Book Me Baby/APAP Road Trip

Houston APAP veterans FLY DANCE COMPANY

I can’t really call myself a Dancehunter and stay all hauled up in my fake gothic (currently held up by mold spores) suburban home. Every now and then I have to actually leave the house, and get this, LEAVE TEXAS.

Curious about all the fuss over the Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference (APAP), I finally broke down, cashed in a free flight, got a press pass, and shipped myself of to NYC to catch up with the last decade of dance. When I lived in DC, I was much more in touch with the NY scene. DiverseWorks, SPA, and Dance Salad, do their best to bring NY to us, but that is a drop of dance in a very large size bucket.

APAP unites over 3,500 performing arts professional to wheel, deal, check out new talent, and book their seasons. This is the grand marketplace for the arts. Artists show their wares via showcases happening all over the city for three days. Houston’s famed hip hop Dance Company, FLY, has been going for years now and lands an average of twenty weeks of touring. Music, dance, and theater showcases are non-stop from Saturday though Monday. I was there to see dance, however, I did make a sacrifice or two to hear Oliver Saks keynote and listen to my favorite classical music rock star, Christopher Riley. (His new Radiohead CD is coming out soon.)

Showcases allow one to sample many choreographers’ work without the investment of a full evening. If it’s bad, you only have to watch 15 minutes, which is good. If it’s good, it’s just 15 minutes, and that’s bad. What’s missing is the full evening experience. After one day of showcases, I was left with a mad hunger to see an evening length fully produced work, so I headed off to Dance Theater Workshop to see the Australian wonder, Roz Warby, in Swift. Warby is currently on her way to Houston to dance in Deborah Hay’s The Adaptation Project at DiverseWorks.

I clocked in over twenty hours of dance watching. I wonder if they have awards for such a feat? Next year I hope to break my record. Perhaps I will have people sponsor me next year hour for hour. I sipped cheap rose wine and ate too many stale Xmas cookies, both of which may have clouded my already clouded judgment. I also admit to skipping out on Sunday morning to spend time with my three-year old nephew, Billy. We have so much in common--tendencies towards bossiness and mood issues.

I want to confess that I do not like things like lists of the “ten best.” I equally despise anything called a “trend.” As soon as I see something identified as a trend I immediately throw it out, unless it’s a child or husband. Those trends I keep. Now that I have gotten that out of the way, please proceed to my “lists” and “trends” section.

List # 1: Work I would like to see hit the Texas Shores


Photo by Julie Lemberger

Donna Uchizono Company
Uchizono is no stranger to Houston. DiverseWorks brought her a few years back and her breathtaking work, Butterflies From My Hand, was seen last May in Houston as part of SPA’s Direct from DTW. At the Dancespace Artists Board showcase Uchizono showed an excerpt of her newest work, Hug, inspired by watching an Indian spiritual guide, Ammachi, hug 5,000 people. She claims to be interested in ‘awkward elegance.” I’d say it’s heavy on the “elegance.” The awkward part comes through more in the startling originality of her choreography. Uchizono’s terrifically exciting partnering work looks as if one dancer is using the other as the ground. The supporting dancer becomes the shifting terrain. Hug premieres at Danspace Project in NYC this June and will arrive in Houston I February of 2006 just in time for Valentine’s Day.
www.ladonnadance.org


Photo by Eric McNatt

Miguel Gutierrez & The Powerful People
First off, let’s talk about the name. I like it. Dancers have been too polite with names. Isn’t about time for a little aggressive edge in the naming biz? The Dancehunter thinks yes. Gutierrez showed an excerpt from Retrospective Exhibitionist which begins with him doing a voice over of his own voice at a choreographers Q & A. You will just have to trust me on this, it was hysterically funny. Gutierrez goes on to strike precarious balances accompanied by some 1950ish dance on TV. If you managed to see the TV, the juxtaposition was sweet. Next, he lies down on the ground and performs neat little moves showing great restraint. Finally, he turns on some post punk Interpol and flies about the room in an amazing feat of physical finesse. It looks to me like he is mainlining air. I enjoyed the ragged edges of his work, the authentic sense of time, and his effortless looking dancing. Gutierrez honed his chops doing time with Joe Goode in San Francisco and won a Bessie for his work with John Jasperse Company. In 2002 he performed Enter the Seen for 15 people at time in his Brooklyn loft-my kind of dance. Retrospective Exhibitionist premieres at DTW in the fall/winter of 2005. Houston loves powerful people. Gutierrez will be in Houston at DiverseWorks in 05/06.
www.miguelgutierrez.org


