L.A. audiences know they can dance, and they prove it on the Music Center Plaza at "Dance Downtown."

Going to a concert or show may be a spectator sport most of the year, but when the temperatures start climbing, Los Angeles audiences like to get in on the act.

From sing-alongs to outdoor dancing, accordion playing to impromptu Shakespeare, this summer’s arts calendar is heavy on audience participation.

“The idea behind it is that audiences are trying to be artists themselves, rather than just sitting in a seat,” said Heather Rigby, General Manager of Productions at the John Anson Ford Theatre. “It’s also a really good community builder that helps people be able to express themselves.”

The Ford’s audience participation events, called “J.A.M. Sessions,” began in 2008. The sessions allow people to dance and try out new instruments while connecting with artists from diverse cultures. Already this year, crowds have tried their hands (and feet) at Afro-Cuban dance and Japanese Taiko drumming. This Monday, June 25, Otoño Luján and Gee Rabe will share their mastery of the accordion before leading a giant, novice accordion symphony. (Instruments will be provided.)

The J.A.M. Sessions have proven so successful that this year the Ford is taking its show on the road, courtesy of a grant from Metabolic Studios. Starting July 6, road sessions will be held in East L.A., Newhall, San Fernando, Whittier and Willowbrook.

Also at the Ford, the Big!World!Fun! series offers youngsters a chance to try dance and musical styles from cultures worldwide. The events take place Saturday mornings at 10 a.m., beginning July 7.

At the Hollywood Bowl, summer night sing-alongs turn the legendary amphitheatre into something of a karaoke-on-steroids experience, with some of the best-loved musicals of all time projected onto a huge screen with captioned lyrics.

“There is something very unique about a venue that seats 18,000 people and everyone is singing—it’s really loud,” said Arvind Manocha, the Bowl’s chief operating officer. “It is just primordially powerful to hear that many people singing the same thing in one space.”

The events, which began in 2001, bring out the dramatic attire as well as the wannabe Broadway divas. Thousands show up decked out in movie-specific costumes, and hundreds take part in the pre-show parade dressed as characters, objects or even ideas from the movies. A package of interactive props is handed out to enhance the fun, à la Rocky Horror Picture Show. And, because it’s Hollywood, said Minocha, special guests associated with the movie often show up, like the actors that portrayed the von Trapp children and Didi Conn, who played “Frenchy” in Grease. (This year, Grease will be performed July 14 and The Sound of Music on September 22.)

In downtown L.A., the Walt Disney Concert Hall hosts its own Friday Night Sing-Alongs, which are free to the public. They begin this Friday, June 22, with “Disney Favorites,” and continue later this summer with Motown hits and Broadway tunes.

Across the street at the Music Center, the courageous can trade their two left feet for new dance styles at Dance Downtown. Live bands and DJs provide rhythms for the outdoor dance lessons, which are held in the Music Center Plaza. Next Friday, June 29, Dance Downtown features Bollywood dancing. If that’s not your speed, the rest of the season has plenty of other options like disco, samba and “60s Night,” to name a few.

Over at the Annenberg Beach House in Santa Monica, the “Beach=Culture” series engages the community with its own participatory events. On Tuesday, June 26, enjoy some guerilla Shakespeare with the facility’s new resident artists from the Salty Shakespeare Company, who pride themselves on “Erupting, Interrupting, Disturbing the Peace.” Guests can try their hand at street theatre and learn the secrets of the group, which employs rap, Parkour (extreme freestyle, um, walking) and attention/diversion tactics to engage the public with their performances.

Aspiring non-performance art amateurs also have a few options, from LACMA’s free family art workshops to the UCLA Fowler Museum’s upcoming Afghan fighter kite-making workshop to the Getty Center’s Family Art Lab.

This Saturday, June 23, aspiring artists can practice and pitch in on a collaborative effort at Dockweiler State Beach that will use UV paint to create a mural that glows under black lights. The event, called “Nite-Write,” is presented by MobileMuralLab in cooperation with the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors and the L.A. County Arts Commission.

With options like playing with glowing paint and belting out show tunes, there’s something for just about everyone. Don’t worry if you’re a newbie; you’ll be glad you left your armchair behind.

“The first time you go,” said the Hollywood Bowl’s Manocha, “you kind of need to figure it out, and then every other time you will be more involved in the fun.”

Put your hands in the air if you're a Taiko drummer at the Ford Theatre.

Posted 6/21/12

Triple Chicken Foot brings American roots music to Bergamot Station on August 19.

