Some of our greatest art has come in response to the pain of this world: war, accident, crime and punishment, physical and mental illness, racial and class-based inequities. As Asheville resident Nancy Sehested has written, “The deeply human questions of forgiveness, redemption, and mercy emerge from the ruins of broken lives…Pain is not the last word.”

On eight evenings from September to December, the Wilma Dykeman Legacy and the West Asheville Library will celebrate four memoirs of resilience and hope from the mountains of Western North Carolina. All events are free and will be at the West Asheville Library, except for the digital event on December 8.

“Fall Into Dance: An Artistic Harvest” is a gift to our community – a professional production of all original choreography by Western North Carolina’s own Ballet Company and North Carolina’s oldest ballet company, The Asheville Ballet, directed by Ann Dunn. Resident choreographers, including Ann Dunn, Fleming Lomax, Tricia Renshaw, Stephanie Wolfe, and Jaimon Caceres, present their exciting new work in a variety of styles, from classical to contemporary, on September 9 at 7:30pm at the Roger McGuire Green stage, Pack Square Park. Tickets are $15 and are available through Eventbrite. Bring a lawn chair and join us for an evening of dance in our beautiful city, under the stars! Image by Rose Pillmore.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-asheville-ballet-presents-fall-into-dance-friday-september-9-tickets-400873903637

Join and share our Facebook event: https://fb.me/e/25fOz6Rzm

For more information, please visit www.ashevilleballet.com

Ann Dunn’s “Seen/Unseen” is a four movement contemporary duet based on sculptures by Black Mountain College artist, Leo Amino. The work is set to music by Washington D.C. composer, Erin Snedecor (cello, voice, and electronic), and is a collaboration with textile artist, Kristin Pondy.

Dunn’s “Betty” is a solo based on the movement images of Elizabeth Schmitt Jennerjahn taken at Black Mountain College, and on two pieces of her textile art. Again, the music and costume collaborations are with Snedecor and Pondy.

“Jet Lag” explores the rushed and quick paced nature of air travel. Destination – Paris, France. Stephanie Wolfe, in collaboration with dancers, plays with the quirky side of a stressful endeavor by using props and music from Frank Sinatra and Louie Armstrong. A happy ending awaits with a series of love stories set under the romantic lights of the Eiffel Tower.

“The Hats We Wear” is a new work by Fleming Lomax set to music of the ragtime era. This upbeat ballet is a four-part depiction of the many proverbial hats we wear in life and culminates with a rousing ensemble celebration of how we navigate and integrate these roles.

Tricia Renshaw’s “In Other Ways” is a non-narrative piece that explores how energy and relationships shift and change, but don’t necessarily end or dissolve.

Renshaw’s “Stay Young, Go Dancing” is an upbeat depiction of youthful joy and exuberance expressed in movement.

Jaimon Caceres has created a contemporary pointe work, titled “The Nature of Change”, set to Maurice Ravel’s beautiful “Une Barque sur L’Ocean”, that tells a story of three different people learning to surrender to the inevitable necessity of changes in life.

Buncombe County Public Libraries is hosting a new book club beginning in September.

Books to Action is an issue-focused book club that will explore books centered on topics facing our community. Each book discussion will take place in conjunction with a community service project, educational field trip, or presentations from local experts active in these key issues. This book club is open to anyone over age 16 and hopes to spotlight the work of community organizations and provide an engaging opportunity to get involved on a local level.

On Sept. 10, the Book To Action club will meet at 10:30 am at the Stephens-Lee Center to discuss Ibram X. Kendi’s How to be Antiracist. After the book discussion, we will walk to Eagle Street to begin our Hood Huggers tour.

Hood Hugger walking tours explore the past, present, and future of African Americans in Asheville

Our tour will include: the East End Valley Street in downtown Asheville, home to shops and galleries featuring African American artisans and artists; the YMI Cultural Center; the Stephens Lee Community Center; The Block, and significant African American architecture in this vibrant historic neighborhood.

This event is free, but you do need to register. Please visit the library web page and use the link on the calendar for this program to sign up.

Future meetings will include book discussions and volunteer activities with Habitat for Humanity, the Family Justice Center, and Asheville Greenworks. Check the library calendar for updates on coming books and community projects.

Get into the spirit of the era and step back in time  to that unforgettable summer in the Catskills and join us where it all began in the breathtaking mountains of Western North Carolina. Filled with excitement and nostalgia, fans can experience  the  the moves, music and memories from our all time favorite movie and fancy the chance to channel their inner “Baby & Johnny.”

This year’s one-day  festival showcases film-inspired entertainment and activities for all ages that will be treasured with friends and family for a lifetime. You’ll go crazy for  Swayze, enjoy some great entertainment, and weep with joy attempting the famous lake lift scene all while keeping the awareness on the fight against Pancreatic Cancer strong.

