ARTISTS & WRITERS Photo of Helen Hansen French By Tom Kramer
DANCING QUEEN The choreography and poetic motion of St. Petersburg native and artist laureate Helen Hansen French is showcased in Look Touch Move @ Creative Pinellas Jan. 20 6-8pm. French is on the faculty of St. Petersburg College and teaches dance both in NYC and here. She began dancing at Judith Lee Johnson’s Studio of Dance, and at the Pinellas County Center for the Arts. After attending the HARID Conservatory, she earned a BFA from Juilliard School under the Early Admissions Option and after
Parties with a Purpose By Nanette Wiser It’s the season of giving on Paradise’s social whirl. Grab your LBD and Plus One and head out to these fabulous events that raise money for good causes! Give a donation and have fun partying – it’s the ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift when you help a charity…altruism=love. Jan. 15: Patriot Day Memorial @ St. Petersburg Coliseum to honor our heroes and remember the events of 9/11 with proceeds benefiting Breaking Barriers (RHS First Responder Program) and introducing Operation Rescue. RememberHonorSupport.org Jan. 18: Brooke’s 4th Annual Butterfly Bash @ The Floridian Social Club. The event is for Pediatric Lupus Awareness run by Denise Brown whose daughter died from lupus. Working with The Lupus Foundation of American and TGH Foundation, where Brooke was a patient, the event raises 40
JANUARY 2022 | ParadiseNewsFL.com
graduation she joined Buglisi Dance Theatre where she is currently a principal dancer as well as rehearsal assistant. In addition to BDT’s annual New York City seasons she has performed at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Chautauqua Dance Festival, Vail International Dance Festival, Rishon LeZion International Festival in Israel, and the Oriente Occidente Festival in Rovereto, Italy. Mrs. Hansen French has also been instrumental in restaging BDT’s works at Marymount Manhattan College, The Alvin/ Ailey Fordham BFA program, George Mason University, and the University of California at Long Beach. French has been featured the New York Times Arts and Dance Teacher Magazine and lauded by The Arts Alliance and others. In addition to her work with BDT Helen has performed with the Nilas Martins Dance Company, been in residency at White Oak Dance working with choreographer Adam Hougland and performed in the Guggenheim’s Works/Process program money for an important cause. Enjoy live entertainment by The Black Honkeys, fabulous food from CRG, where Brooke was a loved employee (Love Child, Ciccio Water, Daily Eats, Green Lemon), free Prosecco and a silent/live auction. info@brookesbutterflybash.org Jan. 19: The Gator Gala benefits the Alligator and Wildlife Recovery Center @ The Don CeSar. (See our cover feature) Feb. 5: PARC’s 53nd Annual Black Tie Gala @ The St. Petersburg Yacht Club is themed Evening of Purpose. Enjoy dining on specially prepared gourmet dishes, dancing to The Bay King Band and help raise funds so PARC can continue offering vital support to children and adults with developmental disabilities. March 11: The Greatest Show @the Luxury Yacht Starship Dinner Cruise departs the Port of St. Petersburg for this black-tie gala that raises money for seven beloved local charities: Brooke’s Butterfly Bash, St. Pete Fools, Heels to Heal, The Shawn Brown
By Nanette Wiser with choreographers Brian Reeder and Pam Tanowitz. In 2010 she presented a solo show at Studio@620 that featured the re-created works of Ruth St. Denis, Doris Humphrey and Jacqulyn Buglisi. She has been a member of the dance faculty at the Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC and The Juilliard School. Committed to arts education, she is a founding member of the St. Pete Dance Alliance and co-producer of Beacon, a performance series for St. Pete. BOOK NOOK Paradise boasts authors of every genre from earth lovers (local gardener Craig Huegel’s Butterfly Gardening with Florida’s Native Plans) to mystery writers (St. Petersburg’s Tamara Lush and her Coffee Lover’s Series, pen name Tara Lush). Her newest whodunnit is Cold Brew Corpse, and it’s a hoot. Craig Pittman’s The State You’re In chronicles Florida’s wildest stories. Clearwater Beach first-time author Jan M. Walton’s first novel River Avenue is a departure from her day job coaching people to write their autobiographies. Foundation, ILSP Emergency Relief Fund, Pinellas Pals, and RememberHonorSupport. Enjoy sightseeing, dancing, live music, dining, Alvin Reserved Selection wines, and burlesque and magic shows on three decks. VIP and Gold & Silver Tickets available; VIP includes exclusive dinner and all deck access, exclusive pre-parties and after-party with DJ Fresh. The entertainment lineup features Ariella & Nic Kraster, Shawn Brown, Daniela Soledade & Nate Najar, James Suggs, #No Filter Show Band and surprise guests. Also performing is Boris & Sax. Complimentary valet parking is included in the ticket. TheGreatestShow.Org The fabulous Alessandro Alvino aka Alvin hosts the floating Greatest Show party as maestro extraordinaire and is bringing this event from Italy, having produced similar events worldwide. “I wanted to honor my father who believed in doing good and 100% of the ticket sales go to the charities,” he says. “It’s also a great way to celebrate my 50th birthday which is midnight March 12th at the end of the party.”
