Get a little culture in your Life!

So, in my 20's I was a club girl. Come to my city, which was Atlanta at the time and I could escort you to the hottest clubs in town, get us drinks for free, and you were guaranteed a good time! For sho!

Now, that I'm in the 30s club I'm trying to cultivate my cultural side. Most recently, I went to the Metropolitan Opera and I took my boyfriend with me kicking and screaming. It was really cool and such a great experience. My next goal is to finally see an Alvin Ailey Dance company performance. I must be the only black person in NYC that hasn't seen them and it's getting kind of embarrassing. If they come to Memphis you must check them out. So anyway, I found a great event happening this weekend in Memphis that will help you "get your culture on" as well. I mean, how long are we going to try to go clubbing and unfortunately Memphis doesn't offer many lounge type settings.

So, the full details are below. If you attend, please hit me on memphisnoir@gmail.com to let me know how it was. Have fun!

MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Memphis modern dance collective Project: Motion is hosting a fundraiser event on Friday, April 24 from 6:00-9:00 p.m. at EmergeMemphis on 516 Tennessee Street downtown. The event is titled “Forward Motion: The Dance Stimulus Project” and will feature appetizers, cocktails, a silent auction and live music by singer/songwriter Bryan Hartley and String Theory.

Three local chefs will provide palate-stimulating, budget-friendly appetizers. David House is a native of the Mid-South and has worked with Raji and Karen Blockman. He enjoys bringing the restaurant experience into the homes of his clients with his dinner staging company “House in your Home.” David Thornton is the chef/manager of Cordelia's Table at Miss Cordelia's grocery located in Harbor Town Square. He also writes about his culinary experiences for publication. Michael Nabors has worked in the Memphis restaurant industry for 15 years. He is an event supervisor at Another Roadside Attraction Catering and has a side business focusing on smaller, more intimate events.

The work of Memphis photographer Monty Shane will be featured at the fundraiser. Shane was born in rural Arkansas and moved to Memphis in 1999 to pursue a B.F.A. in Graphic Design from the University of Memphis. He discovered a passion for photography, and has a unique process of visualizing the composition of a photograph before shooting it and then processing his work in the darkroom using the whole negative.

The event will benefit Project: Motion, a nonprofit organization devoted to deepening the presence of modern dance in Memphis through concerts and community outreach. On May 22-24 and 28-31, 2009, Emerge 2: Set in Motion will showcase the artistry of seven emerging choreographers at TheatreWorks in Midtown Memphis.