The Radio City Christmas Spectacular Rockettes show at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee celebrates their 85th anniversary celebration and prove, once again, the true meaning of Christmas. Their show will be in Nashville from November 16-December 24.

The performance immediately showcases why the Rockettes are world renowned; the girls are able to dance and sing beautifully while perfectly on beat with one another. There are twenty girls total and they all played a wide range of characters, from elves to Raggedy Ann dolls to wooden soldiers.

The performance is divided up into twelve scenes taking the audience through the stages of Christmas and popular Christmas songs. Their dancing ranged from classical ballet, in “The Nutcracker,” to high-energy tap dance, in “The Twelve Days of Christmas” where each Rockette has a different routine for each verse of the ever-popular song. Each scene was very different from the previous, which made the performance absolutely unexpected and enchanting.

The degree of precision also varied, but perhaps the most impressive execution of precision was during “The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers.” As the title suggests, each of the Rockettes were wooden soldiers who moved robotically and ultimately lined up like dominoes and fell onto each other in extreme slow motion. The Rockettes enthralled the audience with their talent.  The first eleven scenes were about the typical Christmas hoopla—Santa, Frosty the Snowman, Mrs. Claus, and every other iconic Christmas figure.  However, their last scene, “The Living Nativity,” was the most powerful.

“The Living Nativity,” involved re-creating the Biblical story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem where Mary gave birth to Jesus. The program included a full paragraph entitled “One Solitary Life” to prelude this amazing re-creation of the nativity story, “Two thousand years have come and gone, and today He is the central figure for much of the human race. All the armies that ever marched and all the navies that ever sailed and all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as this ‘One Solitary Life.’”

There was a narrator reciting the paragraph to the audience as the living nativity was being assembled. The show included bringing in live camels, sheep, and donkeys. The Rockettes were dressed lavishly or simply, depending if they were wise men or shepherds. The wise men walked through the aisles in the audience. In the center of the stage stood the stable and the key characters to the story arrived accordingly to when the narrator brought them into the story. As the narrator mentioned the shepherds following the Star, the shepherds and sheep took their places on stage. The narrator quoted Biblical passages and included extra information, like the symbolism behind why the wise men brought frankincense, myrrh, and gold.

Unlike in the other scenes, the Rockettes were not singing or dancing; instead, they reverently reenacting this miraculous story. The reverence and Christian message behind this scene was very unexpected from the Rockettes, but showcased a very powerful message. At a time when people can get wrapped up in the presents and the traditions, sometimes it is prudent to take a step back from the holiday mania and remember why we celebrate Christmas to begin with. The Rockettes certainly showed the typical holiday iconic characters, but definitely showed the audience the true meaning of Christmas in their final and most powerful scene. The true meaning of Christmas is not all about the presents, but it is instead a time of faith and a time to be near those you love best.

Image Courtesy : The Rockettes

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Miami, U.S.A. — In preparation for National Dance Day on Saturday, July 28, Zumba Fitness–the global multimedia fitness leader and creator of the acclaimed Zumba dance-fitness workout–has announced its partnership with the Dizzy Feet Foundation (DFF) to encourage the nation, both young and old, to get off the couch and into the groove of a fit, healthy lifestyle.

To kick-start the partnership, Zumba Fitness’ signature fusion of upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography will be one of the two official dance routines produced by the Dizzy Feet Foundation for National Dance Day 2012. Those looking to learn the official routines can visit dizzyfeetfoundation.org/national-dance-day, where they will be treated to a special video featuring Zumba Fitness Celebrity Instructors Kass Martin and Gina Grant demonstrating the choreography created specifically for National Dance Day – set to the brand’s original song, “Crazy Love.”

“Nigel and the Dizzy Feet Foundation have created an incredible event that inspires and motivates people across the nation to incorporate dance as a fun, fit way of living a healthy lifestyle—the exact message that our Zumba instructors spread to the more than 12 million people taking Zumba classes each week,” said Alberto Perlman, co-founder and CEO of Zumba Fitness. “When the opportunity came to team up with the Dizzy Feet Foundation for National Dance Day, the synergy was perfect.”

Zumba Fitness has also made a substantial contribution to support and expand the dance education programs funded by the Dizzy Feet Foundation. DFF was established in 2009 by Nigel Lythgoe, Adam Shankman, Carrie Ann Inaba and Katie Holmes, among others, to support, improve and increase access to dance education in the United States. The National Dance Day campaign can be seen during on-air broadcasts of FOX Television’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” produced by 19 Entertainment, Ltd and where Lythgoe serves as executive producer, judge and co-creator.

“Zumba Fitness gets people off the couch and into a class where they can experience all of the amazing benefits that dance has to offer,” said Nigel Lythgoe, co-president of the Dizzy Feet Foundation. “The work that Zumba Fitness has done to improve the health of citizens in the United States and more than 125 nations across this globe is truly remarkable. We are so pleased to work with this global brand to encourage people to experience the power of dance and movement on what is certain to be the biggest and best National Dance Day in our history.”