Photo credit: www.carolinakroonphotography.com

DD Dorvillier and Jennifer Monson
DD Dorvillier and Jennifer Monson showed an excerpt of RMW, commissioned by Movement Research’s Sexual I.D. series in 1993. This “love ya hate ya” pas de man/woman gender bender was just what I needed after watching those 20 hours of dance. Monson and Dorvillier managed humor, tenderness, and some fantastic kissing, all in the space of 15 minutes. Monson already did Houston last year. We miss her already.


Photo by Liz Magic Laser

ASzURe & Artists
Aszure Barton, a young upstart from Canada no less, showed some snappy dances just glimmering with that “dance party” feel. She advised us to hoot and holler during her dances. I feel strongly she belongs in Texas. With the exception of the gun thing, Texans and Canadians are identical--we both love our country. Her dances reminded me of the Rodeo, all buck and brash--very fun. She won the 2003 Hubbard Street Dance Chicago’s National Choreographic Competition and has a performance at the Joyce SoHo Theater in April. She’s way too confidant to be Canadian. Texas would love her.
www.aszureartists.com


Bill Young and Dancers
Fearless, high flying, daredevil moves with tables, benches and dancers atop tables and benches, characterize this hyper-charged excerpt from Rein, Bellow, Young’s collaboration with choreographer Colleen Thomas. At times it looks as though the dancers have entered some kind of vortex that spins them out of control. They even choreograph for the benches. It’s simply gorgeous to watch, although I had a few fears for the dancers (it’s the mom thing). You can catch Bill Young and Dancers next at the NYU Tisch Summer Festival in May and June.
http://wgy2.home.att.net/


Photo by Kelly Gottesman

Bridgman/Packer Dance
Just when I thought dance with video projections was dead in the water, Bridgman and Packer find a novel film/dance combo with their new work, Under the Skin. In one section the dance resembled a moving version of the surreal parlor game, “Exquisite Corpse.” For those that don’t hang around playing surreal parlor games, it’s where one person draws one part of the body and folds it over showing just a line for the next artist to contribute, You get some rather odd human forms, which is exactly what happened as Packer’s legs were projected on Bridgman’s body. I was happy to see Bridgman and Packer still at work. Under the Skin premieres as part of the 92nd on 42nd Festival at the Duke Theater this March.
www.bridgmanpacker.org


Photo by Stan Barouh

Liz Lerman Dance Exchange
Lerman leaves politics for science these days in her new work, Ferocious Beauty: Genome. Not that this is really possible. According to the blurb on her website, “The project will foster a long-term partnership among a national group of scientists, bio-ethicists, researchers, clergy and artists who will bring their best thinking to bear on the promise and threat of a new biological age.” It’s nice to see Lerman staying true to tough subjects. She claims she’s done with dancers talking on stage and plans to project scientific text. Lerman enjoyed her Houston visits and would like to return to our friendly city. Houston dancers are still using her Critical Response format and continue to work with text based on her techniques.
http://www.danceexchange.org

List #2: Works that left me with that “interesting, I want to see more” feeling



Photo by Tim Summers

Jennifer Monson
Monson last flew through town last spring on her Ducks and Geese Tour as part of BIRDBRAINDANCE. She is distilling her years of following birds, and one year, whales, into an indoor version. I’ve been a Monson groupie for a year now. My interview with her will appear in the summer issue of Contact Quarterly. Flight of Mind, is slated for fall of 2005 at DTW. Monson delivered a tasted of the piece at The Danspace Project at the weary hour of 11pm. After seeing a snippet of the work I am even more curious to see how the birds end up indoors.
www.birdbraindance.org


Andre Gingras/Korzo Productions
Gingras calls his work, The Lindenmeyer System, a “farcical, black comedy with topical political undertones.” In the filmed interview he spoke about making the audience uncomfortable. If you can’t wait for that experience no need to worry, Sixto Wagon is bringing Gingras’s highly acclaimed work, The Sweet Flesh Room, to DiverseWorks on March 24, 25, 26 at 8pm. So I will, after all, get to see more. Can I suggest you Houstonians make reservations by calling DiverseWorks at 713-335-3445
www.korzo.nl


