“Kickin It” is a versatile rhythm based dance show premiering at Ron DeCar’s event center May 23 at 7:00 p.m. The Coppola Dance Ensemble will present routines with varied rhythms in tap, with the entire show will including all forms of dance: From Latin to Hula, Burlesque to R&B, “Kickin It” guarantees something for everyone.
Guest vocalist, and one of this writers favorite new young singers, Chadwick Johnson will present his singing talents for the first time at the DeCar Center. Las Vegas resident, show producer/writer, Jeanne Bavaro, a long time personal friend, has been collaborating and consulting with the show for the past year and is proud to associate-produce this event. Executive Producer, Drew Vamosi, is a seasoned Broadway performer, owner of Leap, national dance competition, and is an astute business man. He will be flying in to Vegas to celebrate this exciting presentation. Mr. Vamosi has been a constant supporter of the show’s creator, Tony Coppola, for many years.
Tony has the long-standing national recognition of a tap dance virtuoso, and conceived, choreographed and developed “Kickin It”. He is an All-American gymnast, master dance teacher and professional percussionist. His television choreographic credits include commercials for McDonalds, Aramis Cologne, and Autolite auto parts, as well as The Superstars of Gymnastics for USA TV network, John Tesh Live at Redrocks for PBS, The Mystery and Magic of Nadia Comaneci for ABC TV, and The World Gold Gymnastics Tour starring Nadia Comaneci, Bart Conner, Keri Strug and a cast of Olympic Gymnasts.
Featured for his solo tap dancing on various TV shows and in Las Vegas, Tony can also be seen in many dance magazines for his authoritative articles on jazz, tap, and ads promoting Capezio’s Coppola Tap Shoes, introduced in 1990.
“Kickin It”, Saturday, May 23, 7pm, Ron Decar’s Event Center, 1201 Las Vegas
THIS AND THAT QUICKLY:
Multi-talented entertainer and showman, Earl Turner returns to the Suncoast Showroom May 30 and 31. Turner began performing at the age of 13, and by age 19, was traveling the country as a front man with various show bands. As a solo artist, Turner scored a top 40 dance hit in Europe in the mid-1980s with “Love Caught You By Surprise.” Turner’s career spans the screens and the stage, as a singer, songwriter, musician, dancer and actor. A renowned Las Vegas performer, Turner has appeared at numerous resorts and showrooms across the U.S. His accolades include being honored as Male Vocalist of the Year by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and being named one of New Orleans Magazine’s People to Watch in 2005. He was inducted into the New Orleans Music Hall of Fame the same year. Turner works closely with a number of prominent charities, including the Special Olympics, Opportunity Village of Las Vegas, and the Blood Center of Louisiana. In January 2014, he became acting spokesperson for Easter Seals of Nevada. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15.95, plus tax and convenience fees and can be purchased at any Boyd Gaming Box Office, by calling 702.284.7777 or visiting www.suncoastcasino.com
A wonderful friend of this writer, and a guy I have personally admired over many years of reading his writings when it came to supporting the veteran, has come out with what I feel is a very important film. “VETERANS: A Motion Picture,” a documentary produced by award-winning journalist and Army Vietnam veteran, Chuck N. Baker, has been released to help dispel news stories and editorial opinions that he says often tend to paint all veterans as having PTSD and other mental and emotional problems.
“Too many veterans have not received their fair share of positive media coverage,” Baker said. “I have produced a documentary film that illustrates in brief interviews and vignettes how most American veterans return from military life and become positive citizens,” Baker said. “Overwhelming media depictions of soldiers who come home and who can’t adjust to civilian life is just plain wrong, and is an insult to the veterans community as well as to the active-duty military.” Baker is an Army Vietnam combat veteran and a Purple Heart recipient.
Baker points that he in no way “seeks to denigrate those individuals who in fact do suffer from ailments due to their military experiences. They have served honorably and proudly in defense of their nation, and they deserve full credit and gratitude from the government and the public. But for too long, many veterans have not received their fair share of positive media coverage, and I hope to help turn that dialogue around with this documentary.” By interviewing men and women from different services who served at different times, he has woven into a single narrative a DVD that illustrates how veterans return to civilian life and successfully lead productive, fulfilling lives. Many of the interviews were culled from Baker’s recent veterans’ television show, while some interviews were done especially for the DVD. Those stories are combined with archival footage, government promotional film and statements from veterans’ service organizations. “This film puts the lie to a general media perception of large numbers of disturbed veterans returning from service and not contributing to society in a meaningful way,” Baker says. For further information contact Bruce Merrin at 702-367-0331.
Well, gang, that’s it for this week.