Created in 2010 by Lythgoe and supported by a congressional resolution introduced by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Washington, DC), National Dance Day is an annual grassroots initiative to promote the joy and benefits of dance throughout the United States. As part of the partnership, Zumba Fitness also will promote National Dance Day by encouraging its extensive, loyal fan base to attend events for the celebration in both Washington D.C. and Los Angeles on Saturday, July 28.

Image Courtesy of  Zumba Fitness

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At Cajun Café, chances are it is dinner. Hang onto your seats, we bet you’ve never experience anything quite like the Cajun Café on the Bayou!

Located in a charming shack off of Park Blvd. in Seminole Florida, the Cajun Café was established in 1996 by Louisianans, Joe Thibodaux, and then purchased by his daughter Rebecca in 2003. With hand selected food from friend, and family recipes, it does not get any more authentic then the Cajun café.

As you drive off the road down to the water, and see the Bayou signs, it already feels like you’ve stepped into Louisiana or the everglades.

Spices fill the air as you enter the colorful, inviting, and unique restaurant, then the feasting begins.

From crawfish to blackened, spiced alligator, catfish to Creole roasted pulled pork, this café on the Bayou has it all! Oysters, shrimp frog legs, burgers, burritos and Cajun popcorn. Wash it all down with their endless beer bar or a famous whiskey soaked bread pudding, and you’ll be planning your next visit.

Eaters must be warned however that Cajun is not for tender tummy’s. Everything except desert has a spicy kick. If you are not a fan of spice, this restaurant may not be for you.

The food was fantastic, the waterways intriguing, and the sunset views, nothing short of completing the excellent experience that is the Cajun café offers.

My guest and I take our seats next to the bayou waterway, and order a full, steaming plate of craw fish. They come out, bright red, fresh, and spicy! “I come here all the time,” says Mari Steller, an avid Cajun food lover. “I could eat three plates of this crawfish, and oh my gosh, have you tried the whisky bread pudding?”

After three more tantalizing courses, out comes the sweet, dewy, whiskey soaked, caramel topped, bread pudding. I melt as my taste buds go wild! Cajun Café has live entertainment every night, plenty of room to dance, drink, and be merry. Cajun Café has excellent, friendly service, and wonderful prices. This is a great Toonari pick for dinner, lunch, parties, anniversaries, or any other occasion calling for a Bayou good time. Located at 8101 Park Blvd, Pinellas Park Fl. and open Wednesday- Sunday 11:30am-10pm. Don’t miss this highly recommended Cajun Café on the Bayou.

Happy Eating!

Image Courtesy: Ceenen Calzadilla

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A new Footloose film is set to some out this October and fans of the first film are concerned. Originally released in 1984, it had mixed reviews at the box office, but was still popular enough to gross $80,035,402.  Starring Kevin Bacon, the soundtrack became a classic hit, and the film became an important part of great 80s movies.  It was especially liked for its catchy soundtrack and fun dancing.

Recently, more and more movies are being remade for the next generation. Usually, old films that the current generation has little knowledge about are picked, recast, and sent back to the big screen. One of the reasons this happens is because advancing technology has allowed for greater special effects, and because it’s  a gambit to make money off of a popular old film by getting people to see a newer and—supposedly—better version of their classic favorite. In this case, director Craig Brewer, loved the first film and simply wanted to see a new version of it up on the big screen.

The new movie has a similar plot to the original. It is still about a slightly rebellious teenager who comes to a town that has a dancing ban. He falls for the preacher’s daughter, and he tries to change the law to make public dancing legal. There are some differences, however. The new version has moved locations from a mid-western farming town to a Southern town with the same name.

It is set in modern times, but with elements that make it an eclectic mix of generations. Ren McCormack (Kenny Wormwald) dresses like a 1950s greaser and drives an old yellow Volkswagen Beetle, but many of the other characters dress more modern.

The music is also a combination of several styles. A number of classics from the original are back such as the title “Footloose” and “Let’s Hear it for the Boy,” but Brewer has also included some hip-hop tracks, and even some jazz. Kenny Wormwald, in an interview with Jen Yomato on www.movieline.com, explains how Brewer wanted to keep the spirit of the original while adding elements that would make it relatable to his younger viewers.

He recounted his excitement over the angry dancing scene similar to the one Kevin Bacon shot in the mill being included (sometimes referred to as punch dancing), as well as the wide variety of new music and dances.

This mix of new with old is an effort to draw two very separate audiences to this new film. Versions of several of the original tracks were included, as well as an effort to keep to the same plot in an attempt to encourage those who have already seen the original to go see the new one. Additionally, Brewer set it in modern times, and added hip-hop and choreography similar to more recent films such as Step Up to encourage audiences who are fans of those types of movies to go to this one.

The main problem with this strategy is that Brewer risks alienating both intended audiences by trying to cater to the desires of each one. Fans of the original may have a hard time swallowing the bumping and grinding to modern music, while newer audiences may be turned off by the line dancing to music with a bit of a twang.

Even if this film does match up to the original with younger audiences, who have never seen the first one, it will be a hard sell for fans of the first Footloose. After all, even Brewer admitted, “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

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