Photo by Amitava Sarkar
http://insightphotography.smugmug.com/Dance

Brian Brooks Moving Company
Brooks offered an excerpt of his newest opus, Piñata. He was attracted to the mix of candy and violence and doesn’t that say it all. I think about all the birthday party piñata wars I have suffered through. Finally, a dance to ease my post piñata stress syndrome. Costumes by Roxana Ramseur and movement with a goofy edge made for a delightful taste of this new work. Piñata premieres at Symphony Space this April.
www.brianbrooksmovingcompany.com


Shawn McConneloug and her Orchestra
McConneloug, from the frozen twin-cities tundra, dredges up girl pirates for her new work, She Captains. Inspired by swashbuckling Hollywood “B” movies and the true story of she-pirate Grace O’Malley, this looks like one fun ride. For all you pirate lovers, McConneloug is on the hunt for commissioning partners. Her last work was called Stand on your Man. It sounds good to me.
www.smccorchestra.org

Jeanine Durning
Durning’s Out of the Kennel, into a home drew from the legendary Harry Houdini’s notes. Durning has that “fresh, up and coming” feel to her work. Plus, she is just lovely to watch. An interest in the writings of escape artists fuels Durning’s sensitive duet. Durning’s work, Half URGE, made The New York Times lists of top ten dance events for 2003. Her new work premieres in the fall of 2005 at DTW.

Trends


Boston's Monkey House in Wigs-Stay tuned for an interview with at least on of the Monkeys on their innovative ways of luring audiences to modern dance.

Photo by Ingrid Werthmann
Pictured clockwise from left: Nicole Harris, Amelia O'Dowd, Karen
Krolak, Beth McGuire

• Wigs
• Men in skirts
• Uber fast movement
• Falling on parts of the body that would make an orthopedic surgeon cringe
• Skirts over pants
• Slips
• Kissing on stage

Keep in mind for every performance I was seeing, I was missing many. I spent most of Friday going to meetings on the dance crisis (lack of money, audiences, recognition) in the US. A separate post will come out of my notes. This is not a conference for the decision challenged. I missed out on the entire “off the radar” theater festival and Savion Glover’s performance. That’s how it goes. Over all, I was reminded of the vitality of the arts under any political or economic climate. Not a bad way to spend a weekend. A trip to the spectacular new MOMA, and a quick shopping trip to H &M for the boys, was just icing on a rather freezing cake.

To learn more about APAP visit www.artspresenters.org.

Zentherapy: A Conversation with Patty Adamik

Pictured: Patty Adamik, Dub Leigh, and Audrey Nakamura

Patty Adamik has been both my student and my teacher, and always a colleague on the somatic path. Together we have followed the work of Emilie Conrad in Continuum and have enjoyed a healthy somatic dialogue for the past several years. Adamik has been practicing Zentherapy® since her initial training with Dub Leigh in 1991 and has completed two advanced level trainings. She brings her early training in dance as well as 18 years experience as a Tai Chi and Chi Kung practitioner to her work with an emphasis on assisting her clients in accessing the inner wisdom of their body’s intelligence to guide the healing process. She is a Nationally Certified massage therapist and member of the International Institute of Structural Integrators. I had the opportunity to speak with Adamik on her upcoming training in Zen Triggerpoint Anatomy®.

DH: What is Zentherapy®?

PA: Zentherapy® is a method of releasing the natural form of the body from the aberrations caused by physical, chemical and psychological traumas. It recognizes that from birth to death our life is a flow of energy shaped by our attitudes, emotions and form. The actual techniques of Zentherapy® draw on many systems, Rolfing®, Feldenkrais®, Berry work, Raymond Nimmo’s triggerpoint work and the teachings of Tanouye Rotaishi. What makes it unique as a method is experiencing and understanding the use of universal energy. There are two parts to the Zentherapy® training. Zen Triggerpoint Anatomy® which provides the concepts and techniques for releasing the ‘stuck’ patterns and Zen Bodytherapy®, a systematic, progressive series of sessions that provides optimal alignment with gravity and development of internal and external body awareness. There are also advanced training courses. Zen training is a key component of all the work.