Triple Chicken Foot, meet BombaChante.  If you’re looking for proof of the energetic multiculturalism of L.A. County’s musical scene, look no further than the lineup for this summer’s free summer concert series, presented by the Arts Commission.

In the 3^rd District alone, the offerings range from the jazz/electronica stylings of Beautiful People (West Hollywood, July 22) to Very Be Careful’s  Colombian-inspired “vallenato” dance grooves (Encino, October 14) interspersed with plenty of jazz, R & B and American roots music at venues including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and Bergamot Station in Santa Monica.

Or spread your musical horizons even wider and check out the concerts countywide. There’s nothing scheduled for the 4^th of July, but there’s plenty on the bill after that, including a July 5 concert featuring Along for the Ride at Roosevelt Park in South Los Angeles.

The free summer concert series is one international adventure that doesn’t require a plane ticket—and may have you humming “I Love L.A.” all the way home.

Posted 7/3/12

Swimmers enjoy the renovated pool at El Cariso Park in Sylmar.

The water’s fine and so are the learning and exercise opportunities at Los Angeles County swimming pools, which recently opened for the summer season.

“We do a lot of different things at our pools,” said Kaye Michelson of the county Department of Parks and Recreation, which manages the pools. “We have recreational swimming at set times. We also have aqua aerobics for adults, dive clubs, water polo—and most of those programs are free.”

People of all ages can take introductory swimming lessons from county lifeguards for just $20 for ten classes over a two-week session. For adults, the pools can serve as a reasonably-priced alternative to a gym membership—morning and evening adult lap swimming is $7 per week or $25 per month, and aqua aerobics are $15 for two weeks of classes.

The pool at El Cariso Park in Sylmar has a full roster of additional water activities. Kids ages 7 to 17 can learn diving, competitive swimming, synchronized swimming or water polo, and swimmers ages 9 and up can join in on triathlon training—all for free. See the El Cariso Pool schedule for details.

Pool safety is always a major focus, so lifeguards will be keeping an eye on swimmers and sharing their expertise. The Department of Parks and Recreation has also compiled a list of guidelines to follow.

“We want kids and parents to learn good safety tips that they can use anywhere, at any body of water,” said Michelson.

All 25 county pools are open daily for recreational swimming from 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. until Labor Day. Proper swimwear is required. Entrance is free, and guests ages 6 and under must be accompanied by an adult.

Posted 7/3/12

Skip the summer parking hassles and take the county's beach bus to the shore this summer.

When the second phase of the Expo light rail line opens in a few years, residents of Los Angeles County will be able to take the train to the beach. In the meantime, the Summer Beach Bus is back, courtesy of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

In the Third District, the Topanga Canyon Beach Bus offers a route that serves the West San Fernando Valley and Topanga Canyon. The bus also connects to the Metro Orange Line at Warner Center Station, providing beach transit access to even more of the Valley and beyond, linking its riders to the sands of the Topanga, Will Rogers and Santa Monica State Beaches.

Out of 8 routes countywide, only the Topanga and East L.A. routes do not require reservations. All others must reserve seats online at www.lagobus.com or by calling (626) 458-3909. The Topanga Canyon Beach Bus is $2 for a round trip and half price for seniors and disabled people. Other routes range in price up to $6 per round trip. The Topanga Beach Bus will run Mondays through Saturdays until Labor Day.

Posted 7/3/12

From Warner Center to the Hollywood Bowl, above, L.A. has plenty of options for a festive 4th.

You won’t have to venture far to stake out a perfect spot to celebrate the 4^th of July this year. From Warner Center to Marina del Rey, and many communities in between, Los Angeles County will be lighting up the skies as the sun sets on Independence Day, 2012. Here are some of the options in and around the 3^rd District for fireworks viewing, parades and more.

Marina del Rey

After a one-year, budget-induced hiatus, the Marina del Rey Fourth of July Fireworks Show is coming back in 2012.

Hosted by the L.A. County Department of Beaches and Harbors, the world-class display boasts 1,161 aerial fireworks. The holiday celebration is expected to attract about 25,000 landlubbers and thousands more on boats. In fact, the event has become so huge there is no longer enough room for a launching site.

“It is so big we have to put it out on a barge—we don’t have space for it on our jetties,” said Carol Baker, Chief of Community and Marketing Services for the Department of Beaches and Harbors.

The best vantage points to view the fireworks from land are Burton Chace Park, Fisherman’s Village and the beaches of Marina del Rey and Playa del Rey. The show starts at 9 p.m. on July 4. Parking is $7 to $10 in county lots or $1 for each 20 minutes at Fisherman’s Village.

