Monthly Archives: December 2022

Artistic Treasures At Year’s End

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As we close out this year together, a treat from two performing arts artistic directors. First, the retiring artistic director of America Ballet Theater, Kevin McKenzie offers the long view of his 30 years leading that internationally acclaimed dance company. In the second segment (minute 29:08), South Coast Repertory artistic director David Ivers reflects on coming back full throttle in this season, and offers early next year’s “Voices of America;” two plays in conversation with each other – Little Foxes and Appropriate.

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; Carlos Simon “Amen;” The Scott Oakley Trio, “Greensleeves,” Jazz for the Holidays – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/McKenzieIversPod12-27-23.mp3

Cleaning Rooms in Irvine’s Inns

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This close to the lore of Mary and Joseph looking for room at any inn, today we look at how workers are faring as they keep clean our hotels. For the whole program Austin Lynch, director and negotiator at Unite Here Local 11; and Maria Balderas, union member and rank and file leader, working at the Irvine Hilton – cover the working conditions for hotel staff as well as Irvine’s recently adopted workers protection ordinance, the first of its kind in Orange County. For those Irvine voters, who have signed the petition circulating to revoke the ordinance, who wish to retract their signatures, they can text 562-688-5867 for instructions. The document to complete is: https://www.unitehere11.org/wp-content/uploads/Irvine-Referendum-Petition-Signature-Withdrawal-Form-00420418xB613E.pdf

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; Groupo Nueva Vida, “Las Posadas,” Alabanzas Cristianas Que Llegan al Alma, Vol. 6

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/LynchBalderasPod12-20-22.mp3

The Latest on Huntington’s Disease Research and Treatment

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Returning to the show is the world renown investigator on Huntington’s disease, Dr. Leslie Thompson. Accompanying her is Melody Bandley, advocate for her husband and other patients, for advances in Huntington’s Disease research and care. Details on ongoing search and care are available at: https://hdcare.org/. For additional legislative actions that support HD care: https://hdsa.org/news/hdsa-reintroduces-the-hd-parity-act/.

The bonus interview with American Ballet Theater’s retiring artistic director Kevin McKenzie, that was not broadcast on this program, is now available in a separate podcast on this same date. He appears in Orange County during the current run of The Nut Cracker performed at now through December 18th at the Segerstrom Hall.

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; and Bill Beach, “Dreams Deferred,” Letting Go – album.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/ThompsonBandley12-13-22.mp3

Kevin McKenzie’s Gracious Bow As Artistic Director of the American Ballet Theater

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American Ballet Theater’s retiring artistic director Kevin McKenzie reviews his 30 years of leadership with the company. Topics include the arc of a dancer’s career, comparisons between the scourges of AIDS and COVID, Russian connections, art education in America, and the baton he hands off to incoming director Susan Jaffee. Mr. McKenzie appears in Orange County during the current run of The Nucracker performed now through December 18th at the Segerstrom Hall, https://www.scfta.org/shows-events.

Music credits: “Amen,” composed and conducted by Carlos Simon.

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/McKenziePod12-13-22.mp3

Ethnic Studies Rocks the Classroom AND America’s Unsafe Roads; With and Without the Pandemic

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Emily Penner, professor at the UCI School of Education, returns to the show to speak to the theme of “pedagogy not politics of ethnic studies.

In the second segment (minute 31:06), Caron Whitaker, Deputy Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, talks about road safety as we move through the pandemic – looking at you exceptional USA, with our scary trend of raised fatalities bucking the global decline. The continuation is in the second link entry on this day.

Music credits: Chimora, “African Americano,” Sounds of Africa- album; Richie Havens, “Peace Train;” and the Gershwin Piano Quartet, “American in Paris.”

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/PennerWhitakerPod12-6-22.mp3

http://www.kuci.org/podcastfiles/984/WhitakerPart212-6-22.mp3