DH: How does Dub Leigh fit into the somatics movement?

PA: Dub trained directly with Dr. Ida Rolf, Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais, Tanouye Tenshin Rotaishi, and Lauren Berry over many years. Dub took all of the important principles he learned from them and interlaced his own ideas to create his unique style of bodywork, which continues to evolve. Practitioners of Zentherapy® act as facilitators to assist a person in confronting and releasing that which is no longer serving them. Awareness of ‘what is’ in both the client and practitioner in each moment is an integral aspect of the work and critical to the outcome of the session and the long lasting changes that occur. I make sure that a client is aware that changes are taking place in his/her body while working on them.

DH: What does Zentherapy® have to offer to dancers?

PA: Zentherapy® aligns a person’s body with gravity so there is not a lot of focus on holding the right posture. As a body is worked free of aberrations, it becomes lighter and more graceful, able to move with the least amount of effort. Gravity and space then become allies and support to the dancer rather than a force to overcome.

DH: How do you find your background as a dancer/mover coming into play in practicing your work?

PA: I can still recall my shock, when at age 14, in a discussion with my ballet teacher, I expressed my interest in pursuing dance as a career. She immediately stated “You’re a little too old to be thinking about that now.” Conventional wisdom holds that dance is for the young and decline is inevitable. Although I didn’t pursue that dance career, it launched my interest in movement practices as a way of enhancing health and well being in mind, body and spirit. When I first experienced Zentherapy®, I was amazed at the plasticity and malleability of the fascial system. Many of our restrictions and limitations in movement are merely a force of habit and not a fixed part of our structure at all. The invitation to move in freer, lighter ways that Zentherapy® offers was a life changing experience for me. I constantly challenge my own boundaries of movement and encourage my clients to do the same. Those boundaries are different for everyone, but the delight that occurs when one steps beyond them and finds not pain and injury but a new lightness of being is what keeps me coming back again and again to the work. The effects of giving and receiving Zentherapy® are cumulative. I have less pain, more mobility, and greater freedom in my body than I did 15 years ago. So my sense is that while aging is inevitable, loss of function and mobility is not.

DH: What happens to connective tissue when we dance?

PA: Connective tissue is a very general term that can refer to many different types of connectivity. Most often it is used in reference to the fascial layers connecting muscle to tendon, and tendon to bone. In a best case scenario, the energy and movement of dance softens, vitalizes and rejuvenates those tissues. Problems occur due to overuse, or not allowing an injury to fully heal. Emotional pain also can shorten and harden the connective tissue. That is why a modality such as Zentherapy® is so important to longevity. We can clear those issues and injuries and allow the freedom of expression and heart of the dancer to be available in every performance. In Dub’s words, “The connective tissue becomes the servant of the dancer’s movement.”
In a different sense, connective tissue is also an aspect of the social field that binds us to each other and to the energies of the cosmos. It’s a form of communication and in that regard, dance is one of its most universal expressions.

DH: Thanks for the update. Keep me informed of future trainings.

http://www.zentherapy.org

A Month of Motion: JCC's Celebrates 25 Years

The Jewish Community Center is a dance landmark for Houston. With festivals in January and the summer, year-round dance classes, and the I.W. Marks Jewelers Master Classes series, the JCC is a one-stop dance shopping mall. The annual post-holiday festival known as Dance Month turns 25 this year.

Dance Month all started with a complaint. Hilda Frank, then Chair of the Dance Committee, called Mark Lit, JCC’s former Cultural and Performing Arts Director, to voice her disappointment that the adult dance students were never given a chance to perform in the Kaplan Theatre. Lit took a look at the calendar and noticed that January was wide open. “I’ll take it, said Frank. “I had no idea what I was going to do with a whole month, but I wasn’t going to let it go.” Maxine Silberstein (then a dance faculty member), Pam Stockman (Dance Coordinator at the time), and Frank organized the first month of dance called Celebrate Dance: A Moving Experience. “In the beginning we were a mom and pop organization,” remembers Frank.

Dance Month was born in 1981 with a quiet performance for the adult students, Joan Karff’s New Dance Group, Camille Hill’s Discovery Dance Group, and an evening of mime with Linda Graham and Richard Zachary. “There wasn’t much dance happening in Houston back then, states Silberstein. Those early years featured performers Delia Stewart Jazz Dance Company, Space/Dance/Theatre, and Stanze Peterson Dance/Theatre. “I was honored to be in such excellent company,” remembers Roberta Stokes, a frequent Dance Month participant.

