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Ballet hosting auditions for ‘The Nutcracker’

BY WEST VALLEY VIEW STAFF

Southwest Ballet Theatre, in partnership with Estrella Mountain Community College, is seeking dancers ages 5 to adult for four performances of its seventh annual “Nutcracker” production.

Dancers will share the stage with professional guest artists in the holiday classic.

This year’s production will be under the artistic direction of Tasha Stramecki.

“We are very excited to return to the stage at EMCC after a year away,” Stramecki said. “We are planning a show that will delight new audience members but also surprise our returning patrons.”

Dancers can audition at EMCC’s Performing Arts Center from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 11. All information — including group times, fees, dress code and ballet class requirements — is available at swbtballet.org/ performances/auditions. Auditioning dancers must reserve a space online prior to Sept. 11.

Adults with acting experience who are interested in participating in this year’s production should contact Southwest Ballet at admin@swbtballet.org.

Performances are Thursday, Dec. 16, to Sunday, Dec. 19, at EMCC’s Performing Arts Center, located at 3000 N. Dysart Road, Avondale. Tickets go on sale online Friday, Oct. 1.

Entrepreneurs hope to raise customers’ self-esteem

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI

West Valley View Executive Editor

Lorenzo Carson was working as a plumber when he met Taqee Zareef on a job in the Bay Area.

Carson, of Avondale, wished he could spend more time at home with his family, as plumbing is a 24/7 job. He found Zareef felt he same.

In February, the duo took a leap of faith and invested in CG Essentials, a selfcare company that they say improves self-confi dence. It launched in April.

“We’re big on family,” Carson said. “Back when we were working as plumbers, it was so time consuming. We want to do well and make money and be comfortable, but not at the expense of spending time with our kids and families.

“We have always been clean-cut men, and putting these grooming kits together is right up our alley.”

Zareef said CG Essentials’ products are rare in that men do not usually see grooming kits just for them.

Products range from a $4.49 Dip’N Du-Rag to a $90 Boss Bundle, a collection of men’s grooming products on CG Essentials’ website.

Perfume, edge control, beauty blenders and cuticle oil are among the popular products for women. Their products are even named after their children to show their commitment to building a more splendid future — not only for their children but also for the Black community. For instance, some of their products are named Iyana’s Edge Control, Love Aliya Perfume, Layla’s Luxury Lip Balm and Carson Cuticle Oil. “The edge control is our top seller, to be honest,” Carson said. “It allows them to tame and style their edges.”

The now-former plumbers — or “house doctors,” as Carson said — enjoy the creativity and the opportunities that come with CG Essentials.

“It’s the same rush I used to get when I was plumbing,” Zareef said.

Zareef and Carson would love to expand their business, but they’re happy with the success they’ve had so far. They are working on having CG Essentials products in Walmart, Target and beauty salons.

“People are telling us how much they love it,” Carson added. “We do it all at home, which allows us to spend time with our family and kids. We’re going to their basketball games and practices. It opened a whole new world for us.”

Zareef added, “It takes people years to be able to do it, to experience some of this stuff. In a couple months’ time, it’s been amazing. We’re still really humble about it.”

Zareef and Carson are in CG Essentials for the long haul.

“This is defi nitely not a get-rich-quick scheme,” Carson said. “It’s more for our families. It we were really worried about the money, we would have stayed in plumbing. It’s a fruitful job. But with time, you can’t get it back with your kids. That is our No. 1 priority.”

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Lorenzo Carson and Taqee Zareef founded CG Essentials so they could spend more time with their children. (Photo courtesy of CG Essentials)

ANSWERS ON PAGE 22

King Crossword

ACROSS

1 Wee dollop 4 “I smell --!” 8 Lose it 12 Single 13 Only 14 Chantilly, e.g. 15 Vitamin stat 16 Frost 17 “-- Misbehavin’” 18 Improbable, unexpected wonders 21 Existed 22 Squid squirt 23 Song of praise 26 Frequently 27 “Lion” actor Patel 30 Intends 31 Dinner for Dobbin 32 Seethe 33 Sample 34 “Shoo!” 35 Crazy Horse, for one 36 Mountain pass 37 Hot tub 38 Insignificant sum 45 Car 46 “Who --?” 47 Ultimate 48 Leisurely 49 Fashion magazine 50 Multipurpose truck 51 Bottom lines? 52 Lushes 53 Melancholy

DOWN

1 Campus digs 2 “The King --” 3 Noggin 4 Hindu retreat 5 Hotel units 6 Jai -7 Fill with intense fear 8 Not taut 9 Hammer target 10 Teen’s woe 11 Favorites 19 They give a hoot 20 Busy insect 23 Bit of butter 24 Knightly address 25 Actress Adams 26 Feedbag morsel 27 Pair with an air 28 Outback bird 29 Irritate 31 Many Woodstock attendees 32 Edict 34 Guy’s date 35 Sudden bursts 36 Radiates 37 Long-legged shorebird 38 Obi 39 Stubborn beast 40 Molecule part 41 Norway’s capital 42 Burden 43 Jazz singer James 44 Molt

by Linda Thistle

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK H H

H Moderate HH Challenging HHH HOO BOY!

Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

DIFFICULTY THIS WEEK H H H

H Moderate HH Challenging HHH HOO BOY!

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.

SCRAMBLERS

Unscramble the letters within each rectangle to form four ordinary words. Then rearrange the boxed letters to form the mystery word, which will complete the gag!