It’s time to dress up as your favorite character, dust off your Keds, and really  shake it down
​where Johnny & Baby once did the Mambo!

​
Only 2500 will be available for this year’s festival so get yours early to ensure  entry!
​More than 800 tickets were sold in the first week!

Our committee is still in the planning stages,  so check back frequently and visit our Facebook page for more information as it becomes available.

Get into the spirit of the era and step back in time  to that unforgettable summer in the Catskills and join us where it all began in the breathtaking mountains of Western North Carolina. Filled with excitement and nostalgia, fans can experience  the  the moves, music and memories from our all time favorite movie and fancy the chance to channel their inner “Baby & Johnny.”

This year’s one-day  festival showcases film-inspired entertainment and activities for all ages that will be treasured with friends and family for a lifetime. You’ll go crazy for  Swayze, enjoy some great entertainment, and weep with joy attempting the famous lake lift scene all while keeping the awareness on the fight against Pancreatic Cancer strong.

It’s time to dress up as your favorite character, dust off your Keds, and really  shake it down
​where Johnny & Baby once did the Mambo!
 The Chamber of Hickory Nut Gorge is happy to announce the return of the   Dirty Dancing Festival  of Lake Lure!
This year’s  festival will  be a ONE-DAY event  certain to be “the time of your life!”

Start making your plans to attend the Festival AND participate in the various pre and post-festival activities
being offered at local establishments.

​
Only 2500 will be available for this year’s festival so get yours early to ensure  entry!
​More than 800 tickets were sold in the first week!

Our committee is still in the planning stages,  so check back frequently and visit our Facebook page for more information as it becomes available

Join host Tena Frank for Malaprop’s Mystery Book Club! Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets at Malaprop’s on the second Monday of every month at 7:00 pm.

This club meets in-person and virtually. If you are interested in attending, please email [email protected] for more info and instructions! 

Join host and Malaprop’s bookseller Patricia Furnish to discuss a range of books across different periods of history. The club tackles challenging subjects, hence “NOTORIOUS.”  Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

The club meets at Malaprop’s on the 3rd Thursday of every month at 7:00 pm.

Some of our greatest art has come in response to the pain of this world: war, accident, crime and punishment, physical and mental illness, racial and class-based inequities. As Asheville resident Nancy Sehested has written, “The deeply human questions of forgiveness, redemption, and mercy emerge from the ruins of broken lives…Pain is not the last word.”

On eight evenings from September to December, the Wilma Dykeman Legacy and the West Asheville Library will celebrate four memoirs of resilience and hope from the mountains of Western North Carolina. All events are free and will be at the West Asheville Library, except for the digital event on December 8.

About the Wilma Dykeman Legacy

The Wilma Dykeman Legacy is a tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 2012 to sustain and promote Wilma Dykeman’s values by sponsoring diverse workshops, events, and other programs.  The core values of this extraordinary woman from Buncombe County included environmental integrity, social justice, and the power of the written and spoken word.  For more information, visit www.wilmadykemanlegacy.org.

Beginner’s workshop lesson at 7:30 P.M., then 8-11 P.M. Contra Dance with Country Waltzing at the break and the final dance. This is a partner dance but it’s not necessary to come with a partner. We have different live bands and callers.

Recommended for Grades 5-12

Experience how a groundbreaking mix of dance styles, music and cultures create an entirely new and exciting vision of human movement! With a diverse repertoire ranging from ballet in toe shoes to street dance, Complexions explores the intersections of the classical and contemporary. Enjoy a selection of their work and connect with the artists after the performance in an engaging Q&A.

Learn more about Complexions Contemporary Ballet here.

Prepare for your visit, learn about the theatre, and get the most out of each performance with this Guide to the Wortham Center.

Performance Length: 60 minutes

This innovative New York City-based company combines remarkably gifted dancers, powerful choreography and the electrifying riffs of rocker Lenny Kravitz in LOVE ROCKS, part of a larger program that re-envisions ballet through technical precision, athletic prowess and sheer passion. “Companies like Complexions are game-changing: They’re forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it historically has been” (The Guardian).

Connect with Complexions

• Master Class: For intermediate and advanced dance students ages 16 and up. September 24 at 1 p.m. Henry LaBrun Studio. Learn more and register here.
• Pre-show Discussions: September 23 & 24 at 7 p.m. Tina McGuire Theatre.

It’s time for some Inclusion, Y’all! That’s the theme of this year’s Blue Ridge Pride Festival, taking place at Asheville’s Pack Square Park on Saturday, September 24 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. This is Western North Carolina’s largest Pride event, typically attracting 14,000 to 18,000 people.

Two stages feature some of the most noted musical and DRAG talent in the region. Over 100 organizations that focus on social justice, community service, health care, faith, education, and the LGBTQ community will be on hand. Another 100 local employers, merchants, artists, food concessions, and service providers will round what may Asheville’s largest, most diverse collections of exhibitors to gather for a day of advocacy, service, education, and celebration.