Frank, an avid folk dancer, was particularly interested in expanding the knowledge and training for the local Israeli folk dance scene. She brought in such renowned teachers as Dani Dassa, Ruth Goodman, and Yoram Rachmany for weekend workshops.

Dance Month grew savvier as time went on importing several Israeli Modern Dance companies. Vertigo Dance Company, Morena Amoora, and Inbal Dance Theater all made rare Houston pit stops. This tradition continues for the Silver Celebration with Sheketak, a dance and percussion group that gives Stomp a run for its money.

In 1985, Frank and Silberstein came up with a way to encourage young artists called Houston Choreographers x 6. “We have this whole pool of talent in Houston, why not showcase it?” asked Frank. This program featured choreographers from all ends of dance, from tap to ballet. Choreographers who showed potential were selected to perform on a fully produced weekend of dance. Dominic Walsh, Sandra Organ, Chris Lidvall, Sophia Torres, and Trey McIntyre each premiered work. Each of these artists have gone on to form their own company or, in the case if McIntrye, develop a national reputation. “Up to the 20th anniversary, we had not repeated a choreographer. During the following years we had some repeats and it was so interesting to see their growth,” states Silberstein. “Dancers called the Kaplan the launching pad.”

In 1991 the JCC collaborated with SPA to initiate the I.W. Marks Jewelers Master Class Series. Artists from Alvin Ailey, Merce Cunningham, Paul Taylor, Twyla Tharp, Garth Fagan, and David Parsons, gave master classes for Houston dancers. This program continues year round whenever S.P.A. artists are in town.

Dance Month celebrates all kinds of dance-including ballroom. In 1997, they added a special ballroom event that includes a public lesson and performance. Today it’s one of the most popular events of Dance Month. Each year the ballroom evening has a new theme. This year it’s Cruisin’ the Caribbean. In the early years they collaborated with the United States Amateur Ballroom Dancers Association (USABDA) to find entertainers. Today they are pros at decking out the gym and planning must-go ballroom events.

Dance Month hosted workshops in the body therapies way before they were household names, Dr. Rebecca Clearman gave lectures on dance injuries, and there were classes in the Feldenkrais Method, Pilates, The Alexander Technique, Yoga, and Tai Chi, filling a jam packed weekend.

To celebrate the Silver Anniversary, a special evening combining live dance performances and video is planned. Eleven groups will premiere six-minute pieces interspersed by a video montage that tells the Dance Month story. Early in the planning process Frank and Silberstein brought Joanna Friesen into the picture to help organize the literally truck loads of photos and videos of past performances. “While Hilda and Maxine spent hours being sure everyone was included, I focused on finding a manageable structure. Our combined efforts helped everything fall into place,” states Friesen.

Many key players in Houston dance appear on video. One of them is S.P.A. Executive Director, Toby Mattox. “Dance Month at the Jewish Community Center is vital to the Greater Houston dance community. First, it is an annual stage where local and regional dance companies and choreographers can be seen. The program helps generate a continuing interest in dance in addition to offering opportunities for dance companies from our region to be seen,” states Mattox.

Silberstein’s years of service were recognized last year when she won the first Buffy Award, Houston’s only Dance Award. This year’s festivities are in memory of Mark Arvin, a Dance Month frequent participant, former Houston Ballet Principal, and Broadway dancer, who passed away in December. “Dance Month has survived just like dance companies have survived,” states Frank. Houston dancers are glad it did.

Dance Month takes place at the JCC’s Kaplan Theatre from January 7-29. For tickets call 713-551-7255 or visit www.jcchouston.org.

Note: This piece originally appeared in the January issue of Artshouston.
www.artshouston.org

Fresh Moves to Familiar Music Dominic Walsh Dance Theater Presents Contempary Baroque at the Hobby Center

Dominic Walsh inaugurated his company on that fateful weekend in February 2003, while everyone else was buying duct tape to secure their homes. What better time to start a dance company. Nothing dismantles fear like beautiful moves. I adored his first concert and had a sneaking suspicion that Walsh would have a stellar career ahead of him. And that was way before Dance Magazine named him as “one of 25 in the world to watch.” I loved that his dances are more about movement than steps. His work hones in on energy over place. This fall Dominic Walsh Dance Theater (DWDT) received the odd distinction of “Best Modern Dance Company” from The Houston Press. Now, I know dance people get all nervous and excited about labels, but you might say Walsh’s work falls in between categories. And that’s part of the excitement.