Studio City

In Studio City, the annual fireworks show comes with a full evening of festivities, including live music, barbeque, a kids’ fun zone, magicians and fully costumed pirates—available for photos and to “walk the plank” into the dunk tank.

The event takes place at CBS Studio Center from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on July 4. Tickets are available online, by calling (818) 655-5916 or at the Studio City Farmers Market, each Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. VIP tickets are also available with extras like rooftop viewing and a gourmet dinner.

Hollywood

The Hollywood Bowl is one of the world’s most magical venues for musical and visual pyrotechnics. This year’s July 4 Fireworks Spectacular will feature the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Barry Manilow.

The L.A. Phil will play patriotic favorites under the baton of Sarah Hicks, and Manilow will perform some of his 47 Billboard Top 40 hits—a number that includes such notables as “Copacabana” and “Looks Like We Made It.” The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and tickets, which start at $15, are available online or by calling (323) 850-2999.

Santa Monica

If you can’t wait till nightfall, Santa Monica’s annual parade starts at 9:30 a.m. “Science & Technology,” this year’s theme, seeks to honor the inventiveness of the founding fathers while highlighting the importance of technology to the local economy. After the parade, the celebration will continue along Main Street with live music, food and other entertainment.

Pacific Palisades

The annual Pacific Palisades 4^th of July Parade comes with a heap of star-studded history. Now in its 64^th year, the parade has been led by the likes of Sir Anthony Hopkins and Chevy Chase. This year, the Grand Marshall is Jerry Mathers, of “Leave it to Beaver” fame.

At 1:50 p.m. on July 4, skydivers will mark the start of the day’s revelry, immediately followed by the parade at 2 p.m. The parade’s route moves down Sunset Boulevard from Via de la Paz to Drummond Street.

Later, as the sun sets, The English Beat (fronted by the Palisades’ own Dave Wakeling) will headline a family-friendly concert and fireworks at Palisades Charter High School. Tickets are $5 in advance or $6 the day of the event, and kids under 12 are free.

Woodland Hills

The annual July 4^th Extravaganza in Woodland Hills is billed as the biggest Independence Day celebration in the San Fernando Valley. Live music starts in Warner Ranch Park at 6 p.m. and the fireworks begin at 9:08 p.m.

Calabasas

Families are the focus at the Calabasas July 4^th Fireworks Spectacular, which offers a nightcap to a full day of summer fun including live music, a pet show, rides, crafts and games.

To get a jump on the kettle corn and sausages, attendees might consider taking part in the 35^th annual Lakeside Fun Run, which begins at 7:45 a.m. A free Summer Splash Party starts at noon at the Calabasas Tennis & Swim Center, and the Fireworks Spectacular itself begins at 5 p.m. Tickets to the evening event are $10 and must be purchased in advance at Calabasas City Hall, the Tennis & Swim Center or Juan Bautista de Anza Park. See the event website for more details.

Malibu

While Malibu has no officially-sanctioned display, Los Angeles County Fire Department permits several private displays to be launched offshore. This year, displays are permitted for Malibu Colony Road, and the 21500, 22300 and 27900 blocks of Pacific Coast Highway.

Be safe!

Leave the pyrotechnics to the pros. Fireworks are illegal in unincorporated Los Angeles County, bringing fines or even jail time to those who are caught with them, said Inspector Quvondo Johnson of the L.A. County Fire Department. Prohibitions are also in place in the City of L.A. and other area cities.

“We’re advising everyone to visit a professional show rather than just sitting at home and doing it yourself,” said Johnson.

Johnson recommends visiting the fireworks safety website sponsored by local public safety agencies and nonprofit groups. The site has a full list of sanctioned displays and sobering statistics on fireworks-related fires and injuries.

Posted 7/3/12

Extending Measure R would accelerate the creation of construction jobs, Metro says.

Metro’s Board of Directors on Thursday approved a plan to let voters decide on a 30-year extension of Measure R, the ½-cent sales tax measure passed in 2008 to fund transportation improvements in the county.

The board voted 10-3 in favor of placing the extension measure on the November ballot. The original Measure R keeps the sales tax in place through 2039. The extension, if approved, would continue it for 30 years beyond that, or until voters decide to end it.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the extension measure’s most vocal proponent, said it would create more jobs faster and would allow Metro to accelerate the pace on important transportation projects while saving money on lower construction costs in a slumping economy. Extending Measure R would also create a larger pot of future revenues that Metro could borrow against to receive low-interest federal funding, he said.

