Chicago Reader: Uptown—specifically the corner of Lawrence Avenue and Broadway—was once the cradle of Chicago entertainment. From the now-closed Uptown Theatre (opened in 1925) to still-thriving venues like the Riviera Theatre (1918), Aragon Ballroom (1926), and Green Mill Cocktail Lounge (1907, but called Pop Morse’s Roadhouse until 1910), the neighborhood boasts culturally diverse attractions and dining.
3 comments:
Every other day I hear about another awesome thing in Chicago, and while I’m sure my performing arts career takes me there I really hope it’s sooner rather than later. I’m glad to know that the arts industry is finding success somewhere, as well as a community space in which wellness is promoted. I really appreciate learning that there is a space that provides wellness offerings, but also involves that directly with movement- not a formal workout, but movement. Not only this approach to wellness and movement is something that can connect very cohesively, but this is also accessible to a very wide range of people- as they explained in the article, there is no age limit. I recently read a couple chapters of a book criticizing typical western approaches to health, specifically mental health, but it deeply criticized the way we define unwellness as something that needs to be solved rather than there being a constant need to maintain and uphold wellness within a system that is constantly making us unwell. I think the author of that book would really like to learn about Kuumba Lynz Arts & Healing.
I thought this was really interesting because it shows how performing arts spaces can also function as community and wellness spaces. I especially liked the idea that Kuumba Lynx Arts & Healing combines dance, hip-hop culture, and different forms of wellness like yoga, massage, and reiki. It makes the space feel like more than just a dance studio, but more of a place where people can connect with their bodies and their community. I also think it’s really interesting that they offer such a wide variety of dance styles, from Afro dance and Jamaican dancehall to vogue and belly dance. That kind of variety probably allows people to explore different cultures and movement styles they might not otherwise experience. I also found it really cool that they offer classes for so many different age groups, including people over 50. That kind of accessibility makes the arts feel much more welcoming to a wider range of people, not just experienced dancers but beginners too.
This space looks super cool, you know, the first thing I'm looking at when I read this article is the photo being drawn onto the wall. I haven't been to Chicago, but this image they're painting of this little uptown, I almost want to say nightlife, and I guess the day life community seems really cute and uplifting. Specifically, more talking about the Arts and Healing Center, which seems to be a dance studio with over 10 different styles of dance being taught, which I love. This seems like a really great place to just go and take your mind off the stressors of life, and movement is a really good way to ease the mind. If I were to go to Chicago, I'm kind of intrigued by the chair yoga class, and I think I want to take that class at the studio. This seems like a very cool hole-in-the-wall place, and I'm really glad that this has been able to help the Chicago Community for so many years.
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