Since leaving his 17-year post at the Houston Ballet, Walsh has been on a choreographic roll. He premiered works for the ABT Studio Company, Ballet Quad Cities, and the Houston Grand Opera, all while he was dancing La Fille Mal Gardee in Japan. And that was just one weekend in October. He returned to whip up The Illumination Project , a highly successful benefit for AIDS/HIV, with Hope Stone and the Hobby Center in early December.

DWDT’s next event is Contemporary Baroque, and evening of new dances set to live Baroque music. Mercury Baroque, under the direction of Antoine Plante, will be playing live on authentic period instruments with several outstanding soloists. Walsh invited three up and coming choreographers, Ayman Harper, Mario Zambrano, and Lauri Stallings, to share the bill for this Baroque extravaganza.

DWDT is clearly developing a “look” that suits both Walsh’s dancing and choreography selection. The “look” is best described as a new take on something more ancient. Not anchored in a time, yet hinting toward the past, Walsh’s dances don a timeless atmosphere. His tendency towards live, on stage, music renders a salon feel. Add in a contemporary approach to movement, and the work ends up with a distinctly fresh style. Walsh’s newest edition to the new/old style is Bello, set to five arias from Handel Operas. Walsh gathers inspiration from the haunting sound of the counter tenor. Gerrod Pagenkopf will be singing live for the event.

Walsh’s keen eye for choreography has yielded work that’s well suited for the DWDT umbrella. While each piece represents a unique voice, there is a clear sharing of aesthetic values. This makes for a smooth viewing experience. To add to the delight of the evening Walsh, Harper, and Zambrano are dancing as well.

Harper, a former Houstonian, now dancing with The Forsythe Company, divides his time between Dresden and Frankfurt. Harper premieres First Try, Second Chance, set to Vivaldi’s Concerto La Notte for Recorder, Strings and Continuo. “First Try,” because this his first work to classical music. “Second Chance,” refers to his second piece for DWDT. The dancers sometimes vocalize the music, adding yet another level of experiencing the music. Harper last dazed, confused, and amused us with Bed Fears and Dream Piles. Harper’s European flare and liquid style conjures Trisha Brown with a touch of ballet. It’s positively delicious to watch.

Zambrano, also from Houston and formerly of Nederlands Dans Theater2 and Batsheva Dance Company, tells the story of his parent’s gentle courtship though love letters in Quartett Letters. After careful research, Zambrano chose text from the letters of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Victor Hugo, and Elizabeth Barrett to accompany his dance. Zambrano was drawn to Bach’s Solo Violin Sonatas & Partitas for his romantic piece. Last season, he set his complex work, Bio.Lin on DWDT, and has choreographed frequently for The Houston Met.

The program also features a new work by Lauri Stallings, formerly of Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Stallings chose Vivaldi’s Concerto in a minor for two violins, strings and continuo and excerpts from The Four Seasons for her new work, Bacchus’s Cup. Stallings is in demand since leaving her post at Hubbard Street. She is a recent recipient of a Ruth Page Award and as a work for the Joffrey Ballet on her dance card.

In addition to the dancers that have flown in for this performance, DWDT boasts some of the best dancers in town. Lindsey McGill, Paola Georgudis, Marcello De Sa Martins, and Houston Ballet dancers, Principal Sara Webb and Soloists Tyann Clement and Kelly Myernick will also be performing.

May I be so bold as to suggest you begin the year with some beautiful motion? I absolutely promise that DWDT will deliver you from your post-holidays blues completely. Miss it and miss out.

Dominic Walsh Dance Theater and Mercury Baroque, present Contemporary Baroque, at Zilkha Hall in the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts, January 7th and 8th, Friday and Saturday, at 7:30 p.m., and a student matinee Friday at 12:15 p.m. Admission is $25, $30, and $35. Senior and student discounts are available. For tickets contact 713-315-2525, or visit www.UniquelyHouston.org.

Photo by Jaime Lagdameo.