“It’s a game-changer and a big win for L.A. County,” Villaraigosa said.

According to a Metro report, the extension would accelerate creation of 260,000 of the 410,000 jobs projected under the original Measure R, and would send $43 billion of the originally projected $67 billion into the local economy sooner. It would allow a speeded-up timetable on projects ranging from the Westside Subway to the Eastside Gold Line Extension, the agency said.

Voting against placing the measure on the ballot were Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich, Don Knabe and Mark Ridley-Thomas.

Knabe said the extension would give Metro “a blank check” and would erode the fiscal discipline of the original measure’s 30-year duration.

“The sales tax currently does not expire until 2039, so there is no reason to extend it unless we want to spend the next generation’s money today,” Knabe said in a statement after the vote.

The Metro board’s action is one in a series of steps needed to place the Measure R extension before voters. A bill sponsored by Assemblyman Mike Feuer that would allow the measure to go forward is working its way through the Legislature and requires the governor’s approval to become law.

Then the county Board of Supervisors must formally approve placing it on the ballot. Even though three of the five supervisors voted against it on Thursday, Villaraigosa said he expects the board to approve the ballot placement when it comes before them as a routine, “ministerial” matter.

Metro’s staff had recommended an indefinite extension of Measure R, but the board opted instead to ask voters to approve a 30-year increase. The extension requires two-thirds voter approval to take effect.

The last time out, county voters handily approved the measure, with nearly 68% voting in favor of the ½-cent tax. And they did so even though the economy had just begun its great economic collapse, Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky reminded his colleagues on the Metro board.

“The public is way ahead of us on this issue,” Yaroslavsky said, “and are willing to spend their resources—for traffic improvements, for public transportation alternatives, for the creation of jobs and the improvement of the economy.”

Posted 6/28/12

More people are traveling this year, but a mid-week Fourth means staggered getaway times.

If you’re sticking around town this Fourth of July week, here’s a little something extra to celebrate:

Chances are your commute this week is lighter than usual, thanks to the 54% of holiday travelers who, according to the Automobile Club, hit the road early to get a head start on Wednesday’s Independence Day revelry.

Call it the mixed blessing of the mid-week holiday.

With Wednesday’s national celebration of the Fourth coming smack in the middle of the work week, many saw an opportunity to frontload their holiday by taking Monday and Tuesday off.  (Or even starting out on the previous Friday, June 29.) Others are delaying gratification and opting to declare their independence from work on Thursday and Friday, thus backloading the holiday and spinning it into a 5-day weekend.

Even though the Auto Club estimates that 4.88 million Californians will be traveling for the holiday this year—a 5.2% increase from last year and more than any year since 2003—the staggered departure days appear to be diluting the traffic impact.

“We expect this is going to be a whole week of getaway days,” says Jeff Spring, spokesman for the Automobile Club of Southern California.

Whether they’re traveling or not, there’s plenty of evidence that folks are staying away from work in droves this week.

“You don’t need data,” Spring says. “You can just send some emails and wait for the auto-responses saying people are out of their offices.”

Danny Chung, media relations manager at Southern California Edison in Rosemead, says that although his workplace is going at full tilt, “everybody else seems to be taking it easy.”

“I drive in from La Verne and it has been a very light drive since Friday evening,” he says.

Government offices are closed Wednesday, and the holiday also will shut down local universities for a day in the middle of the week, making the summer session even quieter than usual. By Wednesday, UCLA will be “kind of a ghost town…except for the most diligent students wandering around,” says university spokesman Chris Stanton.

Even the California Highway Patrol, which declares the days on and around major holidays to be “maximum enforcement periods,” has determined that kind of stepped-up action will be needed only on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. By contrast, last July 4, which fell on a Monday, required a four-day maximum enforcement period starting the Friday before the holiday.

Still, don’t expect getting around town to be a picnic on Wednesday. Metro buses and trains will be running on a reduced holiday schedule, and traffic congestion is likely around popular recreation hotspots like the beaches and at major fireworks shows.

CHP Public Information Officer Saul Gomez, who reports on afternoon drive-time patterns for a number of Los Angeles TV and radio stations, predicted that Wednesday would be a “heavy traffic day.” Motorists should plan their route in advance, wear their seatbelts and designate a driver if they plan to raise a glass or two to Old Glory.

“It’s a very busy period,” Gomez says. “The weather is great and people tend to imbibe a little more than they would normally.”

Posted 7/2/12