This innovative New York City-based company combines remarkably gifted dancers, powerful choreography and the electrifying riffs of rocker Lenny Kravitz in LOVE ROCKS, part of a larger program that re-envisions ballet through technical precision, athletic prowess and sheer passion. “Companies like Complexions are game-changing: They’re forging a path for what ballet can be instead of what it historically has been” (The Guardian).

Connect with Complexions

• Master Class: For intermediate and advanced dance students ages 16 and up. September 24 at 1 p.m. Henry LaBrun Studio. Learn more and register here.
• Pre-show Discussions: September 23 & 24 at 7 p.m. Tina McGuire Theatre.

Join host and Malaprop’s Bookseller Allison to dive into the wreck of the wily and wonderful world of science fiction, fantasy, weird fiction, speculative fiction, and literary horror with a healthy mix of underappreciated classic and contemporary books. Meets the last Monday of every month at 7 pm on Zoom. Also meets on the second Monday of every month at 7 pm to discuss the film adaptations of the books we read.  Click here to see a full schedule of what the club is reading and contact the club host to join. Club attendees get 10% off the book at Malaprop’s!

Romance Book Club is a space to celebrate love in literature. Whether it’s set in early 1800s London, a distant planet years into the future, a fantasy world of magic, or our own contemporary universe, we are here for the stories that end with a happily-ever-after (or at least a happily-for-now).

Meetings will take place at 7:00 PM ET on the last Tuesday of each month via Zoom. Please visit the Romance Bookclub page for the monthly selection, and email Samantha at [email protected] for the link to join.

Join University of North Carolina food historian Marcie Cohen Ferris and award-winning cookbook author Ronni Lundy as they discuss the book, “Edible North Carolina: A Journey across a State of Flavor.” The new book from University of North Carolina Press provides a 360-degree view of a state known for its farming and food, with compelling essays from leading North Carolina writers, cooks, farmers, entrepreneurs, and food equity activists. Ferris, the book’s editor, and Lundy, a contributing essayist, will talk about the book.

Join us in our new monthly social swing event on the 1st Saturdays of every month, The
music, open vintage space and wood floors and is guaranteed to have you dancing East Coast and/or Lindy all night long, A free
lesson is offered to kick things off and will include a different combination of moves each time, No partner or rhythm needed and
dress is casual, $10 for lesson and/or social dance.

LESS DETAIL

Our ReadWNC series concludes Tuesday, October 4 with author Sharyn McCrumb discussing the true events behind her novel The Ballad of Frankie Silver. In this series, authors and historians explore the facts behind the fiction in books centered in WNC. We encourage you to read the books in advance and bring your own questions to the discussion. You can find all three books at Malaprop’s Bookstore here in Asheville. This event airs live via Zoom, and will be recorded for later viewing.

The Ballad of Frankie Silver is one of McCrumb’s Ballad novels – “set in the Southern mountains, weaving together the legends, natural wonders and contemporary issues of Appalachia. Each story is built around a theme, intended to express an overall idea” according to the author. This novel, set in Burke County, tells the story of the young Frankie Silver, hanged for a murder she may not have committed in 1833. McCrumb notes that this tale involves mountain justice, frontier families, and a contrast between the mountain and lowland South.

About the Presenter:

Sharyn McCrumb is an award-winning Southern writer, best known for her Appalachian “Ballad” novels, set in the North Carolina/Tennessee mountains, including the New York Times Best Sellers She Walks These Hills and The Rosewood Casket, which deal with the issue of the vanishing wilderness; The Ballad of Frankie Silver and The Ballad of Tom Dooley, exploring the true stories behind two Appalachian murder ballads; and The Songcatcher, a genealogy in music, tracing the author‘s family from 18th century Scotland to the present by following a Scots Ballad through the generations. Ghost Riders, an account of the Civil War in the mountains of western North Carolina, won the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature given by the East Tennessee Historical Society and the national Audie Award for Best Recorded Novel. Her books have been named New York Times and Los Angeles Times Notable Books.

Our ReadWNC series concludes Tuesday, October 4 with author Sharyn McCrumb discussing the true events behind her novel The Ballad of Frankie Silver. In this series, authors and historians explore the facts behind the fiction in books centered in WNC. We encourage you to read the books in advance and bring your own questions to the discussion. You can find all three books at Malaprop’s Bookstore here in Asheville. This event airs live via Zoom, and will be recorded for later viewing.

The Ballad of Frankie Silver is one of McCrumb’s Ballad novels – “set in the Southern mountains, weaving together the legends, natural wonders and contemporary issues of Appalachia. Each story is built around a theme, intended to express an overall idea” according to the author. This novel, set in Burke County, tells the story of the young Frankie Silver, hanged for a murder she may not have committed in 1833. McCrumb notes that this tale involves mountain justice, frontier families, and a contrast between the mountain and lowland South.