedy Club. Besides videos of her stand-up act, Schall makes amusing workout videos. You can find dozens of episodes of her web comedy series “Robyn is Crazy,” including “OMG! World’s Worst Reporter” and “Cheering Up a Girl in Central Park” on her Facebook page.
Schall performs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Funny Bone in the Shoppes at Buckland Hills complex at 194 Buckland Hills Drive in Manchester. $12. 860-432-8600 and hartford.funnybone.com.
Modern Dada
If you were a century-old art movement that rejected logic, reason and sanity for spontaneous radical outpourings of nonsense, where might you materialize in today’s world?
Dance clubs, naturally.
Dada Life has brought the sensibilities of the Dada movement, and some current performance art sensibilities, into the modern dance club community with wild stunts and raucous humor that set this DJ duo apart from its beat-happy club brethren. In 2015, Dada Life got more than 600 people to dress up as bananas for a gig in California. This followed 2013’s record-breaking pillow fight among 3,813 people. Last week in Aspen they held an Ugly Sweater Party. A new album is due soon, with the single “We Want Your Soul” already released and a world tour in the works for next year. Dada Life spins records and alters your consciousness 9 p.m. Dec. 26 at the Shrine club, in the Mohegan Sun Resort Casino complex, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket. $20. 800-FOXWOODS and foxwoods.com.
![NORTH CANAAN, Conn. (AP) — It was the barking that saved Rippy, a mutt that fell deep into a working rock quarry. After passersby and even a drone failed to locate the lost dog, rescue workers drawn to his barks rappelled down the pit’s walls and lifted him out three days after he went missing, […]](https://www.courant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Quarry_Dog_45004.jpg?w=526 "NORTH CANAAN, Conn. (AP) — It was the barking that saved Rippy, a mutt that fell deep into a working rock quarry. After passersby and even a drone failed to locate the lost dog, rescue workers drawn to his barks rappelled down the pit’s walls and lifted him out three days after he went missing, […]")
